SoSe26 - Recap
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A Semester to Remember
Another semester has come to a close, and what a semester it was. Between vineyard visits, international blind tasting competitions, and evenings spent exploring wine regions from Switzerland to Australia, our members had no shortage of opportunities to deepen their passion for wine this Sommersemester 2026. Below, we look back at everything our board and members accomplished together – from the vineyards of the Mosel to the podiums of Bordeaux.
Field Trip to Mosel
We kicked off the semester with our annual field trip, this time to one of the world’s most iconic wine regions: the Mosel. Together with 23 of our members, we spent three days visiting five different wine estates, getting a firsthand look at viticulture along the steep slate slopes that make this region so unique. Between vineyard walks, cellar tours, and tastings straight from the barrel, it was a fantastic introduction to German winemaking at its finest – and a brilliant way to kick off the semester together as a club. Read the full article here or have a look on our Instagram Page.
Onboarding of the New Members
No semester is complete without welcoming new faces, and this time we were thrilled to onboard 25 new members into the Society of Sommeliers. Our onboarding event is a cornerstone of every semester, giving newcomers their first proper introduction to the world of wine and to everything our club stands for. It’s always energizing to see a new generation of curious palates join us.
Swiss Wine Tasting
Our first tasting of the semester took 34 members on a journey through Switzerland’s lesser-explored wine landscape. Often overlooked outside its borders, Swiss wine offered our members a refreshing and educational change of pace – and a reminder that some of Europe’s best-kept secrets are hiding closer than we think.
Millésime Blind Tasting Competition – EHL Lausanne
A team of three TUM students once again flew the flag for our club at the annual blind tasting competition hosted by EHL Lausanne, going head-to-head with teams from universities including Cambridge and Oxford. The weekend closed with a special keynote from Matthieu Jullien, CEO of LVMH Vins d’Exception – a fitting and inspiring end to another exciting and unforgettable weekend abroad.
See more of our trip here.
Left Bank Bordeaux Tasting
If there was one definitive highlight this semester, it was this evening. A record-breaking 45 members – more than half of our entire club – turned up for our Left Bank Bordeaux Tasting, reflecting just how much appetite there is among our members for the great wines of the world. Before the tasting itself, we were treated to an incredibly insightful journey through the history of the Bordeaux region, led by Shubham Aggarwal, a Court of Master Sommeliers Certified Sommelier from Munich’s GRAPES wine bar. His energy and depth of knowledge made for a truly memorable evening – one that will be hard to top.
Australian Wine Tasting with Prof. Maume
We were once again delighted to welcome Prof. Maume of our Technical University of Munich back to the club, this time with six red wines from across Australia in tow. His tasting offered a well-rounded and eye-opening look at a wine-producing nation that rarely gets the spotlight it deserves in European tasting rooms.
Défi de Bachus Blind Tasting Competition
Organized annually by the wine club of business school emlyon, this competition has brought together university teams from across France for 25 years running – and for the second year, the Society of Sommeliers was there to compete. We sent two delegations this year, one from TUM and one representing LMU, and both teams finished as the best non-french teams at the competition (…they were the only non-french teams). They even beat some french teams on their own home-turf. Naturally, the friendly rivalry between our own two teams made the weekend all the more entertaining.
(<– Here you can see the Teams prepping)
LBBC Finale – This Was a Big One
The Left Bank Bordeaux Cup (LBBC) is the largest student blind tasting competition in the world, hosted annually by the Commanderie du Bontemps. Qualifying rounds take place across the globe – in New York, London, Paris, Beijing, and Hong Kong – with only the top two teams from each qualifier advancing to the grand final. Our TUM team earned their spot in the final, and after a three-day tour of some of the region’s most celebrated estates, the final itself was held at Château Duhart Milon. Our team secured an outstanding 4th place – 4th of 8 on the day, and roughly 4th out of around 60 universities worldwide. A phenomenal result that puts TUM firmly among the world’s best, once more.
Italian Wine Tasting with GARIBALDI
We once again partnered with Munich wine merchant GARIBALDI for a tasting through Northern Italy, welcoming 30 of our members for an evening dedicated to Italian grape varieties and winemaking traditions.
LVMH Vins d’Exception Academy
Perhaps the greatest honor of the semester: our Head of Finance, Max, and club president Benjamin were invited to represent the Society of Sommeliers and therefore the Universities of Munich at this prestigious two-day academy, held at none other than the world-famous Château Cheval Blanc. The event brought together 24 students from 12 universities across Europe – including representatives from Oxford, Cambridge, St. Gallen, Bocconi, and HEC (all having their own wine club) – to discuss real-world topics shaping the wine industry and economy today. An extraordinary experience that will stay with us for a long time.
If you wanna see more about our time there, check out our Instagram Highlight.
RIEDEL Factory Visit
Thirteen of our members boarded the train to Kufstein for a visit to Riedel, the world-renowned and oldest glass manufacturer, still producing some of the world’s finest wine glasses. A guided tour gave us a rare behind-the-scenes look into the craft and history behind the glass that so often shapes how we experience wine.
1st Club Championship
We closed out the semester in style with the first-ever edition of our own internal blind tasting competition. After a short theory quiz, participants – competing individually and in teams – had to identify two sparkling wines, two white wines, and eight red wines, determining the grape variety, country of origin, and vintage for each. Bonus points were on offer for correctly naming the producer, a feat one participant actually managed to pull off. The evening was a great reminder of why blind tasting is such a core part of our club culture: it isn’t about drinking (most of the wine is spat, not swallowed) – it’s about understanding, skill, and appreciating the work that goes into every glass. The winners of the individual and team rankings took home our brand-new traveling trophy, which will be passed on to a new champion every semester.
Looking back, it’s clear this semester was defined by an incredible level of engagement from our members – record turnouts at our tastings, strong results on the international competition circuit, and unforgettable trips that took us from the Mosel to Bordeaux and beyond. None of this would have been possible without the hard work of our board and the enthusiasm of our members. Thank you all for making this such a memorable semester – we can’t wait to see what next semester has in store!
Cheers,
The Society of Sommeliers Board
