May 19, 2025 — Liquid Icons, the Gérard Basset Foundation, and Artémis Domaines are honoured to announce the three recipients of the 2025 Artémis Domaines Golden Vines® Victims of Conflict Scholarships. The Artémis Domaines Golden Vines® Victims of Conflict Scholarships offer meaningful assistance and career progression to wine professionals who have been affected by war and geo-political conflict. Each Scholar will undertake a 6-month paid bespoke internship learning new skills in viticulture and viniculture at one of Artémis Domaines’ world-renowned estates: Beaux-Frères, Bouchard Père & Fils, Champagne Jaquesson, Château Latour, Château-Grillet, Clos de Tart, Domaine d’Eugénie, and Eisele Vineyard.
The winners were selected in two rounds by a judging panel consisting of Ian Harris MBE DipWSET, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Gérard Basset Foundation, and Jérémy Cukierman MW, Communication and Sustainability Director of Artémis Domaines.
The winners are:
Daria Antonenko, Ukraine. Daria’s career in wine was upended by the ongoing war in Ukraine, which caused her to move to London and have to start from scratch. Since then, she has achieved her WSET Diploma in the UK, and looks forward to developing her knowledge further through her internship
Yevhenii Homeniuk, Ukraine. Yevhenii was compelled to move with his family from danger in Ukraine to Bordeaux, where he has taken steps to learn French, gain experience working in the local wine industry, and build his skills with the eventual aim of helping the Ukrainian wine industry gain a greater international presence.
Igor Puscasu, Moldova. Igor witnessed first-hand the devastation wrought on Moldova’s wine industry following the 2006 embargo by Russia of Moldovan wine. He is now working in Barolo as a winemaker, and he hopes to gain further winemaking experience in the world’s most renowned wine regions, with the aim of bringing this knowledge back to Moldova to play his part in the industry there.
Commenting on this year’s scholars, Jérémy Cukierman MW remarked: “We are very happy to be able, once again this year, to reach out alongside the Gérard Basset Foundation to professional colleagues in the wine sector whose careers have been impacted by the conflicts affecting their countries. It is passion, determination, and enthusiasm that have prevailed in choosing the three winners of these 2025 scholarships. We hope their experiences in our estates will be filled with valuable lessons and wonderful encounters.”
Romané Basset, Co-Founding Trustee of the Gérard Basset Foundation, added: “We cannot wait to see all that these scholars achieve through their upcoming internships. We are truly delighted to partner with Artémis Domaines and we thank them for their kind support in making these scholarships possible. We have no doubt that the experiences of each scholar will be enriching and will enable them to continue building their skills and open new careers paths for them. Congratulations to Daria, Yevhenii and Igor”.
About The Gérard Basset Foundation
The Gérard Basset Foundation is the world’s leading charitable foundation dedicated to using the wine, spirits and hospitality industries as a vehicle for change. Gérard Basset (7th March 1957 – 16th January 2019) OBE MS MW MBA OIV MSc ASI World’s Best Sommelier 2010 was without question one of the greatest wine professionals of his era. During his lifetime, Gérard mentored and trained a generation of young sommeliers who sought out his expertise and guidance to launch their own successful careers. Many of those protégés are now connected with the Foundation and remain instrumental in keeping Gerard’s legacy alive and flourishing. The Gérard Basset Foundation was co-founded in 2021 by Gérard’s wife Nina and their son Romané who also serve as trustees alongside Jancis Robinson OBE MW and Ian Harris.
About Artémis Domaines
Created in 1993, Artémis Domaines selectively invests in high-quality vineyards and terroirs with a view to managing and developing them over the long term. Artémis Domaines owns 8 properties in Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Champagne, the Napa Valley in California and Oregon: Château Latour, Eisele Vineyard, Domaine d’Eugénie, Château Grillet, Clos de Tart, Champagne Jacquesson, Beaux Frères, and Bouchard Père et Fils. The Artémis Domaines properties share the same constant quest for excellence and commitment to environmental protection. All the vineyards in property are certified organic and the eight estates cultivate their vines in accordance with agroecology principles.
