The nationally recognized wine competition will return January 10, 2027 with an intimate new venue and an extraordinary trip for the grand prize winners.
ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Sommlympics, Atlanta’s nationally recognized wine competition, today announced The Perlant as the new venue for its fourth annual event on January 10, 2027. The announcement follows an unexpected venue disruption that threatened months of planning—and ultimately revealed just how much the Atlanta wine community has come to support and embrace the competition.
Earlier this year, founders Chelsea Young of The Oenophile Institute and Kelly Cornett of A Cork in the Road publicly announced the original venue for the 2027 competition. Several months later, the founders learned that new management declined to honor the previously executed event contracts.
With the competition just months away, the founders faced the daunting prospect of rebuilding a major event from the ground up. Weeks of searching, conversations, and uncertainty followed as they worked to secure a new home for Sommlympics.
What happened next was a welcome reminder that the wine industry, for all its complexity, still knows how to show up for its people.
The Atlanta wine community rallied around the event, helping to bring Sommlympics to The Perlant. Donations and sponsorships for the 2027 competition began arriving in abundance, reinforcing the enthusiasm and generosity behind an event that has grown well beyond its original local ambitions.
“The response from our community has been overwhelming, in the best possible way,” said Young. “We were navigating what felt like an impossible situation, and the wine people of Atlanta stepped up in ways that made it clear Sommlympics means something to them. We’re grateful and honored—and we’re going to make this year’s event the best it’s ever been.”
Founded by Young and Cornett, Sommlympics has evolved from an ambitious Atlanta concept into a national competition attracting sommelier contestants from across the United States. The event received additional national recognition in March 2026, when Somm! Journal published a feature on the competition, spotlighting its distinctive combination of technical rigor, teamwork, and spirited camaraderie.
“Every year, Sommlympics reminds us that the wine industry is full of people who are both incredibly talented and generous with their support,” said Cornett. “Finding a new venue just four months before the event was a challenge we couldn’t have anticipated, but the way our community responded has made this year’s event so much more meaningful.”
A New Venue, an Intimate Experience
The move to The Perlant brings a new dimension to the 2027 competition. With a smaller capacity than the originally contracted venue, Sommlympics will welcome a smaller number of in-person guests, creating an intimate atmosphere with a VIP look & feel.
“We wanted to host Sommlympics because The Perlant is about bringing people together who love food and wine,” said Christian Ries, founder and CEO of The Perlant. “We have a long-term vision of being the best food and wine experience in the world, and that starts with investing in our local community and building trust in one another.”
Rather than replicate the original event at a different address, the Sommlympics founders are embracing the opportunity to make the in-person experience feel personal, immersive, and connected.
For those unable to attend in person—or those who would prefer to experience the competition from afar—the founders are also planning a virtual component, with livestream tickets expected to offer expanded access to the event well beyond the Atlanta metro area.
An Extraordinary Grand Prize: A Harvest Celebration in Uruguay
Among the year’s most exciting developments is an exceptional collection of sponsorships and donations supporting the competition and its contestants.
The largest contribution will fund the first-place team award: a trip for three to Uruguay to attend the Bodega Garzón Harvest Party, generously sponsored by Bodega Garzón.
The prize represents a remarkable opportunity for the winning team to experience one of South America’s most celebrated wine destinations together—an appropriately ambitious reward for a competition built around shared knowledge, teamwork, and a dedication to continuous growth.
Additional sponsorships and donations will support the event, its participants, and the wine education community in metro Atlanta.
Tickets Now on Sale
Live, in-person tickets for Sommlympics 2027 at The Perlant are on sale now. Given the venue’s smaller capacity and intimate setting, the organizers anticipate more limited ticket availability than in prior years.
Virtual livestream tickets are also planned, with additional details forthcoming.
The fourth annual Sommlympics will take place January 10, 2027, at The Perlant in Atlanta, Georgia.
For tickets and event updates, visit: www.sommlympics.com/tickets
Amira Makansi
North Node Marketing
+1 314-495-3898
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