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Association de la Sommellerie Internationale

The Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), founded in Reims (F) in June 1969 by the Italian Jean Valenti with some sommelier from Belgium, France and Portugal, aims to promote the profession of sommelier and set the standards for the profession of sommelier, train new sommelier to the profession  favor it training, teach ethical practices, defend its ethics, as well as to consolidate and strengthen the image of the sommelier in the world.

It is a non-profit independent “super partes” association, which currently brinss together 56 active members (ie national associations) representing 56 countries, as well as five associations of countries accredited ad Observer Members. ASI enjoys the full accreditation by the Unquestionable legality and representativeness for over half a century, recognized and attested also by the OIV, the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin, the Organization that studies and propose laws for the wine sector to the governments of dozens of countries in the wold and to which ASI has enjoyed exclusive accreditation for several years.

For ASI, the modern Sommelier is a professional working in catering (sector HO.RE.CA-restaurants, wine bars, GDO, etc.) whose role is mainly to advise customers on the choice of drinks, on pairing wine to food. Depending on the size of a business, the sommelier could also manage the entire beverage business (purchase and sale) and to ensure its proper service.

In addition to the World Competition, the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale organizes continental competitions every three years: the Best Sommelier in Europe, the Best Sommelier in the Americas, the Best Sommelier in Asia-Oceania.

The criteria adopted in the theoretical-practical selection tests of the candidates who present themselves in these competitions are extremely rigorous and are held under the control of a Technical Commission which includes, among others, the winners of the title of Best Sommelier of the Wold ASI.

Each national association must organise its own the selection to designate the candidate who will represent their country on a continental or world level.

ASI is the only international organization that enjoys undisputed standing among professionals (restaurateurs, hoteliers, wine shops, etc.) and institutions (schools, universities, etc.), for the seriousness and competence with which it has favoured sommelier’s development, representing the highest expression of the professional sommelier.