Matteo Ghiringhelli, Milanese Chef  Sommelier at “Il Vino” in Paris, is the new ASPI Best Sommelier in Italy and candidate for Italy in the next competition “Meilleur Sommelier d ‘Europe 2010 ASI” to be held in Strasbourg in November.

Ghiringhelli, born in 1986, was proclaimed winner at approximately 7pm by ASPI President Giuseppe Vaccarini, by the Director of the Oltrepò Pavese Wine Protection Consortium Carlo Alberto Panont and by Milena Guerci, Councilor of the Municipality of Casteggio, who sponsored the Competition at the third lucky edition, at the splendid headquarters of the Certosa Cantù, also the location of the Oltrevini event.
The award ceremony took place in the presence of the producers sponsor of the event and standard bearer of the local oenology: Giorgi, La Versa, Caseo, as well as the members of the Jury who judged and assisted the various candidates for the whole day.  Only three candidates reached the final, held in the afternoon in front of a careful and lively audience of amateurs, professionals, and operators in the sector.
The final tests showed the skills and competence that the modern Sommelier must  have in order to be considered an ambassador of typical Italian wine and hospitality. And to demonstrate this Ghiringhelli had to face the valid Giovanni Curcio (second place), Sommelier at “Il Pagliaccio” (two stars restaurant) in the various stages of tasting, decanting, pairing, wine list correction, table service, cigar suggestion and dialectic demonstration in a foreign language”, and Gennaro Buono (placed third), Sommelier at the” L’Olivo “restaurant of the Capri Palace Hotel on the Neapolitan island of the same name, also with two prestigious stars.