Since 1969
Learn. Challenge. Compete.
The Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI)
was founded in 1969 to unite the world’s national sommelier
associations under a single international voice.
Today, ASI represents 75+ national associations across
six continents — setting global standards in education,
ethics and competitions.
· Promote one central sommelier association per nation
· Coordinate tools to advance the profession
· Educate consumers on the role of the sommelier
· Defend the ethics of the profession
75+
National Associations
55
Years of Excellence
13,000+
Sommeliers Represented
6
Continents
Our Mission.
ASI exists to shape the standards, education, and ethics of sommellerie — globally. We are not a wine producer, not a buyer, not a publication. We are the association of national sommelier associations, a federation of practitioners who set the bar for our craft.
Founded in Reims in 1969 by representatives of nine national associations, ASI today represents over 75 countries, 13,000 working sommeliers, and the annual rhythm of continental and world competitions that have crowned every great champion of the modern era.
The mission is unchanging: to make sommellerie a recognised profession, to train its practitioners to the highest standards, and to connect the producers, the houses, and the guests they ultimately serve.
What We Stand For
Credibility. Community. Connection.
Every program of ASI ladders back to one of three commitments — the same ones that define a great sommelier.
01
Credibility
The ASI Diploma is the most rigorous sommelier certification in the world. Our ethics charter and exam standards are the benchmark national associations align to.
02
Community
From Tokyo to Lisbon, ASI unites associations, instructors, champions, and the next generation of working sommeliers around a shared craft.
03
Connection
We bridge sommeliers with producers, hospitality groups, and partners who fund the education and competitions that move our profession forward.
Our History
55 Years of Excellence
ASI was a little bit like the European Union in the beggining, today it is more like the United Nations.
Best Sommellier of the world, Lisbon, Portugal
Launch of the ASI Bootcamp
Global Multilingual Education Architecture
Introduction of the ASI Diploma
Internationalization and Expansion
Creation of Continental Vice-Presidencies
The Era of True Internationalization
Media Growth with SommelierS International
The First Best Sommelier of the World Competition
ASI Founded in Geneva
Executive Board
The people behind the ASI
Matias Prezioso
Piotr Kamecki
Michèle Aström Chantôme
Saiko Tamura-Soga
Samuil Angelov
Philippe Faure-Brac
Ivo Dvořák
Beata Vlnkova
William Wouters
Our Ethics
The Standards We Hold Ourselves To.
ASI´s Code of Ethics define the principles of professional conduct for the global sommellerie community – the foundation of everything we do.
Integrity
Professional connduct and transparency in all actions
Excellence
The highest standards in sommellerie worlwide
Respect
For culture , diversity and the sommelier tradition
Education
Continuous learning and professional development