– Diploma registration is open until 22 February; Bootcamp registration is closed –
Certification from Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) gives sommeliers the opportunity to be recognised worldwide as having a high level of knowledge and skills. Newly ASI certified sommeliers will become part of an elite group of international sommeliers, many of whom are the winners of ASI Continental and World contests!
Created to help standardise the level of sommeliers internationally, the ASI Certification is a valuable asset for a sommelier’s CV, allowing “ASI Sommeliers” to work worldwide with proof of their excellence.
On Monday 4 March 2024, ASI in conjunction with Sommeliers Australia, is again offering the ASI Diploma certification exam.
The ASI Diploma has been created to help:
- Develop the Sommelier profession;
- Enhance the quality of Sommeliers worldwide;
- Establish international standards for Sommeliers.
The Diploma exam will be run by Sommeliers Australia, and gives Sommeliers Australia ‘Professional’ members working as sommeliers, the opportunity to achieve an internationally recognised standard of sommellerie. Completed exams are submitted to ASI for marking.
A major opportunity for sommeliers and wine professionals across Australia to gain international accreditation, the Diploma exam will be held in Melbourne and offered to a maximum of 8 candidates only. Candidates must be working sommeliers (in restaurants, wine bars, wine retail, distribution, etc), with at least 3 years sommelier experience.
After our inaugural Diploma Bootcamp programme in 2023, Sommeliers Australia is again offering Australian candidates registered for the ASI Diploma the opportunity to take part in a 4 session Diploma Bootcamp. The Bootcamp programme will provide additional and training to support candidates in their preparation for the Diploma assessment.
THE DIPLOMA EXAM
Held on Monday 4 March in Melbourne, the Diploma exam will be completed in two stages:
Stage 1 – Written exam (Total time 2 hrs 55 mins)
- Written description and identification of 2 international wines served blind. (30 min)
- Identification of 2 local beverages and 3 international spirits/liquor/fortified wines (10 min)
- Questionnaire focussing on the main wine producing countries; beer, spirits and other beverages; grape varieties; viticulture; winemaking; and other topics related to the sommelier profession (90 min)
- An essay (500-800 words) on a selected theme regarding the world of beverages and the art of ‘sommellerie’ (45 min)
Stage 2 – Oral and practical tests (Each candidate is allocated 15 minutes)
- Marketing (e.g. selling a beverage). (4 min)
- Practical work (e.g. decantation, service of a bottle of wine). (6 min)
- Tasting plus food and wine pairing. (5 min)
The exam will be conducted in English, unless candidates advise at least one month prior to registration their preference to sit the assessment in either French or Spanish (ASI’s official languages).
Details of the venue and timing of the exam will be shared with all successful candidates in February 2023, once the final number of candidates has been confirmed.
DIPLOMA CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to sit the Diploma, candidates must:
- be fully financial Sommeliers Australia ‘Professional’ members, working as a sommelier (in restaurants, wine bars, wine retail, distribution, etc), with at least 3 years sommelier experience,
- have completed at least WSET Level 3 or CMS Certified OR have equivalent industry experience,
- pay the Examination Fee at the time of registration.
Notes regarding the exam:
- Candidates should be aware that ASI follows a classic and logical method of tasting, service, decanting, etc.
- As a guideline, in terms of knowledge / difficulty, this exam sits between the WSET Diploma / Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced / Master Sommelier Certificates.
- A high level of personal presentation is required by ASI. Please ensure that you attend the exam well presented (in uniform if appropriate to your workplace, or professional attire) and bring with you: photo ID, black or blue pen(s), notebook, wine knife, matches/lighter and a service napkin.
- From 2024, a bonus system has been put into place for candidates who take the exam in a foreign language, whether French, English or Spanish.
Candidates who make the effort to sit the exam in a foreign language will receive a 10% bonus. Those who are assessed in their mother tongue will be ineligible for the bonus. Their final score will reflect the total marks obtained for the questionnaire, essay and practical tests. - Minimum level required to graduate for the ASI Diploma:
Bronze: 60% (with 40% minimum for theory)
Silver: 65% (with 45% minimum for theory)
Gold: 75% (with 50% minimum for theory)
DIPLOMA EXAMINATION FEE
Each candidate will need to pay an Examination Fee of A$750 which covers their ASI Diploma exam registration and certification.
Candidates are responsible for their own travel and associated costs to attend the exam on Monday 4 March.
DIPLOMA REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
All Diploma candidates are required to submit their registration to Sommeliers Australia by 5pm, Thursday 22 February via the registration page.
All candidates who have registered with Sommeliers Australia will have their details transferred to the official ASI registration portal by Sommeliers Australia, once the portal is opened in early 2024.
Only 8 candidates will be accepted to sit the Diploma in Australia. Candidates must be fully financial ‘Professional’ members of Sommeliers Australia and will be accepted on a ‘first in gets a place’ basis.
Diploma exam registration will close at 5pm, Thursday 22 February.
Notes regarding registration:
- Australian candidates wanting to sit the Diploma in Australia must be current financial ‘Professional’ members of Sommeliers Australia; international candidates must be current members of their local association;
- Candidates must be working Sommeliers (in restaurants, wine bars, wine retail, distribution, etc), with at least 3 years sommelier experience;
- Candidates must submit a high resolution (min. 500kb), passport-style photograph in jpeg format (for the production of the ASI Diploma certification ID card) at the time of registration;
- If candidates wish to sit the exam in a language other than English, please contact [email protected] at least one month prior to registering for the Diploma for more information;
- Registration will be accepted up to Thursday 22 February for applicants to be considered;
- The Examination Fee must be paid in full at the time of registration;
- The first 8 candidates to complete and submit all of the registration requirements will be offered a place to sit the exam in Melbourne.
DIPLOMA BOOTCAMP
Australian candidates registered for the 2024 ASI Diploma have the opportunity to take part in a 4 session Diploma Bootcamp. The 4 x 90 minute sessions will be held online on consecutive Mondays from 29 January until 19 February.
Each session will be conducted by our ASI Training Sub-Committee, headed by Sarah Andrew and supported by previous ASI Diploma recipients.
The 4 sessions will cover:
- Introduction to the Diploma and Bootcamp training
- Food and wine pairing tasks
- Theory tests
- Practical service tasks
- Practical tasting tasks
- Tips on exam preparation and approaching the assessment
- Homework (theoretical and practical) tasks will also be set
Only candidates registered for the ASI Diploma can choose to take part in the Diploma Bootcamp, by paying the nominal A$150 Bootcamp fee. Those registered for Bootcamp will receive Zoom links and further information ahead of the 29 January start date.
Registration for Diploma Bootcamp will close at 5pm, Wednesday 24 January.
REGISTRATION FEES & TO REGISTER
⇒ ASI Diploma Examination Fee – A$750 +booking fee
Registration for ASI Diploma closes 5pm, Thursday 22 February
⇒ Diploma Bootcamp – A$150 +booking fee
Registration for Bootcamp closes 5pm, Wednesday 24 January
Don’t forget to upload your high resolution (min. 500kb) passport-style photograph (jpeg only).
To access the Members registration, Sommeliers Australia Professional Members need to login at sommeliers.com.au, click the ‘View Available Coupons’ button on the dashboard for their UNIQUE ACCESS CODE. Then apply the access code on the Humanitix registration page to ‘Access hidden tickets’.
For more information, please contact [email protected].
