The recently announced ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2019 competition will take place in Antwerp, Belgium, on 11-15 March 2019. Sommeliers Australia has the opportunity to send potentially two sommeliers to compete* on the international stage, against sommeliers from Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania.

This is the first time that Sommeliers Australia has held a National Sommelier Selection Process, outside of our tri-annual Best Sommelier of Australia competition. The NSSP has been initiated to allow the best possible candidate(s) to represent Australia at a global level prior to Sommeliers Australia hosting the ASI Best Sommelier of Asia & Oceania in 2021.

Highly qualified Australian sommeliers interested in testing their skills and knowledge at an international level are invited to take part in the NSSP, which will be conducted in two stages during November 2018. The best NSSP candidate will be offered the opportunity to travel to Antwerp, to compete in the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2019 competition for Australia, with flights and on-ground costs (during the competition period) covered by Sommeliers Australia and ASI.

Conducted by the Sommeliers Australia Education Committee, the NSSP will rigorously assess individual performances in areas of service, tasting and knowledge that are required at the highest echelons of the profession.

 

Entry Criteria

To qualify for the Competition, potential candidates must:

  • be a current ‘Sommelier’ member of Sommeliers Australia
  • be actively working in the hospitality industry
  • have completed at least WSET Level Four (Diploma), CMS Advanced or have equivalent industry experience
  • be available to attend both stages of the NSSP assessment.

 

NOTE: To compete in ASI regional and international competitions all candidates representing Australia must have been working in Australia for 3 or more years consecutively, and must compete in a second language – either English, French or Spanish.

 

Registration to Compete

All candidates wanting to undertake the NSSP must register their intent to sit the Stage 1 Assessment Exam in their State by completing the online registration/application form. Registrations must be submitted by midday on Monday 15 October.

 

CLICK HERE for further details regarding the NSSP and to complete the registration form.

 

 

*Sommeliers Australia has two candidates taking part in the ASI Best Sommelier of Asia & Oceania Competition 2018 in Kyoto, Japan (15-18 October 2018) – Mattia Cianca or Banjo Harris Plane. If either of these two wins the regional competition they will automatically receive a position at the World competition.

The NSSP winning candidate will then become Sommeliers Australia’s second candidate in the World competition.