The Association de la Sommellerie Internationale is the world’s preeminent global advocate for the needs of the modern sommelier.
Since 1969
About ASI //
“ASI was a little bit like the European Union in the beginning, today it is more like the United Nations.”-Markus Del Monego (ASI Best Sommelier of the World 1998)
ASI General Assembly, 18 – 22 May 2026, Taipei, Taiwan
ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World, 11 – 17 October 2026. Lisbon, Portugal
ASI Bootcamp Americas, 21-24 July 2026, Sao Paulo, Brazil
To come 2027 TBC
ASI Best Sommelier of Africa and Middle East, May, 24 – 28 May 2027, Cape Town, South Africa
ASI General Assembly, 9-10 June 2027, Mâcon, France ASI Bootcamp Europe, Africa & Middle East, tbc ASI Best Sommelier of Europe, 6 – 11 September 2027, Poland (Final on 10 September)
The nerves. The concentration. The laughter between challenges. The spontaneous conversations, the reunions, the moments of relief — and all the little things that make a week like this unforgettable.
At the 18th ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World, 66 contenders came together to compete at the highest level. But beyond the challenges and the scores, Lisbon was also a place to connect, share, learn and celebrate a common passion. Because even in the most demanding competition, there is room for a smile, a helping hand and a moment of friendship.
And sometimes, the moments in between are the ones we remember most. 🥂 Which of these moments would you most like to have witnessed?
After an extraordinary week of competition in Lisbon, Nikolai Haram Svorte of Norway has been crowned ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2026.
Congratulations! 🥂
From the first challenge to the final service, Nikolai has earned a place in the history of the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World.
But today belongs not only to the champion. A huge congratulations to Pascaline Lepeltier, France @pascalinelepeltier and Wataru Iwata, Japan @ohmochi0422, who completed an exceptional Grand Final and represented their countries and associations with distinction. And congratulations to all 66 contenders who came to Lisbon and accepted the challenge. Today, one name takes the title.
But the achievement belongs to an entire community.
Welcome to the history of sommellerie, Nikolai. 🏆🇳🇴 @nikolaisvorte @norskvinkelnerforening