Rules |
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Art. 1 – Exam to obtain the Diploma/Certification
The Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI – www.asi.info) has established in 2012 the exam for “ASI Diploma for Sommelier”, aiming at harmonizing the level of sommeliers worldwide and certifying the competencies and professionalism of the “ASI Sommelier”.
Art. 1 b – Since 2019, the “ASI Diploma for Sommelier” is open to candidates who prefer taking the exam in their own language, as long as it is one of the three official languages of ASI – French, English or Spanish – Silver or Gold certifies sommeliers presenting all the tests in a foreign language. Bronze is reserved for the candidates reaching at least the silver level in their own language.
Candidates must undertake in writing to sit for the exam in a foreign language to qualify for Gold or Silver certification.
Art. 1 c – Bronze level
The Bronze level Diploma may be available in other languages by prior arrangement between the ASI Exam Committee and the National Associations willing to organize such an exam.
Contact your National Association for further information.
Art. 2 – Requirements to take the exam
The exam is reserved to Sommeliers members of a national Sommelier Association which is member of ASI, working as a sommelier according to the published OIV definition. Candidates must meet all specific requirements set up by the relevant organizing national association.
Art. 3 – Registration to the exam
The registration to the exam session must be confirmed from the National Association ASI member.
Art. 4 – Exam session
The session dates are announced on the ASI website www.asi.info
Art. 5 – Local Exam Committee
The local Exam Committee is composed by sommeliers and oeno-gastronomy experts chosen and nominated by the President/Board of the National Association. The national organizing committee must ensure that there is no conflict of interest when composing the local jury.
Art. 6 – Exam procedure
The exam takes place in two stages
1st stage – Written Tests:
- Written description and identification of two international wines served blind (30 minutes),
- The identification of two local beverages and three international spirits/liquors/fortified wines (10 minutes),
- A questionnaire (90 minutes) focused on wine producing countries, beers, spirits and other beverages, grape varieties, viticulture, winemaking, and other topics related to the profession,
- An essay (45 minutes) on a professional theme provided by the ASI Certification Exam Commission regarding the world sommellerie (500/800 words)
2nd stage – Oral and Practical tests:
- Selling a beverage (4 minutes)
- Decant, comment and serve a bottle of wine (6 minutes)
- Taste, explain and comment a food & wine pairing (5 minutes)
Art. 7 – Official languages of the exam
The Candidate must take the exam in one of the Official ASI languages (French, English, Spanish). The candidates who present the exam in a foreign language can receive Gold or Silver. Candidates who don’t write in a foreign language can only qualify for Bronze. Other languages can be arranged by special agreement between the ASI Exam Committee and your National Association.
Art. 8 – Evaluation of the Exam
The ASI Certification Exam Committee evaluates the competencies through written tests and assess the oral and practical competencies based on the video recording that must be supplied by the National Association.
The local Jury only evaluates the oral and practical tasks following the General Rules codified by ASI and the respective marking grids supplied by the Certification Exam Committee for this specific exam session. All these scanned papers and videos are to be uploaded to the ASI Certification Exam Committee for final evaluation.
NB: the evaluation is done according to a scale pre-set by the ASI Certification Exam Committee. The passing aggregated mark is 60% while gold requires 70% marks. Decisions are final.
Art. 8 b – If you need a specific adaptation of the exam set up due to any disability, inform your National Association as soon as possible so the ASI Certification Exam Committee can try to accommodate your needs in consultation with the ASI Diversity and Ethics & Compliance Committees.
Art. 9 – Exam results and communication to the candidate
The results will be published by the ASI after the president of the organizing national association has been informed. The candidate is allowed to sit again for the exam as many times as he/she wishes.
Art. 10 – Diploma
Successful candidates receive the ASI Sommelier Diploma numbered and signed by the ASI President and the Director of the Certification Exam Committee as well as the ASI pin and personal card.
Art. 11 – Candidates will not be allowed to use any outside help during the exam. No paper, book, notes, telephone, communication devices connected equipment will be allowed during the exam session.
Candidates must select their language at the registration and the full exam must be conducted in the language selected. Switching to a non-foreign language will deny you the right to reach silver or gold levels.
On your application form you will have to certify that the language you select is a foreign language to you, to qualify for silver or gold levels.
Art. 12 – Fraudulent act
If the ASI Certification Exam Committee detects any fraud, it may hold an extraordinary meeting and call for penalties against any fraudulent act or wrong behaviour during the course of the exam. In consultation with the ASI Ethics & Compliance Committee, the ASI Certification Exam Committee can withdraw a Diploma issued to a candidate who has not been complying with the rules or who made false declarations.