Association de la Sommellerie Internationale

ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale

1 day ago

📚 ASI Book Club Recommendation #34: Anyone Can Taste Wine by Cees van Casteren MW

Is wine tasting a natural talent, or is it a skill we can all develop? 🍷

In Anyone Can Taste Wine, Master of Wine Cees van Casteren challenges the idea that only a select few have the ability to taste wine professionally. He introduces his CHARACTER method, a structured approach that guides readers through colour, aromas, acidity, sweetness, tannins, alcohol and fruit intensity, helping them analyse wines and put their observations into words.

For sommeliers and wine professionals, this book offers a practical way to refine tasting skills, build confidence and bring more structure to wine analysis. It’s also a reminder that great tasting comes from curiosity, practice and observation — not simply from having a “good nose.”

Because becoming a better taster starts with learning how to pay attention. 👃🍇

#ASISomms #ASIBestSomm #ASIBookClub #AnyoneCanTasteWine #CeesVanCasteren #WineTasting #SommelierLife #WineEducation #WineScience #HospitalityProfessionals #WineBooks ... See MoreSee Less

ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale updated their cover photo.

2 days ago

... See MoreSee Less

ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale

4 days ago

🍷 The remarkable takes time: Introducing Graham’s 1979 ‘The Artisan’

Some wines are measured not only in years, but in generations. ⏳

Nearly half a century after being selected for long-term ageing by Peter Symington, Graham’s 1979 Single Harvest Tawny Port has reached its moment. Now bottled by his son and successor, Charles Symington, it becomes the newest chapter in The Cellar Master’s Trilogy.

✨ Meet the trilogy:
🥂 The Apprentice — 1997
🍂 The Artisan — 1979
👑 The Master — 1961

Aged for 47 years in seasoned oak casks at Graham’s 1890 Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia, ‘The Artisan’ reveals remarkable complexity while retaining freshness and elegance.
Expect enticing aromas of butterscotch, toffee and honeysuckle, followed by layers of citrus, walnuts, quince, tea and tobacco. Its lingering finish brings hints of nutmeg and tea — a beautiful expression of time, patience and craftsmanship.

As Charles Symington reminds us, ageing Port is both an art and a practice. Knowing when a wine has reached its perfect balance requires experience, instinct and the wisdom passed down through generations. 🍇

The result? A tribute to the people behind the wine, the legacy they preserve, and the extraordinary things that happen when time is given the chance to work its magic.

🥂 Discover Graham’s 1979 Single Harvest Tawny Port, available individually and as part of the complete Cellar Master’s Trilogy Collection.
@grahams_port

#ASISomms #ASIPartner #ASIPartnerNews #GrahamsPort #TheArtisan #SingleHarvestTawny #PortWine #DouroValley #WineCraftsmanship #WineLovers #SommelierLife #WineEducation ... See MoreSee Less