The Icelandic Sommelier Association made a set of changes to its board. After many years of dedication and hard work, Mr. Brandur Sigfússon has stepped down as president of the association. While he plans on remaining an active member of the association, his replacement, Alba E. H. Hough, a familiar face as both a competitor and representative for Iceland, assumed the role on December 9th, 2020.
Hough said of the vote: “I am truly honored to have been trusted with this responsibility and as was appropriate, I celebrated with my fellow sommeliers. But not by opening a bottle or two but 120! Go big or go home, right? (The announcement happened to come on the same day we hosted our annual Golden Glass competition. It was a long, fruit-forward day!)”
Turning toward the serious, she added: “All plans for the future of our association are steered towards encouraging the curious into taking the step towards sommellerie. In recent years we’ve seen a distinct shift in consumption from mainly spirits and beers towards wines as well. This development ushered a new type of consumer who is passionate about exploring the wine world and experiencing all it has to offer. The Icelandic association may be small, but only in numbers. What we cannot flaunt in quantity, we brandish in nerdy determination.”
“As sommeliers I believe we have a responsibility to guide our guests towards a deeper understanding of beverages within all categories and assist in broadening palates. Equally important, especially in an age where climate change is having a tangible effect on our world, is that we all share the responsibility to defend the very agricultural product that built our careers. I speak for my association when I say we believe that we can make an impact, one guest at a time.”
Hough is joined by Peter Hansen as Vice President and proxy and Þorleifur “Tolli” Sigurbjörnsson as Treasurer.