Preparations are in full swing for one of the most prestigious events on the ASI calendar: the Best Sommelier of Europe & Africa contest. Georgios Kassianos, President of the host nation’s Cyprus Sommeliers Association, expects 40 candidates from as many as 40 different nations to vie for the crown.
This edition of the contest can be expected to reflect a number of changes and points of emphasis from the ASI Sommeliers Contest Committee. In the words of SCC Director Arvid Rosengren, the rise of a new generation of members on his commission has brought fresh views and some interesting tasks. They are calling for a contest that is fast-paced, challenging and interesting, while also reconnecting to some of the core values and skills of the profession. Or in Rosengren’s words: “hard, fair and fun.”
The Best Sommelier of Europe & Asia, as with all continental level events, is organized as a joint effort between the ASI and the host nation. This is important to ensure that candidates experience a very high-level competitive setting — or as Rosengren says: “not far at all from the Worlds.”
The last edition of BSE&A was held in 2017 in Vienna, with Raimonds Tomsons of Riga, Latvia winning the title.
Follow the event on ASI and other social media.