Please note that this international qualification sets standards at the highest level, and interested parties must have at least 4 years professional experience as a sommelier, and must be very confident with service procedures of all beverages and knowledge on an international level.
Along with the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) MS qualification, the ASI diploma is the highest internationally regarded certification for the profession.
Cut off for registration is 31st October 2017.
Registration will be R2000 and a further R2000 will be charged for Certification with the ASI if you pass the exam. These rates are current exchange rate estimations and are subject to change.
The exam will take place in two stages.
First stage with only written tests, second stage with oral and practical tests.
1st stage
- Written Tests: Candidates will have: - A questionnaire (90 minutes) focused on the main wine producing countries, beers, spirits and other beverages, grape varieties, viticulture, winemaking, and other topics related to the profession,
- A blind tasting of two wines with written commentary (20 minutes),
- The identification of two local beverages and three spirits/liquors/fortified wines (10 minutes),
- An essay (30 minutes) on a special theme provided by the ASI Exam Committee regarding the world of beverages and the sommellerie (2000-3000 signs/400 words) in one of the three official languages of the ASI French, English or Spanish
2nd stage
– Oral and Practical tests:
Each candidate will have 30 minutes, using a foreign language, to:
- Present, demonstrate and justify the choice of a beverage (4 minutes)
- Decant, and serve a bottle of wine (7 minutes)
- Taste and explain a food-wine matching (7 minutes)
Official languages of the exam
The Candidate must take the exam in one of the Official ASI languages (French, English, Spanish). However, if he or she wishes to use his/her own mother tongue for the oral exam, he/she is allowed to do so under the condition that a show of mastery in a foreign language in the food & wine matching is done.
There is only one session per year, with the same set of questions all around the world. In 2018 the date is set for late February. If we don't have enough candidates to run an examination centre in South Africa, SASA candidates can still sit the exam in other countries.
Vinous regards,
SASA
Email info@sommelier.co.za to register