Yet, for all the technical skills and knowledge required for the contest, at the heart of every challenge lies a more human question: How does a sommelier use that expertise to improve the guest experience, and make a positive contribution to their place of work?
Organised by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and hosted by the Associação dos Escanções de Portugal (AEP), the Portuguese Sommelier Association, the contest returns to Portugal nearly half a century after the country last hosted it in 1978. It also provides an opportunity to consider the current state of the profession, its relevance and its importance to the wider hospitality industry.
For ASI President William Wouters, the profession’s purpose endures even as its reach grows. Reflecting on the legacy of past world champions, Wouters described the sommelier’s essential skill as “the ability to connect people to a moment, through a glass, with care and intention.” He added: “Regardless of a candidate’s knowledge, ultimately there is a very human skill at play in the contest. How does the sommelier relate to the guest? While all our winners have demonstrated immense knowledge, they have also showcased their humanity and hospitality.”
That connection demands much more than knowing what is in a bottle. A sommelier must listen to a guest, understand the occasion and recommend something that fits their tastes and budget. In a restaurant, the role also involves building a thoughtful beverage programme and helping guests discover wines and producers they might otherwise overlook.
Raimonds Tomsons of Latvia, the reigning ASI Best Sommelier of the World, sees attentiveness to the guest as the distinction between technical competence and exceptional service. “You need to read the consumer to understand what they are expecting,” he says. “This is really the art of sommellerie.”
Paolo Basso, who won the world title in 2013, points to the sommelier’s contribution beyond the dining room. “We can also be central to building customer loyalty,” he said in a recent interview for ASI Magazine. His observation reflects a role that combines hospitality with the judgment needed to choose wines, communicate their value and sustain a restaurant’s beverage programme. He also stresses that a sommelier is more than a novelty or a nice-to-have for a restaurant. “Today, we (sommeliers) have to be wine sellers. The most important thing is being able to sell,” he says, underscoring the financial value a sommelier brings to a hospitality business.
Those qualities will be visible throughout the Lisbon contest. Candidates will face theoretical, tasting and service challenges during the quarterfinal rounds on 12 and 13 October and the semifinals on 15 October. The public Grand Final takes place on 16 October, from 14:30 to 18:30 local Lisbon time, at the historic Coliseu dos Recreios. Results will be announced immediately afterward, followed by a press conference with the winner, finalists and jury.
Only one candidate will leave Lisbon with the title. The week will also give sommeliers from around the world an opportunity to share knowledge, represent their communities and show audiences what the profession offers every day: an informed recommendation, a welcome discovery and a more memorable experience at the table.
The final will also be streamed live on ASI YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
For schedules and further information, visit www.asi.info.