The Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), the non-profit global governing body of sommellerie, is pleased to announce the start of the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of Asia and Pacific 2025.
Candidates from across Asia and from Oceania arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of Asia and Pacific 2025. 14 candidates qualified to compete at the contest. ASI president William Wouters says of the contest, “Sommellerie in Asia and Oceania, and throughout the Pacific rim, has been experiencing unparalleled growth over the last decade. The same is true of the quality of sommeliers, as we have witnessed through the high number of Asian candidates attaining our ASI Diploma Gold level, and an increasing number of candidates from the region performing well at our world competitions, which included a podium finish at the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2023 in Paris.”
The contest is an important moment for the region. According to Saiko Tamura-Soga, ASI vice-president Asia and Pacific, “Malaysia hosting this contest speaks volumes for the expansion of sommellerie in the region. Their commitment to growing sommellerie has not only inspired their own community, but also sommeliers and sommelier associations in neighbouring countries.”
Wouters continues: “thanks to successful educational programs such as ASI Bootcamp, and contests like this that bring our sommelier community together, I only see better and better sommeliers emerging from this corner of the world.” The event began yesterday with gastronomic food and wine tastings featuring wines, sake and other spirits from ASI and local partners, followed by an opening dinner.
Today is marked by the quarter-final round, which will challenge the candidates to demonstrate various service skills and showcase their knowledge of wine, sake, spirits, beer, other beverages and food. Over the following days, candidates and guests will have the opportunity to attend several masterclasses hosted by ASI and event partners, as well as learning more about their host city via tours and dining events.
The competition will culminate on Wednesday, 10 September, with the finale, and the crowning of the ASI Best Sommelier of Asia and Pacific 2025. The final will be held on Wednesday, 10 September from 14h00–18h00 Malaysia Time (MYT) and broadcast live worldwide on YouTube.
About the competition
The ASI Contest Best Sommelier of Asia and Pacific is a multi-day competition featuring written examinations, blind tasting, and practical service tasks. Following the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, the top three competitors advance to the final where they will be required to complete with various tasks under the supervision of the ASI Sommeliers Contest Committee.