Wines of Chile is proud to be a sponsor of the 13th “World’s Best Sommelier Competition,” which will take place in Chile in 2010, Chile’s bicentennial year.The competition is organized by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and will be hosted by the Chilean Association of Sommeliers.
The event will be held April 11–16, 2010 and will attract candidates from each of the ASI’s 41 member countries. Each country will send the 1st and 2nd place winners of their national “Best Sommelier” competitions. Chile’s current Best Sommelier is Ricardo Grellet, backed by Héctor Riquelme.
The competition consists of two days of rigorous written and practical exams, including blind tastings and service role plays to test the candidates’ extensive knowledge of wine, spirits, and other beverages, cigars, and food and wine pairing, as well as their service skills to determine the top three candidates for the final competition. The three finalists will compete in a public final round and the winner announced at a gala dinner the same evening.
ASI was founded in France in 1969 to standardize and promote the profession of sommelier. The Chilean chapter, the Asociación de Sommeliers de Chile, was created in 2000 in accordance with ASI guidelines to promote good service in Chile. Wines of Chile was founded in 2002 to promote the quality and image of Chilean wine worldwide.