ASI Association of Sommeliers International

ASI Association de la Sommellerie International was founded in 1969 as an umbrella organisation to raise the bar for restaurant service professionals.

While its historic roots are in Europe, ASI is now represented on 6 continents with 70 national associations. New Zealand has been a full member since 2020. ASI’s members are not individual sommeliers, but national non-profit sommelier associations.

ASI is uniquely positioned to drive conversations across the sectors of Food and Beverage, Wine, Hospitality and Tourism at international, national, and local levels.

ASI Activities

ASI provides numerous channels of continuing education to encourage sommeliers to enhance their skills and broaden their own career opportunities.

ASI Diploma is split into 3 levels, offered by national associations around the world. This mix of self-improvement and professional networking is an essential to global sommellerie. Formal competitions provide one of the most effective tools in drawing attention to ASI’s goals. 

These goals are implemented by ASI’s elected Board of Directors, composed the president, secretary general and a deputy secretary general, a treasurer and a deputy treasurer, and four continental vice-presidents. The ASI Board reports on their activities each year at ASI General Assembly, attended by ASI national association presidents.

ASI Goals

* To promote the establishment of one central sommelier association per nation

* To coordinate tools and measures to advance the profession

* To educate consumers on the role of the sommelier

* To defend the ethics of the profession

Read more about ASI 

Pictured above: ASI Board, Competitors, Presidents and Volunteers at ASI Best Sommelier of the World Contest 2026, at the  Palace of Marquês de Pombal, Villa Oeiras, Lisbon, Portugal.