Association de la Sommellerie Internationale

ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale

2 days ago

🎧 A Sommelier's Insight podcast: Introducing the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2026 - Nikolai Haram Svorte 👏🥇🍷

What does it take to become the ASI Best Sommelier of the World? Is it knowledge, tasting ability or service acumen? 🤔 It takes all of these things, but for the new ASI Best Sommelier of the World, Norway’s Nikolai Haram Svorte, it also took extraordinary commitment, relentless preparation, sacrifice and even months of near isolation. 🤩

Less than two weeks ago, all that preparation and sacrifice paid off. After a demanding week of competition, Svorte stepped onto the stage at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon for a final that would test not only his sommelier skills but also his ability to maintain his composure under pressure. 🔥 That pressure came early, as Svorte, a self-proclaimed technician, made a rare mistake. He did not identify a wine served under screwcap as corked. The challenge was deceptive: cork taint is most often associated with wines bottled with cork stoppers, but it can also occur in wines sealed with a screwcap. It was an omission that could have rattled many competitors, but Svorte’s resolve and composure allowed him to recover quickly. 👌

In this edition of A Sommelier’s Insight, Nikolai talks about the highs and lows of the competition, what was going through his mind on that stage and how he found the focus to keep moving forward. 👏

We’ll also look beyond the final to the preparation that made it possible: the dedication it demanded, what he put aside to pursue his ambition and what it feels like when a goal that has consumed so much of your life finally becomes a reality. 🍷

📺 Do not forget that you can now also watch the episodes on our YouTube channel!
▶️ YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhu-dCXqMlM

🎧 Listen on podcast platforms: www.spreaker.com/episode/introducing-the-asi-best-sommelier-of-the-world-2026--76113836
🔗 Links in bio to previous episodes! 😉

#ASISomms #ASIBestSomm #ASommeliersInsight #Sommelier #ASIBestSommelier2026 ... See MoreSee Less

ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale

3 days ago

🍷 Happy International Xinomavro Day! 🇬🇷✨

Let's play a blind tasting game! Xinomavro, "sour black" in Greek, is often compared to Nebbiolo: pale in colour, firm in tannin, high in acid. Can you spot it in a glass? 🔍

The Style Spectrum 🎭
🔴 Structured & age-worthy (Naoussa): Firm, dusty tannins, saliva-inducing acidity, savoury depth. Austere when young, umami-rich with age.
🍒 Fruit-forward & modern: Riper red fruit, softer tannins, restrained oak, still savoury.
🌸 Lighter & floral (Amyndeon): Grown at 600-1,000m, brighter fruit, leaner palate, more lift.
🌹 Rosé: Amyndeon's signature. Vibrant and food-friendly.
🥂 Blanc de noirs sparkling: Some of Greece's finest bubbles.
🍯 Blends (Goumenissa, Rapsani): Rounder, softer, with local partners like Negoska.

Blind Tasting Clues 🕵️
✓ Pale ruby rim despite serious tannin: think Nebbiolo, not Cabernet
✓ Nose: candied red & black cherry, dried herbs, tomato leaf, olive
✓ Palate: taut, mouthwatering acidity, dusty tannins that grip the gums
✓ Finish: savoury, dried tomato, spice, a herbal lift
✓ Torn between Nebbiolo and Xinomavro? Look for the tomato-leaf note and sharper acidity

Serve & Pair 🍝
Serve at 14-16°C. Wild mushroom risotto, sun-dried tomatoes, slow-cooked meat ragù: umami-rich food is its natural partner.

Your Challenge 📣
Pour a Naoussa and an Amyndeon blind. Brighter, leaner, more floral? You're likely tasting the higher vineyard!

What's your Xinomavro clue? 👇

Image credit - Wines of Greece (c)

#ASISomms #ASIBestSomm #XinomavroDay #InternationalXinomavroDay #Xinomavro #Naoussa #Amyndeon #GreekWine #BlindTasting #Sommelier ... See MoreSee Less