Originally recorded for A Sommelier’s Insight, the official podcast of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale in collaboration with ASI Magazine, a recent conversation with Harry Symington and Maria Boumpa offered a timely reminder that the making of a great…
Since the launch of the ASI Diploma in 2012, the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale has steadily built one of the wine and hospitality world’s most inclusive and globally relevant systems of professional benchmarking. What began as a top-level qualification…
Benjamin Hasko and Doug Frost are 2 of 5 people ever to achieve both the titles of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine,
A conversation with Jenny Hemmer, Executive Director of GuildSomm Wine education is in the midst of a quiet but profound transformation. Once centred around a small number of traditional institutions and geographic hubs, learning today is increasingly global, digital, and…
When Sofia Salvador joined ViniPortugal nearly 14 years ago, the world of Portuguese wine was already rich with tradition and diversity. Yet despite this, there was no consistent, structured approach to wine education. Today, as Head Educator of the Wines…
The life, legacy, and enduring humanity of Gérard Basset Few figures in modern wine have combined technical mastery, competitive excellence, mentorship, and humility like Gérard Basset. For an entire generation of sommeliers, he has represented both the summit of achievement…
Rediscovering Persian wine culture with Samira Kakh Samira Kakh was born and raised in Iran, a country where the culture of wine is ancient, complex, and largely unspoken in modern life. Today, she is building a future in wine in…
A conversation with Nadia Frittella, Secretary General of Wine in Moderation As conversations around responsible service take on renewed urgency, Wine in Moderation has emerged as one of the most influential voices guiding how the global wine sector shapes healthier…
The 2025 Golden Vines® Report (formerly The Gérard Basset Global Fine Wine Report) once again put a stethoscope to the heart of the fine wine and rare spirit world. Built on the views of more than 830 seasoned professionals including…
As the year winds down, I find myself lingering a little longer with each glass, letting it hold not just aromas and flavours, but the memory of the conversations that shaped the past twelve months of ASI Magazine. It’s been…
As we look back on the past year, I find myself filled with gratitude. Gratitude for your support, your trust, and above all, your remarkable spirit. This was a year that asked much of us, and yet it also reminded…
An interview with Michèle Aström Chantôme, ASI Vice-President for Africa & Middle East Of the four ASI geographical zones represented by an ASI vice presidency, Africa & Middle East is the newest. Although it is still young, it shows the…
