The World’s Best Sommelier Contest: The winner is Jon Arvid Rosengren

As in former years, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna have partnered the 15th edition of the World’s Best Sommelier Competition, which has just drawn to a close in Mendoza, Argentina.

The title of the World's Best Sommelier went to 31 year old Swede, Jon Arvid Rosengren following the 15th finals held by A.S.I (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale). French born Julie Dupouy from Ireland and David Biraud from France were named as runners-up to Rosengren, making Dupouy the second woman ever to achieve a top three finish. 

The competition finals were held during the General Assembly of the Sommelier Association International (A.S.I), the prestigious association with which S.Pellegrino Mineral Waters and Acqua Panna entertain a close and long-consolidated relationship, as they do with the best events all over the world.

Founded in 1969 to facilitate an interchange of experience and expertise among catering professionals, to encourage sommeliers to perfect their skills and to reveal the secrets of this noble profession to a wider public, the World’s Best Sommelier Competition has become a prestigious appointment that is now held every three years. The first Sommelier to be awarded back in 1969 in Brussels was French-born Armand Melkonian; the latest winner at Tokyo in 2013 was Paolo Basso of Italian nationality.

After passing the local selections, each contestant is accompanied to the Finals by a delegation representing the A.S.I. of a member country or an observer country, composed of a candidate, a journalist and the Chairman of the national associations. In order to qualify for participation in the contest, candidates must work in a restaurant, a wine bar or a wine store or, more generically, in the food and wine business.

The next edition of the competition will take place in Bordeaux and will run alongside Vinexpo 2019. This is an important occasion for ASI, since it marks the 50th anniversary of the association, which was founded on 3 June 1969 in Reims and now has over 50,000 sommelier members from more than 47 countries.