Definition: Best Sommelier of Asia and Oceania Competition

Vinexpo, partner of the Best Sommelier of Asia and Oceania Competition

Hiroshi Ishida, voted Best Sommelier of Asia and Oceania 2015

Vinexpo is a partner of the wine and spirits industry, in which the hotel and restaurant sector plays an important role. Among the key players in this sector, sommeliers are essential ambassadors of wine-making expertise. In recognition of the vital role played by sommeliers, Vinexpo has strengthened its long-standing ties with the ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale) since 2015.

As a partner of Sommellerie Internationale, Vinexpo, represented by its CEO Guillaume Deglise, presented the trophy to the winner of the Best Sommelier of Asia and Oceania title.

Vinexpo, partner of the wine and spirits industry. Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo, presenting the trophy to the winner, Hiroshi Ishida.

The competition, held in Hong Kong on Friday 6 November 2015, was won by Hiroshi Ishida ahead of two other finalists, Ho Pong Wallace Lo (China) and Banjo Harris-Plane (Australia). A total of 17 competitors from 10 countries in Asia and Oceania took part in the competition.

The finalists - from left to right: Banjo Harris-Plane - Hiroshi Ishida - Ho Pong Wallace Lo.

Hiroshi Ishida, 46, works as a consultant sommelier. He will represent his country at the next World's Best Sommelier competition, to be held in Mendoza, Argentina, in spring 2016. Vinexpo will also be a partner of this "World Championship" for sommeliers.

In Hong Kong, during the two days of the competition, the eighteen candidates representing ten countries confirmed the significant progress made since the 2012 edition of this competition, which was won by Franco-Australian Franck Moreau. Not only is their level of practice in line with the best standards, but their knowledge confirms the training and personal commitment required to compete in the competition under optimal conditions.

This reality was evident to the Sommelier Competition Commission, led by Gérard Basset, World's Best Sommelier 2010, and composed of World's Best Sommeliers, including Serge Dubs (1989) and Shinya Tasaki (1995) and Andreas Larsson (2007), who devised all the competition tests, noticed this from the quarter-finals onwards. The quality and consistency of the standard led to nine candidates being selected due to a tie for eighth place. It should be noted that for this event, a special Technical Committee was formed, comprising members of the CCS and Andrés Rosberg, President of APAS and Vice-President of A.S.I. for the Americas.

The other semi-finalists were: Yang Lu (China), Jung Hoon Lee (South Korea), Akihiko Nosaka (Japan), Yew Kong Han (Malaysia), Michael Bancks (New Zealand) and Alvin Gho Weijie (Singapore).

The 2015 A.S.I. Best Sommelier Asia-Oceania Competition was organised logistically by the Hong Kong Sommelier Association, chaired by Nelson Chow, also A.S.I. Vice-President for Asia-Oceania, assisted by Edwin Chan, with the support of A.S.I.'s international partners and local sponsors of the HKSA.

A big THANK YOU to the sponsors: Moët & Chandon, ChefetSommelier, Nespresso, Vinexpo, SommelierS International, Austrian Wines, SanPellegrino and Acqua Panna, Suntory, Alsace Wines and ViniPortugal.

Vinexpo's commitment to the ASI and sommeliers goes far

beyond sommelier competitions. During the 2016 edition of Vinexpo Hong Kong, which will take place from 24 to 26 May 2016, sommeliers and the entire HORECA sector (hotels, restaurants and cafés) will take centre stage. During this unmissable event in the world of wines and spirits, numerous conferences, workshops and tastings will be dedicated to them, highlighting the essential themes of their profession.

For all professionals, Vinexpo Hong Kong will be an opportunity to discover new products and suppliers, and to expand and maintain their networks. Like Vinexpo Bordeaux 2015, Vinexpo Hong Kong 2016 will offer new services to facilitate meetings and business. One2Wine meetings, a tool for making appointments dedicated to all Vinexpo Hong Kong participants, will help set up meetings between visitors and exhibitors and enable the sourcing of specific products.

About Vinexpo

Vinexpo organises international wine and spirits events in Europe and Asia. Vinexpo Bordeaux is marked in the calendar of professionals as the industry's must-attend event.

At the same time, every even-numbered year, Vinexpo Hong Kong brings together producers from around the world attracted by the promising markets of Asia-Pacific. And Vinexpo Tokyo, a niche trade fair, is specially designed for the Japanese market. Save the dates for your next events: Vinexpo Hong Kong from 24 to 26 May 2016, and Vinexpo Tokyo on 15 and 16 November 2016.

For more information, visit:

http://www.vinexpo.com

http://www.sommellerie-internationale.com/fr/