ASI: A Sommelier's Insight

India has long been viewed as an emerging market in the world of wine, but today it is becoming something far more compelling: a proving ground for a new generation of sommeliers shaping their own identity. In this episode of A Sommelier’s Insight, we sit down with Amrita Singh to explore the upward trajectory of sommellerie in India. From the challenges of building wine culture in a historically spirits driven market to the rapid evolution of fine dining and education, Singh offers a thoughtful and grounded perspective on how the profession is finding its voice. What emerges is a story not just of growth, but of adaptation. Singh speaks to the importance of context: how sommeliers in India must navigate climate, cuisine, and consumer perception in ways that differ from traditional wine markets. Yet within those challenges lies opportunity. As global attention turns toward Asia, India’s sommellerie community is stepping forward with confidence, curiosity, and a distinctly modern approach to hospitality.

Mark welcomes listeners to another episode of A Sommelier’s Insight, where wine is more than what’s in the glass. It’s memory, culture and connection.In this episode, Mark sits down with Howard Hsia, President of the Taiwan Sommelier Association, to explore one of the most fascinating and often overlooked wine cultures in the world: Taiwan.Long known as a crossroads of trade, cuisine and culture, Taiwan has quietly emerged as one of Asia’s most dynamic wine markets. But beyond the impressive cellars, luxury dining rooms and passionate collectors lies something deeper, a uniquely Taiwanese perspective on hospitality and sommellerie shaped by layers of cultural influence.Together, Mark and Howard discuss how Taiwan became an influential wine centre in Asia, why Taiwanese sommeliers often approach service and pairing differently, and how the island’s openness to global influences has helped foster a new generation of beverage professionals who move comfortably between wine, tea, sake, water, spirits and gastronomy.The conversation also explores the role Taiwan plays within the global sommelier community, the evolution of wine education across Asia, and why Taiwan’s cultural flexibility may offer an important glimpse into the future of sommellerie itself.

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 shaped as much by access and communication as by encyclopaedic knowledge. Excellence in the beverage professions is no longer defined solely by what we know, but by how we interpret, translate, and share that knowledge with others.Few organisations have witnessed, and helped drive, this evolution as closely as GuildSomm. What began as a focused study resource for aspiring sommeliers has grown into one of the most influential educational platforms serving wine and beverage professionals worldwide, connecting learners across continents, cultures, and every stage of their careers. A recent survey of GuildSomm members revealed that 68 per cent are either currently studying or planning to pursue a wine or beverage certification, spanning a wide range of programmes, including ASI certifications. The results point to a more diverse, flexible educational landscape; one that reflects different learning styles, career paths, and professional ambitions. In this episode of A Sommelier’s Insight, the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale’s podcast, we are joined by Jenny Hemmer, Executive Director of GuildSomm. Together, we explore how wine education is changing, where global growth and enthusiasm are emerging, and how access, affordability, and interpretation are reshaping the future of our profession. This is a conversation not just about where wine education has been, but also where it’s going.

Welcome back to A Sommelier’s Insight, a podcast produced for the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale in conjunction with ASI Magazine.In a profession built on curiosity, discipline and constant evolution, there are few qualities more essential than a genuine passion for knowledge. Not just the accumulation of facts, but the desire to understand, to question and to connect ideas across cultures, regions and disciplines.Today’s episode, Passion for Knowledge, explores exactly that mindset.Our guest is Benjamin Hasko, one of the rare individuals to hold both the titles of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine. His journey offers a unique perspective on what it means to pursue excellence across both the practical world of service and the academic rigour of the global wine trade.In this conversation, we look beyond titles and exams to something more fundamental. What drives someone to keep learning at the highest level? How does knowledge translate into better hospitality? And in an era where information is everywhere, what truly matters for the modern sommelier?This is a discussion about discipline, humility and the lifelong pursuit of understanding.Here is our conversation with Benjamin Hasko.

In this episode of A Sommelier’s Insight, where we explore the ideas, regions, and personalities shaping today’s global wine conversation, ASI Magazine Editor and A Sommelier's Insight host Mark DeWolf sits down with an influential voice in modern wine education: Dirceu Vianna Junior MW. Dirceu is the first Brazilian Master of Wine, a respected educator, author, international judge, and consultant whose career has spanned more than three decades across continents. Based in London, Dirceu brings a uniquely global perspective to the evolving landscape of Portuguese wine.In this episode we turn our attention to Vinho Verde a region long associated with light, spritzy whites, but now increasingly recognised for its depth, diversity, and terroir-driven precision. Through a thought-provoking and wide-ranging conversation, Mark and Dirceu explore the region’s identity, the rise of single-varietal wines, the push for sub-regional clarity, its value perception, ageing potential, and where Vinho Verde sits on the world stage of benchmark white wines.Whether you’re a sommelier, a student of wine, or simply a curious listener, this discussion offers an insider’s look at the opportunities and challenges shaping Vinho Verde’s next decade.

At just 24, Ontario-based Cokie Ponikvar, a former floor sommelier at the Four Seasons in Toronto, is currently pursuing both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier designation. Along the way she has built a vast global audience with Cokie’s World of Wine which has close to a half million followers, earned the IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Communications award, and become a standard bearer for joyful, rigorous wine education. In this conversation, Cokie shares what drives her study habit, why excitement is not the enemy of professionalism, and how to make learning feel like discovery. When asked about the moment wine, sommellerie became a career aspiration she says, “I was super academic growing up,” she begins, laughing at the memory of a teenager who did extra reading for fun. “I did not think I would end up in hospitality. What drew me to wine was the academic side of it, and honestly that is still what keeps me engaged now.” Discover in this interview with ASI Magazine editor and A Sommelier's Insight podcast host Mark DeWolf what drives Cokie to constantly push herself to be better and achieve more in the field of wine and hospitality.

A Taste of Place has long been at the heart of wine’s most compelling stories. In this issue of ASI Magazine we turn our attention to Portugal, a country whose rich mosaic of indigenous varietals and diverse terroirs continues to captivate sommeliers and wine lovers worldwide. From the granite soils of Vinho Verde to the sun-drenched plains of Alentejo and the windswept islands of the Azores and Madeira, Portugal’s vineyards are a living expression of history, climate, and culture.We are honoured to share with your our interview between ASI Magazine editor Mark DeWolf and Frederico Falcão, President of the Board of ViniPortugal. In this insightful interview Falcão offers his thoughts on how the nation is embracing both tradition and innovation to showcase its unique wines on the global stage.

In this episode A Sommelier’s Insight, the official podcast of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, produced in collaboration with ASI Magazine, host Mark DeWolf is joined by Sören Polonius, a leader of sommelier training in his home country of Sweden and around the world. They dive into an exciting evolution in the ASI Guidelines: the official inclusion of sake and beer. Traditionally centered around wine, the ASI Guidelines have served as a benchmark for excellence in beverage knowledge and service, but with the growing global relevance of sake and the renewed prestige of craft and traditional beers, the time has come to broaden the scope. Sören shares the motivation, philosophy, and practical considerations behind this expansion—what it means for sommeliers in training and for those already working in the field.

In thisue issue of ASI Magazine, titled Breaking the Barrier, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of women in the wine industry. This inspiring edition shines a spotlight on the stories of women sommeliers, winemakers, and winery owners who are reshaping the landscape of wine. Among the highlights is our interview with Dr. Laura Catena who has been a leading in the Argentinean wine industry for 30 years and has inspired women around the global to join the wine industry.

In this episode of A Sommelier's Insight, ASI Magazine Editor and podcast host Mark DeWolf welcomes Sarah Ahmed, also known as 'The Wine Detective', for a compelling discussion about the Vinhos Verdes Demarcated Region. Over the past two decades, Vinhos Verdes has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a source of mostly inexpensive and forgettable wines to a region now highly respected for its innovative approach. This dedication to excellence highlights the uniqueness of its terroir, the individuality of its finest varietals, and its growing reputation as a destination for sommeliers and wine enthusiasts alike seeking authentic Portuguese flavours.

Irem Eren has a dizzying list of degrees and accreditations, including degrees in chemistry and international business and marketing, and is currently working towards her Master of wine. Irem now works as Business Development and Sales Director for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa for BevZero, a world leader in the production of low and non-alcoholic beverages. In the ever-evolving landscape of the wine industry, the low and no movement is not just significant trend, it is making waves. It’s forming a powerful crest ready to crash into the wine category. The rise in demand for low and no-alcohol beverages is reshaping the market, pushing producers to innovate and improve the quality of these products. At the forefront of this movement is Irem Eren. In this episode of A Sommelier's Insight host Mark DeWolf chats with Irem about her personal journey, and discuss the science behind de-alcoholized wines, and how they can be made better.

Welcome to A Sommelier’s Insight, a podcast produced for the Association de la Sommellerie International, in conjunction with ASI Magazine. in the episode, host and ASI Magazine Editor Mark DeWolf speaks with Michelle Bouffard. Michelle is a Master of Wine Candidate, author of Quel Vin Pour Domain? (Which Wine for Tomorrow), a journalist, and the founder of Tasting Climate Change, an international conference that brings together world thought leaders to discuss best practices and future solutions to mitigate the wine industry’s impact on the climate. In this episode Mark and Michelle discuss amongst other topics how sommeliers can be active participants in the fight against climate change.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of "A Sommelier's Insight," where the world of service, wine, spirits, and other beverages is not just explored but deeply savored, one sip at a time. In this episode our host, Mark DeWolf, Editor of ASI Magazine, talks fine wine with 2019 ASI Best Sommelier of the World, Marc Almert. Marc's profound understanding of wine, combined with his unparalleled hospitality skills has set a new benchmark in the sommelier world. His insights are not just enlightening; they're transformative.In this episode, we delve into a question that has puzzled enthusiasts and experts alike: What is really fine wine? Can we define it? Is it the age-old traditions of winemaking, the rarity of the vintage, or the complexity of flavours that define it? Or perhaps, it's something more intangible, something that stirs within us an emotional resonance, a connection to a time, place, or memory.Marc Almert, with his characteristic eloquence and depth of knowledge, shares his perspective on this debate. It's a conversation that promises not only to enlighten but also to challenge our preconceptions about what makes a wine 'fine.' So, whether you're a seasoned sommelier, a wine enthusiast, or simply curious about the world of fine wines, this episode is for you. Join us as we uncork the essence of fine wine, guided by one of the most respected voices in the industry. It's an exploration of taste, tradition, and the art of wine appreciation—a journey you won't want to miss.