Aldo Sohm, sommelier and wine director the Michelin three-star restaurant Le Bernardin in New York, has been named Best Sommelier in the World 2008.
The Austrian-born Sohm, who was named Best Sommelier in America last year, is the first-ever representative from the US to take the title.
He beat 14 other semifinalists in the competition, including Spain's Roger Vius" and Manuel Moreira, fomr Portugal. The finals of the competition, organised by the World Sommelier Association, took place at the Cavalieri Hilton hotel in Rome.
According to the organisers, Sohm displayed 'flawless knowledge and talent' in the competition´s complex examinations, including blind wine tasting and written exams on subjects including grape varieties, cellar technology and different types of coffees, teas and beers.
Sohm was given 45 minutes to complete the final part of the competition, which included correcting an intentionally faulty wine list, pairing foods and wines, demonstrating guest service in a simulated restaurant setting, performing Champagne service, decanting wines and giving specific cigar recommendations with after-dinner drinks.
'There were 10 years of intensive competition work that lead to this point,' said Sohm.
The 36-year-old who was born and raised in Inzing, Austria, was a four-time winner of the Best Sommelier in Austria competition before he moved to New York to work as the beverage director of the Austro-themed restaurants Wallsé, Blaue Gans and Café Sabarsky, as well as the European-oriented Thor.
The August issue of Decanter magazine also contains a feature on the UK's Best Sommelier competition – out 2 July.
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We all expected the Luca Gardini success and from the states Aldo Sohm wons...good luck! This title is the synthesis of the best quality that who beleive in their professional style may receive from the World Sommelier Association. Compliments!
Angelo Di Costanzo, Pozzuoli, Italy
Note that this competition was not organized by ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale) who since 1969 awards the title of "World Best Sommelier" ("Meilleur Sommelier du Monde"). Here ist their list of champions: http://snipurl.com/2bpqf [www_sommellerie-internationale_com].
This is in no way to lessen Also Sohm's merits — whom I happen to know, having been in the jury of the Austrian sommelier competitions quite a few times —, but simply to put things into the right perspective.
Michael Pronay, Vienna, Austria
In American baseball lore, there is a famous adage, 'Nice guys finish last.' It is generally attributed to the outspoken Leo (The Lip) Durocher, who in the mid-20th century managed the old Brooklyn Dodgers and old New York Giants, both in the National League.
Aldo Sohm refutes this crude idea. He is living proof of a more profound proposition: Nice guys finish first.
Almost certainly everyone who has benefited from Aldo's knowledge, judgment and personal grace is struck by his sweet temperament, modesty and high seriousness.
We say of especially dedicated people, in whatever field and craft, that they are 24/7. Aldo seems to be 25/8; nay, 26/9. Aldo works and studies and studies and works nonstop, yet still finds time, all the time, to attend commercial tastings and to have a sincere, lingering conversation with you at them. When he talks with you he looks at you and sees you and hears you.
Too many young American sommeliers who personally and professionally are insufficiently mature possess a glib, if tempered, brashness --- a know-it-all air that, when gently probed, deflates; O.K., next year they'll be better. By contrast, Aldo, an Old World Austrian brings to life's table and Le Bernardin's a civilized, poised, richly confident style that yesterday could have appeared in a Thomas Mann novel.
When dealing with Aldo at Wallsé, Blaue Gans and Café Sabarsky (in Neue Galerie, a jewel of a museum on Fifth Avenue) I've heard myself thinking "He is the soul of good manners."
To his credit, Aldo seems outside, above and beyond the insular ideological nature-versus-nurture warfare besetting an American wine culture that, alas, in too many ways is very parvenu. He is an appreciator, a man open to every grape and every wine in every color and every style from everywhere.
It's not every day that you meet a sommelier who scores a perfect 100. In my book, the World Sommelier Association's judges undervalued him: Aldo is 110.
Howard G Goldberg, New York, USA
No disrespect to the candidates who have been misguided in entering this competition by its organizers! Slightly surprised that Decanter would be conned into doing an article about this WSA organization, thought you would be better informed. Especially as your own UK Academy of Food & Wine and England's most famous sommelier Gerrard Bassett, would not touch this WSA group with the proverbial barge pole. Your readers, and sommeliers with integrity, honesty and pride in their work, need to understand that world wide sommelier organization is ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale! With 41 plus members in Europe, South America and Asia and growing. This other upstart organization is a result of America or the sommelier organization that represented the US at the international table at the time being thrown out of ASI. Why? Arrogance, greed, bad manners, disorganization, etc. Money and the power that comes with it are what seem to make the WSA and it's people tick, entering or being part of this organization is akin to a second rate boxing belt!
Most of WSA's country representatives are Italians working away from home! Where as ASI members are nationals in their own countries, for example Japan has 8000 plus members of www.sommelier.jp with Kazuyoshi Kogai currently being president of ASI . ASI members just to put it in perspective! I write this as a proud member of the IGS, which is a member country of ASI and what it stands for in the world of sommellerie.
Simon Keegan
Having met Aldo on several occasions I can assure all that this award is in the right hands.
I used to manage a restaurant in Chelsea (NY) called Amuse. It was there that the American Sommelier Association held their courses for two sessions and Aldo taught a couple of classes on the wines and regions of Austria. At the time is was amazing for me as I was discovering Gruner Veltliner and the amazing terrior of Austria. Aldo was the most down to earth and humble, yet teeming with knowledge - he carried with him a white hot presence. Cheers Aldo - Nice work
Dave Eselgroth, Ohio, UK
I think we need to clarify this, i don´t want to take anything away from the winner but this is not really a true "world competition", this seems to be an Italian association that was joined by alternative associations in USA and Spain, the real world championship is organized by the ASI (association de la sommelerie internationale) and takes place every third year, in 2004 Italys Enrico Bernardo won, 2007 fellow Swede Andreas larsson won.
I think it is fine with alternative competitions, but an association that few people know exists shoudn´t just steal a world title like that when i know the enormous amount of work that my own friends have put down. How come Decanter didn´t notice the "real" competition?
L-O
Congratulations to Aldo Sohm. But recommending tea, coffee and cigars? Isn't that where the job becomes a kind of glorified baby-sitting?
Bill Marsano, New York, USA
Congratulations Aldo, let's hope Christopher Hitchens doesn't come along and burst your bubble.
CB, Florida, USA
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We all expected the Luca Gardini success and from the states Aldo Sohm wons...good luck! This title is the synthesis of the best quality that who beleive in their professional style may receive from the World Sommelier Association. Compliments!
