The World Sommelier Contest was founded in 1969 by the Association des Sommeliers Internationale. It has become a prestigious appointment for wine aficionados that is now held every three years.

With Belgium as the hosting country, the international championship made full circle: the very first Sommelier World Championship also took place in Belgium (Brussels). This milestone event was hosted by the Belgian Sommelier Guild, and took place in the magnificent Flemish city of Antwerp. The finale took place at the Queen Elisabeth Hall, to which people could buy tickets to attend.

Over the past fifty years, ASI has brought together national sommelier associations from around the world and promoted their establishment in countries where they didn’t exist. ASI now has over 50,000 sommelier members from more than 60 countries.

A total of 65 sommeliers conducted various tastings from 10 to 15 March 2019 in A Room with a ZOO. The winner of 2019 was Marc Almert.