- BOOTCAMP REGISTRATION CLOSED 24 JANUARY-

On Monday 4 March 2024, ASI in conjunction with Sommeliers Australia, is again offering the ASI Diploma certification exam.

The ASI Diploma has been created to help:

Develop the Sommelier profession;
Enhance the quality of Sommeliers worldwide;
Establish international standards for Sommeliers.

The Diploma exam will be run by Sommeliers Australia, and gives Sommeliers Australia ‘Professional’ members working as sommeliers, the opportunity to achieve an internationally recognised standard of sommellerie. Completed exams are submitted to ASI for marking.

A major opportunity for sommeliers and wine professionals across Australia to gain international accreditation, the Diploma exam will be held in Melbourne and offered to a maximum of 8 candidates only. Candidates must be working sommeliers (in restaurants, wine bars, wine retail, distribution, etc), with at least 3 years sommelier experience.

After our inaugural Diploma Bootcamp programme in 2023, Sommeliers Australia is again offering Australian candidates registered for the ASI Diploma the opportunity to take part in a 4 session Diploma Bootcamp. The Bootcamp programme will provide additional and training to support candidates in their preparation for the Diploma assessment.

THE DIPLOMA EXAM

Held on Monday 4 March in Melbourne, the Diploma exam will be completed in two stages:

Stage 1 – Written exam (Total time 2 hrs 55 mins)

Written description and identification of 2 international wines served blind. (30 min)
Identification of 2 local beverages and 3 international spirits/liquor/fortified wines (10 min)
Questionnaire focussing on the main wine producing countries; beer, spirits and other beverages; grape varieties; viticulture; winemaking; and other topics related to the sommelier profession (90 min)
An essay (500-800 words) on a selected theme regarding the world of beverages and the art of ‘sommellerie’ (45 min)

Stage 2 – Oral and practical tests (Each candidate is allocated 15 minutes)

Marketing (e.g. selling a beverage). (4 min)
Practical work (e.g. decantation, service of a bottle of wine). (6 min)
Tasting and food & wine pairing. (5 min)

Details of the venue and timing of the exam will be shared with all successful candidates in February 2023, once the final number of candidates has been confirmed.

DIPLOMA CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to sit the Diploma, candidates must:

be fully financial Sommeliers Australia ‘Professional’ members, working as a sommelier (in restaurants, wine bars, wine retail, distribution, etc), with at least 3 years sommelier experience,
have completed at least WSET Level 3 or CMS Certified OR have equivalent industry experience,
pay the Examination Fee at the time of registration.

DIPLOMA EXAMINATION FEE
Each candidate will need to pay an Examination Fee of A$750 which covers their ASI Diploma exam registration and certification.

Candidates are responsible for their own travel and associated costs to attend the exam on Monday 4 March.

DIPLOMA REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
All candidates who have registered with Sommeliers Australia will have their details transferred to the official ASI registration portal by Sommeliers Australia, once the portal is opened in early 2024.

Only 8 candidates will be accepted to sit the Diploma in Australia. Candidates must be fully financial ‘Professional’ members of Sommeliers Australia and will be accepted on a ‘first in gets a place’ basis.

Diploma exam registration will close at 5pm, Thursday 22 February.

DIPLOMA BOOTCAMP - registration for Bootcamp closes 5pm, Wednesday 24 January
Australian candidates registered for the 2024 ASI Diploma have the opportunity to take part in a 4 session Diploma Bootcamp. The 4 x 90 min sessions will be held online on consecutive Mondays from 29 January until 19 February 2023.

Each session will be conducted by our ASI Training Sub-Committee, headed by Sarah Andrew and supported by previous ASI Diploma recipients.

The 4 sessions will cover:

Introduction to the Diploma and Bootcamp training
Food and wine pairing tasks
Theory tests
Practical service tasks
Practical tasting tasks
Tips on exam preparation and approaching the assessment
Homework (theoretical and practical) tasks will also be set

Only candidates registered for the ASI Diploma can choose to take part in the Diploma Bootcamp, by paying the nominal A$150 Bootcamp fee. Those registered for Bootcamp will receive Zoom links and further information ahead of the 29 January start date.

Registration for Diploma Bootcamp will close at 5pm, Wednesday 24 January.

REGISTRATION FEES:
⇒ ASI Diploma Examination Fee – A$750 + booking fee
Registration for ASI Diploma closes 5pm, Thursday 22 February

⇒ Diploma Bootcamp – A$150 + booking fee
Registration for Bootcamp closes 5pm, Wednesday 24 January

To access the Members registration, Sommeliers Australia Professional Members need to login at sommeliers.com.au, click the ‘View Available Coupons’ button on the dashboard for their UNIQUE ACCESS CODE. Then apply the access code on the Humanitix registration page to ‘Access hidden tickets’.

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASI DIPLOMA IN AUSTRALIA PLEASE VISIT: sommeliers.com.au