Vietnam Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2026: From national excellence to the Asian stage
The National Final of the Vietnam Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2026 (VBSIW 2026) took place at Casa Italia in Hanoi, marking the conclusion of the second edition of the professional competition for sommeliers with knowledge and passion for Italian wines in Vietnam.
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| Following a series of demanding final challenges, sommelier Nguyễn Hữu Phát was crowned Vietnam Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2026. (Photo: ICHAM) |
The competition was organised by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (ICHAM), under the patronage of the Embassy of Italy in Vietnam, the Consulate General of Italy in Ho Chi Minh City, and the Association of Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad (Assocamerestero), with professional partnership with the Italian Association of Professional Sommeliers (ASPI) and the Vietnam Sommelier Association (VSA). VBSIW 2026 continues to be a key activity under A Taste of Italian Wines, a long-term project initiated by ICHAM in 2022.
This year’s edition marked a new milestone, as the competition selected, for the first time, a Vietnamese representative to compete at the Asia Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2027 (ABSIW 2027), a regional competition initiated and hosted by ICHAM.
Following the success of its inaugural edition, VBSIW 2026 continued to attract strong interest from the sommelier community and wine professionals across Vietnam, with 62 applications and 46 contestants participating in regional semi-finals held in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.
This year’s training and competition programme was designed with greater depth, aiming not only to identify the VBSIW 2026 champion, but also to strengthen contestants’ knowledge, professional skills, stage presence and communication abilities as they prepare for the regional sommelier arena.
The three highest-scoring contestants from the nationwide semi-finals advanced to the National Final in Hanoi.
At the National Final, the three finalists competed in a series of professional challenges covering Italian wine knowledge, blind tasting, service skills, food and wine pairing, professional communication, and the ability to convey the stories behind Italian wines.
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| The three highest-scoring contestants from the nationwide semi-finals advanced to the National Final in Hanoi. (Photo: ICHAM) |
Following a series of demanding final challenges, sommelier Nguyễn Hữu Phát was crowned Vietnam Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2026.
The final results were: Champion: Nguyễn Hữu Phát; First Runner-up: Đỗ Phương Thảo; Second Runner-up: Đỗ Ngọc Trúc Duyên.
As the champion, sommelier Nguyễn Hữu Phát will represent Vietnam at the Asia Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2027. He will also receive the championship trophy and certificate, professional development opportunities, as well as a study tour to Italy.
This study tour will provide the champion with an opportunity to gain first-hand exposure to Italy’s wine-producing environment, meet producers, and deepen his understanding of vineyards, terroir, production methods and local wine culture.
Champion Nguyễn Hữu Phát shared: “VBSIW 2026 is a professional and highly meaningful competition, where we not only had the opportunity to demonstrate our knowledge and skills, but also gained valuable experiences for our future careers. For me, the study tour to Italy is a particularly special reward, as it will give me the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of wine in the place where it is produced, while experiencing first-hand Italian culture, cuisine and people. In particular, becoming Vietnam’s first representative at the Asia Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2027 is a great honour and also a motivation for me to continue learning, further develop my professional expertise and strive to represent Vietnam’s sommelier community at the regional stage to the best of my ability.”
As a flagship initiative under A Taste of Italian Wines, VBSIW was developed as a platform combining training, professional competition and industry networking, contributing to a deeper understanding of Italian wines and the development of a professional sommelier community in Vietnam.
Representing ICHAM, Mr. Luca Dalla Vecchia, Acting Vice Chairman of ICHAM, shared: “Bringing a bottle of Italian wine to Vietnam is one thing. Helping people understand the Italy inside that bottle – its land, people, culture and stories – is something more.”
Mr. Marco Saracco, Head of Economic and Commercial Section, Embassy of Italy to Vietnam, commented: “The wine market in Vietnam is developing, and consumers are increasingly interested in quality, provenance and authenticity. Outstanding wines need professionals who can present them properly and tell their stories.”
| From its inaugural edition in 2025 to the 2026 season, Vietnam Best Sommelier in Italian Wines (VBSIW) has been steadily evolving from a national competition into a platform for professional training and development with a regional outlook. The selection of Vietnam’s first representative to compete at ABSIW 2027 opens a new chapter for Vietnamese sommeliers, while creating a foundation for deeper connections between Vietnamese professionals and the regional community through knowledge, professional skills and Italian wine culture. |
(Source: ICHAM)
