Passionate, visionary, astute, and with a prestigious pedigree in the world of wine and hospitality, William Wouters has been president of the renowned Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) since 2020. With a family background in bars and restaurants, William rose through the ranks of the wine world as a chef, sommelier, and president of his native Belgian Sommelier Guild, meeting his “charming, insightful” winemaker wife, Filipa Pato, on the way, whom he works alongside at their winery in Portugal.

In his ASI President role, William has upgraded the organization’s educational program and has helped grow its reach to extend from Burgundy to Brazil, Montepulciano to Malaysia, with inclusivity and exchange of international experience central to his tenure.

As the ASI prepares for its triennial Best Sommelier of the World Competition, being held in Lisbon this October, William spoke to Westgarth Wines about what makes a good sommelier, his aspirations for the ASI, and offered expert food and wine pairing tips.

Photo: ASI - Andy Kho

First things first! As a sommelier, chef, winery owner, and ASI President, what do you think makes a good sommelier?

Owning a winery in Bairrada, Portugal, where I live with my two sons and winemaker wife, has afforded me a different perspective on sommellerie, (the art and practice of being a sommelier). Living and breathing winemaking has taught me that terroir isn’t just a word to be tossed around without context. Telling the story of a wine is more than just flavors and structure. I’ve learned that sommeliers need to be nuanced storytellers, capable of describing time, place, and people. The wines and other beverages we serve are living entities. They have history and tales that transcend earth and aspect.

How did you become the ASI President?

My family ran restaurants and bars in my hometown of Antwerp, so it was part of my life growing up. I naturally gravitated to the business at an early age and went on to study at hospitality school. I loved both the front of house and back of house. I very much enjoyed my time as a chef, but the wine world and the seemingly endless amount of knowledge surrounding it became such a passion that I needed to dive into the deep end.

I also wanted to work with and support my colleagues in Belgium. I was lucky enough to compete at national and international sommelier contests. It was my goal to give others the same opportunities I was afforded. As such, I took on roles within the Association of Sommeliers of Belgium, eventually becoming its president. In my role as president of the Belgian Sommelier Guild, I represented Belgium within ASI. Over time, my role within ASI expanded, and I was elected Vice-President of Europe. I then decided to throw my hat into the ring for the ASI presidency at a time when the ASI was going through a bit of an identity crisis.

My predecessor did great work on creating a new branding position for ASI. However, I thought there was more to do in terms of creating an association that didn’t just stand as a symbol of sommellerie. I saw it expanding to new regions, giving sommeliers around the world better learning opportunities.

How is the ASI responding to the savvy contemporary wine customer?

Customers today are incredibly well-informed. By the time they sit down at a table, many already know the region, the grape variety, and the winemaking processes. If they don’t, the information is a click away on a smartphone.

That said, information is not the same as understanding, and that is where restaurant sommeliers still play a vital role.

ASI is responding by making sure our educational programmes emphasise not only knowledge but also communication. A modern sommelier must know how to turn complexity into clarity and to go beyond the words in the book to find the meaning in the story. All things being equal, the best wine sommelier is the one who can convey the humanity of the world of wine and fine beverages to the guest.

What can we expect at this year’s ASI competition in Lisbon, Portugal?

The world of sommellerie encompasses nations from the tip of Africa to the top of Europe, from the far eastern edges of Asia and the Pacific to the far western coast of the Americas. It’s a world that’s changing quickly.

We anticipate as many as 70 candidates this year, which will be a new record. In terms of the contest and its format, we anticipate the general structure to remain the same, but our Exams and Education and Contest Committees are tasked with making sure the format adapts. As such, questions change, and nuances of service tasks are edited to reflect time and place. Our contests in particular also reflect their surroundings, so questions are asked about the host region, its wines, its spirits and other beverages, its food, and its culture.

All of this is contained within a definable framework, so that contests both reflect the change around us and the environment in which they are hosted. They also have to be fair, though. Sommeliers need to have a broad understanding of what the process will entail so they can prepare.

Under your leadership, ASI sommelier education initiatives have flourished. Why is training so important to you?

This is a part of the evolution of ASI that I am most proud of. Over the past five years, we have gone from a contest-focused association to one that places as much or more emphasis on sommelier training and education. To this end, we’ve created platforms to make education accessible.

The ASI Diploma is our highest achievement and represents the gold standard of global sommellerie, but we realized there needed to be a path to get there. We now have Certification 1 and Certification 2, which are stepping stones. They allow sommeliers of different levels and backgrounds to progress logically and confidently.

We also organise bootcamps, seminars, online tutorials, and mentorship sessions. The opportunity for our sommeliers, particularly those living in smaller, more isolated countries, to share a table and learn from each other is transformative. This is the spirit behind ASI education: to create unity through shared standards while celebrating the diversity of our global community.

Where is fresh regional sommelier talent emerging?

One of the great joys of this job is watching talent emerge from places the traditional wine world once overlooked. New member India is a wonderful example. Their candidates come hungry to learn, eager to compete, and full of curiosity. We see similar excitement from emerging sommeliers in parts of Africa, South America, countries in Southeast Asia, and even the Middle East. I just learned that we had a woman from Iran pass ASI Certification 1. This is a great example of how we’ve expanded beyond traditional borders.
These sommeliers bring not only talent but new perspectives, new flavors, and new questions. They enrich the global conversation, and that in turn strengthens all of us. Sommellerie is no longer a European club. It is a global sommelier community.

What does the future hold for wine lists?

Local, sustainable, and socially responsible are identifiable sommelier trends.

Perhaps the longest-running trend of the three is the rise of local. We can thank, to a certain extent, those pioneering chefs who championed buying local in the 80s and 90s when kitchens were dominated by global ingredients. That push to buy from your neighbours has naturally extended to wine list programmes.

More recently, over the last 10 to 15 years, sustainability has become a focus. What started as a move to organic has gone a lot deeper. Sommeliers have become more diligent in getting beyond the logos, seeking to understand how a winery embraces the concept in all aspects of its vine-growing and winemaking practices. Sustainability is not a tagline; it is a way of being. Sommeliers are understanding this and reflecting it in wine lists.

Finally, social responsibility has entered the equation. That can take on many aspects, from ensuring we promote moderation through appropriate sizes of pours in by-the-glass programmes, to including low- and no-alcohol options. Also, there’s an increasing commitment by sommeliers to dig deeper into what sustainability means. This means they’re looking beyond the vineyard and the winery. They’re working more closely with producers who promote sustainability in all aspects of their business. This includes how they treat their employees and the transparency throughout their company.

Finally, in the years ahead, what’s the ASI vision for sommellerie around the world?

I would love to see a world where the modern wine sommelier is not viewed as luxury add-ons but as an essential pillar of hospitality. As professionals who elevate the guest experience and help shape a responsible drinking culture.

We envision a global profession that celebrates diversity of taste, culture, and perspective. One where sommeliers feel confident enough to be storytellers, educators, and ambassadors of wine and other fine beverages. I envisage this to unfold within the contemporary reality of sustainability and moderation.

If ASI can help create opportunities, strengthen education, and bring people together, then such a future is possible. The sommelier of tomorrow should stand not above the guest, but beside them, guiding with humility, curiosity, and joy.

Photo: ASI - Andy Kho

Firstly, start with balance. Great pairings are like great friendships. You want the food and wine to have a mutually beneficial, respectful dialogue. If one element dominates, it’s a one-way conversation. It can be as simple as full flavors in wine, full flavours in food. Sweet wine, sweet food. However, this can also extend to the personality of food and wine. If you have a fantastic wine that whispers complexity and doesn’t scream out loud for all to hear, the food should also be reserved, delicate, and contemplative. A bold and brash wine wants the same in its food partner.

Secondly, trust your instincts. Pairing is not mathematics. It is emotion, memory, and context. The “right” pairing is the one that makes you smile.

Finally, do not forget the occasion. A simple meal with friends deserves just as much thought as a fine-dining tasting menu. Hospitality begins with care, not complexity.

With such rich experience in the culinary arts, sommellerie, and hospitality, William has a wealth of food pairing tips. Here are some of his suggestions to guide and inspire.

Pairing #1
Fresh reds with seasonal game for depth and aged whites for feathered game

As sommeliers, the season sets the rhythm, and right now, here in Europe, it’s game season. On the menu is:

• Deer,
• Wild duck
• Hare,
• Wild pigeon
• Feathered wild pheasant and partridge (more delicate).

With the deeper, darker game, the keys are:

• Protein.
• Density.
• Iron-rich flavour.

These meats need reds with freshness, fine tannins, and a clean structure to cut through the texture without adding heaviness. I reach for:

• Baga
• Cornalin
• Pinot Noir
• Blaufränkisch
• Nerello Mascalese
• Gamay (cru)
• Cabernet Franc
• Mondeuse
• Mencía
• Cool-climate Syrah.

The acidity lifts the protein, the tannins bind to it, and the fruit keeps the palate alive. However, with pheasant and partridge, the approach is different. The texture is finer, the protein is lighter, and the dish often brings creaminess, mushrooms, a touch of sweetness, or umami from jus or truffle. This is when aged whites shine:

• Mature Meursault Premier Cru
• Aged Riesling
• Mature Chenin Blanc

These wines bring silky texture, savory depth, quiet power, acidity, and layered aromatics that elevate feathered game without overwhelming it. The Chenin Blanc also adds structure and gentle oxidative notes. It’s a pairing that plays with balance: protein, fat, acidity, umami, and minerality - and it works beautifully.

Pairing # 2
⁠Vibrant, sustainably grown whites, seasonal vegetables, and grains

Vegetables and grains are the foundation of sustainable cooking. They offer sweetness, earthiness, fiber, natural umami, and a wide range of textures. This calls for whites with tension, purity, and minerality to bring definition.

Winter root vegetables, pulses, cabbage, and pumpkin all pair with:

• Bical
• Arinto
• Encruzado (Portugal)
• Chasselas
• Petite Arvine
• Heida (Switzerland)
• Chenin Blanc
• Melon de Bourgogne
• Aligoté
• Grüner Veltliner
• Dry Riesling (Austria & Germany)
• Verdicchio
• Timorasso (Italy)
• Assyrtiko (Greece)
• Albariño
• Godello (Spain)

Here, Riesling in particular plays a crucial role. Its vertical acidity sharpens sweet vegetables while its aromatics lift earthy flavors. Its structure handles both soft textures (pumpkin purée) and firmer ones (root vegetables). It brings clarity in the same way a squeeze of lemon wakes up a dish.

Pairing # 3
⁠Aged whites with artisan cheeses

Cheese is all about protein, fat, saltiness, and umami. Aged whites are the only wines with the right acidity, structure, and aromatic maturity to match these elements. Use the cheese’s milkiness as a guide.

Goat’s milk produces fresh, linear, and tangy cheeses, with high acidity and a fine texture. A long list of examples includes some fetas and halloumis. They pair best with:

• Chenin Blanc
• Mature Bical/Arinto
• Aged Riesling

Bonus note: Aged Riesling, with its combination of acidity, slight sweetness, smokiness, and savory herbs, mirrors the tang of goat’s milk.

Sheep’s milk produces nutty, savory, dense, high-umami, fattier cheeses. An extensive list includes Roquefort, Manchego, and Pecorino. Such cheeses pair best with:

• White Rioja (aged Viura)
• Mature Verdicchio
• Aged Savagnin
• Aged Arinto.

Bonus note: These wines have enough texture, oxidative depth, and length to match such cheeses’ richness.

Cow’s milk makes creamy, gentle, often Alpine cheeses with balanced protein and sweetness. The many examples include Cheddar, Gouda, Brie, Camembert, Emmental, Gruyère, and Stilton. They pair perfectly with:

• Mature Chasselas or Heida
• Aged Grüner Veltliner
• Aged Melon de Bourgogne
• Cool-climate Chardonnay.

Bonus note: The rounder acidity and subtle complexity of aged whites honor the creaminess, salt, and umami without overpowering. They also bring clarity, lift, and harmony where red wines would only clash with salt, protein, and fat.

What is the ASI?

Founded in 1969, the ASI is the global governing body for sommellerie, promoting education, excellence, ethics, and international cooperation.

When are its sommelier competitions?

The Best Sommelier of the World is a triennial event. The body also supports regional competitions and sommelier awards.

Who are its members?

National sommelier associations numbering 68 (including the Best USA Sommelier Association-BUSA) and three applicant members.

The 18th edition of the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World takes place from 11 – 17 October, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Feature Image: ASI - Andy Kho

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