Mr. Giuseppe Vaccarini's Intervieu: 2nd. Part

Jorge Irribarren, a Peruvian Alcoholic beberage specialist went to Milan-Italy, to intervieu Mr. Giuseppe Vaccarini, best world sommelier, Past-President of the ASI and ASi director.

The future of the ASI, the sommellerie field, the fake argentinian position number 10 in the world sommeliers contest 2004 and the peruvian ASI join

Jorge: How do you see ASI in 5 years more?
Giuseppe: Je! What I hope, more than I think, is that ASI must have a strong change, if not, it will definitely finish some day. We must been open to all sommeliers, not only by the associations, It’s not democratic, it’s not actualized. We have to be open to everybody, we have to change our bylaws into this direction, otherwise in more than a few years ASI could disappear, ASI will not have a future.

Jorge: So, but, what are the president, or you, doing to make this changes happens? Or what will you do against all this associations that don’t think as you?
Giuseppe: We have to work more on the sensibility of every presidents.
Maybe we will find resistance of some of them, because they have internal problems with their members and they think that if they do more changes they could probably have more problems. They are also worry about of loosing clients if ASI still accepting members in the Club, but they don’t see that if they open their minds allowing the both ways of association we could be stronger. We are trying to do it, but it’s not easy.

Jorge: So you are trying to convince them.
Giuseppe: To convince them that is a good step to do it. Some of them are convince, but some not, for this is that now we are not totally able to do this change, even if we want to.

Jorge: Do you think it will help if you are the president again, or you think that the actual president could do it properly with you out of this politically management?
Giuseppe: Je, Je, Je... Good question! Is difficult to answer this question, because I have a lot of respect to the actual president (Mr. Kostas Toulutmizni) He take his time to do many things, he think that people mature with time. I am faster, I don’t wait, some time is right, some time not, but it’s just a different way to manage the association, and I don’t think he is in the wrong way.

Jorge: What about the other countries that are not part of the ASI at the moment? What that the ASI is doing to make it well known to other countries that are not members? What are the possibilities of being a new member?
Giuseppe: I can tell you that we have more than 10 associations of different countries waiting for getting into the ASI.

Jorge: For example?
Giuseppe: For example Peru, Estonia, Ucrania, Albania, Georgia, Letonia, and there are much more.

Jorge: And for what are they waiting? Why are they waiting?
Giuseppe: Because they could probably are too news. They are more in papers than a real association, maybe not that big, or they are not really ready. We have had some problems with others that were not really association, so they didn’t act as a real association, for that is that the new rules doesn’t allow easily new members, every candidate for being a new member should probe that is a real association that works properly in the professional sommellerie field.

Jorge: So, talking about Peru, what can you tell us? What do we need to be part of the ASI? Are we in the correct way? Are you in touch with somebody?
Giuseppe: Well, we have some conversations, but first, I have to say that the communications with countries like Peru are so slow; there have been a lot of time to get answer for everything.

Jorge: But now we are here.
Giuseppe: Yes, it’s not personal, but well, as you know you have had internal problems, and that’s the only reason that make you not being part of the ASI.
We were already to accept your demand, but for the problems that you had (and still having, I think) we couldn’t. In fact, our commission will evaluate again your country and we see in a short future what happens.

Jorge: Do you have the name of the association?
Giuseppe: The only demand that we have is from the Union Peruana de Sommeliers, wich the president is Jackeline Rey[i].

Jorge: Is the only one who is trying to get into the ASI?
Giuseppe: Yes, and if we haven’t receive any other demand, one day this will be accepted. So, if there will be another demand we will think what to do.

Jorge: What do you think that Peru is missing for not being a member of the ASI.
Giuseppe: All the Know How of the professional sommellerie. Loose information and the possibilities of participate in all the international events.

Jorge: Talking about the world contests: Could you tell us about your personal experience as a participant and as organizer?
Giuseppe: As a participant I can tell you that things has change, now is more difficult. The difficult is in direct relation with the period, if there is an evolution of the profession the competition will be more difficult. As an organizer I had to be update to make the level so high. I have had a wonderful experience.

Jorge: Which contest have been the best for you?
Giuseppe: Hum... The one in Japan. In 1995

Jorge: Why?
Giuseppe: Because the organization was excellent, I could say perfect.

Jorge: Which participants impress you a lot?
Giuseppe: All the winners.

Jorge: Bernardo for example? He is really good.
Giuseppe: Yes, but it was not something new for me, also in the school he was really good.

Jorge: What do you expect for a candidate in a contest?
Giuseppe: That can show that is a professional sommelier.

Jorge: How many people are invited by the organization per country?
Giuseppe: In the next time 2 persons, and also some selection of journalists. The last time were 5, but it was economically heavy.

Jorge: Is there any ranking in the world competitions? Can a candidate have a position?
Giuseppe: No, its not allow to say a number of position , because we think that is not nice to give a position to candidates that are the best of their countries.

Jorge: Is there any support from the ASI to some candidate that is saying that he or she is in the position number 10, for example?
Giuseppe: Never. We never say that and we will never support that.

Jorge: What would you say or what would ASI will do with a person, that is saying that is in the position number 10. You already know that I’m talking about the fake position number 10 that Flavia Rizutto, the argentinian candidat, has invented.
Giuseppe: Well, we can’t controlled it at the moment, but if somebody ask us we will tell that is not true, she is lying, because there isn’t any official ranking. But nobody has asked us about that.

Jorge: Hummm… maybe because for us ASI, is quite far.
Giuseppe: Yes, we understand that.

Jorge: But this person is part of an association that is part also of the ASI, you could do something.
Giuseppe: Yes, in the last assembly we saw something about that, but nobody wanted to talk about it, you know, the ASI is formed principally for all the presidents, and the presidents doesn’t want to have problems with their colleagues, and that’s wrong, presidents are not really interested in the develop of the profession, they work much more for themselves than for the sommellerie field, for example when we tell every president that they could know about the results of their candidates, we had just 8 requests.

Jorge: Well, that’s not good. Talking again about the profession, which other topics beside wine, a sommelier has to do with?
Giuseppe: A professional sommelier has to do with all the beverages that go in the table: wine, water, soft drinks, beers, and every beverage that you can drink in a table. Also, taking in count the country where he is, for example in Japan a sommelier has to know more about Sake, in Germany beers, in Peru probably Pisco, etc.

Jorge: Thank you very much Mr. Vaccarini for this intervieu.
Giuseppe: You are welcome, but before we leave I have to tell you that in my class there are some students from Peru, and they are goods.

Jorge: I have a present for you, this is a Pisco from Torontel grapes, the brand is El Alambique.
Giuseppe: Yes I know, when I was in Peru I had to do a lot with Piscos and I know that this a good one. Thank you very much, and hope to see you soon.

[i] At this moment the ASI haven’t received the demand from APSOM (Asociación Peruana de Sommelier) which is now a good candidate to get into the ASI and have Alan Cayo as a president.

Mejor Sommelier del Mundo Grecia 2004

Councurse du Meilleur Sommelier du Monde 2004
Campenato Mundial de Sommeliers Grecia 2004

World Sommelier Contest Greece 2004

Cada tres años la ASI (Asociación de la Somellerie Internacional), desde 1969, organiza el Campeonato Mundial, donde participan los sommeliers más destacados del mundo.

El 11vo campeonato, al que yo tuve la suerte de asistir, fue en Grecia, donde participaron 43 países. Dicho evento se suscitó entre el 6 y 13 de Octubre del 2004 y tuvo como sede a la paradisíaca isla de Santorini y la imponente ciudad de Atenas.

Cada candidato debía llegar por su cuenta y riesgo a la isla de Santorini, pero una vez allí, la ASI se encargaría de todo. Yo llegué un día antes, por lo que pude pasear por algunos de bares y restaurantes pudiendo descubrir la gastronomía griega, pero fundamentalmente las bebidas típicas, entre las que encontré vinos tan raros y exóticos que simplemente me dejaron atónito, probar un tinto Nemea, del que tanto había escuchado ó un blanco Asirtiko de Santorini (con todas esas notas minerales que confirman que viene de la tierra del volcán) o simplemente un milenario Retsina, hicieron que piense que de vinos yo no sabía nada. La cerveza Mithos, el brandy Metaxa y el anisado Ouzoo, también formaron parte de mi degustación.

Al día siguiente me puse en contacto con la organización y una vez instalado en el fantástico hotel que la ASI nos había reservado, descansamos y nos preparamos para la cena de recibimiento oficial. La comida muy típica, ensaladas y menestras variadas, mucho aceite de oliva y demasiado Möet & Chandon Brut Imperial. Luego a dormir, pues el Jueves 7 nos esperaba un full day de turismo por todo Santorini que incluía un crucero hacia el volcán.
El Viernes 8 comenzaba la competencia con el examen escrito: preguntas de geografía vitivinícola, denominaciones de origen, cepas, estilos y categorías de vinos, nomenclaturas en etiquetas, brandies, cervezas, whiskies, otros destilados, café, maridajes, puros y hasta una pregunta de pisco, eran los temas de las 87 preguntas del difícil examen.
La segunda parte fue teórico-práctica e incluyó un maridaje con dos vinos y un plato típico griego, en el que se debía describir las sensaciones y los motivos por los cuales el plato maridaba o no con los dos vinos; finalmente se debía decir qué tipo de vinos eran. A mi me sirvió el haber llegado un día antes.
Por la tarde, un ahíto almuerzo y para finalizar el día una cena con miles de vinos giregos…
El Sábado 9 partimos hacia Atenas y el Domingo por la mañana ya teníamos el examen práctico, es decir, Servicio, que comprendía pruebas al asar, tal como: Elegir, descorchar, decidir si decantar y servir una botella de vino tinto a una mesa conformada por ocho jurados en un tiempo determinado.
Por la tarde una interesante cata de las 54 principales bodegas griegas, que me enseñó el potente Nemea high quality y cepas como Moschofilero, Mandilaria, Vilana, Agiorgitiko, Mavrodahpne, Roditis, Limnio, Xinomavro, entre otras.

El Lunes, un día libre que concluyó con la espectacular e inolvidable cena a cargo del auspiciador principal: Möet & Chandon, quien había organizado todo a la perfección, a tal punto que el chef, los sommeliers y todo su staff habían venido desde Francia en el yate privado de la compañía, solo para esa cena . Llegamos al Yatch club de Atenas en el que nos recibían los gerentes y uno de los dueños de la compañía, pasábamos luego a la terraza con champagne vintage 1999 y bocaditos variados. La música era de violines y chelos, la vista espectacular. La bienvenida se hizo oficial invitándonos a dirigirnos al comedor luego de presenciar bellos fuegos artificiales. Sirvieron 5 platos, cada uno perfectamente maridado con su respectivo champagne Möet et Chandon milessime: 1995; 1983; 1976; 1952 y el súper limitado Espirit du Siecle, producido especialmente para la corona británica y que consta de las 11 mejores cosechas del siglo 20: 1900; 1914; 1921; 1934; 1943; 1952; 1962; 1976; 1983; 1985; y 1995. Una producción tan limitada que solo incluye 323 botellas mágnum y que es tan raro que sus champagnes han pasado por una tercera fermentación.

Ya el martes, sin querer levantarme, pues quería seguir soñando con Möet & Chandon, nos tocó asistir a nuestra premiación, en donde se me entregó el diploma de haber participado en la semifinal y pasamos luego, a presenciar la gran final, que tuvo como ganador a Enrico Bernardo de Italia, seguido de cerca por Grard Basset de Inglaterra en el segundo lugar y del alemán Jürgen Fendt y el Norte-americano Hervé Pennequin, ambos en tercer lugar, no por que hayan empatado, si no porque fuera de los tres primeros lugares, la ASI se limita a no publicar ningún ranking, no siendo posible saber la posición que uno ocupó en la competencia.
Finalmente, la celebración se prolongó con una espectacular cena de gala, que para los no participantes del campeonato costaba 240 euros por persona y que además de sabrosa y amena, contó con dos bebidas realmente especiales: el cognac Hennessy Paradis y el Grand Marnier del cincuentenario.
Relación de candidatos oficiales Grecia 2004, en orden aleatorio:FENDT , Jurgen - Germany CABISCOL PASCUAL , Josep Ramon - Andorra IRRIBARREN TERAN , Jorge - Peru SOHM , Aldo - Austria DELREE , Michel - Belgium CHAVES , Dionisio - Brazil MARKOVISKI , Michail - Bulgaria CARON , Ghislain - Canada GARCIA CHANDIA , Eugenio Adolfo - Chile KWOK , Eric - China HADJISTYLIANOU , George - Cyprus PYUN , Jung - Bum - Korea KRAMARIC , Daniela - Croatia MORTENSEN , Christian - Denmark CANOVAS , Cesar - Spain RIZZUTO , Flavia - Argentina UGANDI , Urvo - Estonia PELLINEN , Perri - Finland THOMAS , Franck - France LOUKAS , George - Greece KOVACS , Antal - Hungary BRAS , Alain - Ireland SVEINSSON , Saevar - Iceland BERNARDO , Enrico - Italy ABE , Makoto - Japan MERIL , Bruno - LuxembourgCada tres años la ASI (Asociación de la Somellerie Internacional),