ASI vs CMS: two sommelier paths compared

The short answer: the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) runs its own courses and exams: four levels, up to Master Sommelier, examining theory, blind tasting and service. ASI, the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, is a federation of national sommelier associations. You take its certifications through your own country's association, and it runs the Best Sommelier of the World contest. Choose the Court for a clear ladder you can follow wherever it teaches; choose ASI's route if your national association is strong, or if you want to compete.

My own path was the Court: the Introductory in Napa in 2012, the Advanced in 2019. Where I stand: I work with the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, whose online Learning Portal SOMM DIGI builds. The ASI facts below are from asi.info.

What each one is

• The Court of Master Sommeliers: the first Master Sommelier exam was held in London in 1969, and the Court was established in 1977. Today there are two Courts, Europe and the Americas, sharing common standards. Its levels: Introductory, Certified, Advanced and the Master Sommelier Diploma.
• ASI: founded in Reims, France, on 3–4 June 1969. Its members are not individual sommeliers but national sommelier associations: 70 full members and 2 applicant countries. Its certifications: ASI Prep, Certification 1, Certification 2 and the ASI Diploma.

Side by side

ASI's certifications

• ASI Prep: new in 2026, for students at hotel and restaurant schools.
• ASI Certification 1: a written multiple-choice exam on core knowledge, service, vocabulary and tasting method, at the level of a commis sommelier. 60% to pass. Run by member associations in their own countries.
• ASI Certification 2: up to 60 written questions, plus a practical test of wine service and food and drink pairing. 60% to pass, with a 10% bonus if you sit it in a foreign language: English, French or Spanish.
• ASI Diploma: a written questionnaire and essay, a tasting and a service practical, in French, English or Spanish. Bronze needs 60% overall and 40% in each section; Silver 65% and 45%; Gold 75% and 50%. The next exam is on 8 March 2027.

Details, and the rules for each exam, are on ASI's exams page. Ask your national association whether it offers them.

Competitions

Competition is central to ASI: national contests, continental ones, and the Best Sommelier of the World, first held in 1969 and currently every three years. The 2026 edition: Lisbon, 11 to 17 October. If you dream of competing, your road starts at your national association.

Which should you choose?

• You want a clear ladder, the same wherever the Court teaches: the Court. See how to become a Certified Sommelier.
• Your country has a strong national association: its ASI exams are worth taking, and they put you in touch with your country's sommelier community.
• You want to compete: ASI. Its contests run through the national associations.
• You can't decide: you don't have to. The two do different jobs, and you can follow one, the other, or both.

I chose the Court, because I wanted a qualification for my work on the floor rather than for competition. That is a personal choice, not a ranking. For the Court's two halves, read CMS Americas vs CMS Europe.

Questions people ask