Vitae_ La Guida Vini 2026 : The bible of Italia wine country has arrived: 1313-page reference work
Associazione Italiana Sommelier - the largest training institute for sommeliers in Italy with more than 46,000 sommeliers graduated between 1965 (the year of my birth) and the present - is doing an immense amount for its contemporary trainee and graduate sommeliers.
It is with immense pride that I can relate that I am one of the 46,000. Since only promoting and selling Piedmontese wines was on the agenda, the most logical choice was AisPiemonte, Turin department. This was a "live" training, in Turin, no online stuff. Hands on, tasting, reviewing, studying hard, exams: in Italian, of course.
What does Associazione Italiana Sommelier suggest?
AIS, with more than 40,000 members, has been promoting and spreading wine culture for more than 50 years.
Being a member of Associazione Italiana Sommelier means participating in the numerous activities organized for its members: guided tastings, themed seminars, dinners, study tours to wineries in Italy and around the world. It also means participating in national and international congresses and symposiums and in the most exclusive events at very favorable conditions.
Today, the role of sommelier is increasingly versatile and the professional opportunities are constantly increasing: from traditional positions, working in national and international haute cuisine, to prestigious qualifications in the distribution world, wine consulting for wine companies, strategic marketing for retail chains and communications.6 An AIS sommelier becomes the most authoritative spokesperson of wine culture in all respects, whether in a didactic, technical, strategic or consulting profile.
Some impressive figures from Associazione Italiana Sommelier
46,000 sommeliers of which 6,000 are in training today and 40,000 graduated, 147 regional branches in Italy from north to south, 1,000 courses every year, more than 2,000 wine events organized by Ais every year, more than 150,000 bottles opened, 100 banchi d'assaggio (themed days with all the wine producers of a region with desk for tasting), 20 textbooks, 16 various permanent courses that return every year in addition to also temporary introduced courses.
And whether I am content with my choice. Sure
Back to the reference book itself: La Guida Vitae
This reference book was created for sommeliers - the present and future generation - by sommeliers who are now the top chefs of their region in gourmet restaurants. Piedmont itself takes up 215 pages of the total reference book, obviously written in Italian. By no means all wineries are included because a thorough selection was made at the base.
Ratings are made by "t" jes from 2 pieces to 4 pieces for brilliant, excellent, top category. How everything from explanation about the cantina, enologist, wines in description, alcohol percentage is listed so precisely, and yet 2 producers on one page is impressive.
Extremely important, and new compared to the previous edition, is the wine food pairing mentioned with actual dishes.
Every month I am at least one week onsite in Turin and the other branches of AisPiemonte to learn updates, hear evolution in the market and hear the word of those who of course spread the word every day offline and online.
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