About us
Welcome to the presentation of the Serbian Sommelier Association!
A sommelier in today’s hospitality industry means a responsible person with excellent skills and knowledge about wines and other beverages, gastronomy and cigars.
The main responsibility of the sommelier is to build a wine list in accordance with the needs of the restaurant, which implies that he/she has prior knowledge of the local and international market and that he/she shows a high level of responsibility in procurement and stocking.
In a direct relationship with the guest, the sommelier has the task of proposing and explaining the wine and gastronomic offer of the restaurant where he/she works.
An excellent sommelier leads the way in building good interpersonal relationships and is associated with marketing, which means that he/she goes beyond the usual, generally accepted, framework that implies that he/she only serves wine.
Serbian Sommelier Association – SERSA is a non-profit association, founded in 2003 in Belgrade. At that time, the Association gathered only a few members who, driven by great enthusiasm and love for wine and the profession of sommelier, already in the first year managed to set high standards in the training of professional sommeliers, organization of competitions and evaluation of wines.
Basic goals of the Serbian Sommelier Association are:
- Gathering of sommeliers and associations of sommeliers for socializing and exchanging opinions, knowledge and experiences;
- Professional training of members, in order to improve HoReCa services and the profession of sommelier;
- Organization of seminars, professional gatherings, trainings, workshops and tastings in order to raise new knowledge of HoReCa staff, wine lovers, as well as employees in wine tourism;
- Promoting the establishment of new associations on the territory of the Republic of Serbia;
- Improving and bringing wine and wine culture closer to as many adults as possible;
- Introducing the public to the sommelier profession;
- Presentation of Serbian sommeliers to related associations and organizations abroad;
- Representation of SERSA at regional, European and world competitions for the best sommelier.
The Serbian Sommelier Association consists of all members according to the established norms and rules stated in the Statute.
The Serbian Sommelier Association is a full member of the International Sommelier Association – Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), whose headquarters are in Paris, France.
