正名
我稱Sommelier為侍酒師，絕對沒有看不起這個專業的意思。
香港的侍酒師朋友，在考慮他們的正式中文譯名時，決定稱為「品酒師」。本來，名從主人，我準備也用這名稱。不過，欣賞過國際侍酒師大賽之後，我決定，侍酒師的?業要求，絕不局限於品酒。

成功的Sommelier，真的要侍酒，不只是服侍客人，還要服侍美酒，服侍雪茄、茶、咖啡，以及通曉世界各國佳餚

緣起
國際侍酒師大賽本屆是第十一屆了，於今年10月在雅典舉行。這比賽每三年一次，每次在不同城市舉行，成為世界侍酒界、餐飲界的盛事。比賽難度極高，而且越來越高。榮獲冠軍者頓時身價百倍，財源滾滾，成為名酒美食代言人，甚至帶動整個國家的餐飲風尚改變。

主辦這項盛事的國際侍酒師協會（Association of Sommelier International），簡稱為ASI。該會創立於1969年，創會成員只有4個：意大利、法國、比利時，葡萄牙，現在會員和「觀察員」一共有60個。亞洲地區會員只有香港、日本和南韓。此外，馬來西亞和越南是觀察員，澳洲也是觀察員。

由各會員國選拔代表參加的國際大賽，是全世界最嚴格的侍酒大賽。參賽者有不少已獲Master of Wines （葡萄酒大師）資格，但即使如此，也未必能闖入決賽。

比賽實在太嚴格了，要求太高了。另一方面，作為觀眾的我們，看得實在太過癮了！

初賽 秘密進行
今年有43位代表參賽。初賽是不公開的，但今年在記者要求下，讓每國派一位記者進場觀看一位參賽者初賽過程

筆者運氣很好，第一部份「品酒」，看的就是冠軍義大利代表，他用法語參賽，我至多懂得一成。但見他滔滔不絕，拿起一杯紅酒講了四分鐘不停。真要好好練習一下：要由色、香、味講起，還要估葡萄，由酒質猜產區、大約價格，最適合配什麼食物。

看完義大利代表Enrico Bernardo（貝納道）比賽，我已覺得他很有機會入決賽 —— 最後四強！

第二部份是侍酒環節，我看的是日本代表阿部誠。日本代表團最龐大，超過40人。大家對阿部誠期望甚殷，日本曾在1995年獲得冠軍，他們當然認為可能再創佳績。

即使沒有情結，我看完他的侍酒，便知他很難入選最後四強。

考侍酒是真的「侍酒」，並非只是開酒換瓶那麼簡單。主考官會設下陷阱，令已經緊張萬分的參賽者隨時出醜！

陷阱包括：當你把酒開了，自己試過，換瓶之後，給「主人」品嚐時，主人忽然告訴你，這瓶酒是Corked的！你當然大吃一驚？因為你明明剛試過，怎會連Corked酒也分不出？正準備重開一瓶，「主人」說不用了，就喝這一瓶吧。斟酒吧！

你斟酒的時候，「主人」冷冷的說，真不明白，為什麼合成塑膠的瓶塞也會有Corked味！這時你曉得自己輸到家了！開瓶時明明開的是人工合成瓶塞，不可能有corked味，也忘了！

太緊張了，太緊張了！

至於換瓶時有沒有發出叮叮噹噹的聲音，手法是否優雅，那已經沒有心情理會了，甚至還忘了向主人遞酒單！最後，當你把酒斟給每一位之後，「主人」又可能問：「為什麼你斟酒之前，不問一下客人喝不喝酒……」

天啊！

難怪很多參賽者離開會場時，面白如粉，滿頭大汗，衣衫不整，邊走邊敲自己的腦袋……

這只是「輕鬆」的初賽！決賽比初賽難得多了！（誰都不能通風報信，因為所有參賽者都被嚴密隔離。）

決賽 全場喝采
如想提高侍酒師水準，應該選派一、二十名最優秀的年輕侍酒師或餐飲經理前往參觀下一屆的大賽，保証任何稍有上進心的人，也會發憤學習。

決賽在一座音樂廳舉行，結束之後就是盛大晚宴。所以，由參賽代表到觀眾，人人盛裝出席，佷多人更攜帶國旗，為自己的選手打氣。選手入場很隆重，排成隊伍，在《We are the Champion》歌聲下，魚貫經過觀眾席，上台站好，台上坐了十多位評判。

接受完大家熱烈的歡迎之後，就是宣布決賽選手的殘酷時刻。只有4人可以進入決賽，其他人都會被一一唱名，領取參賽証書！即是當場刷下台來。

俄羅斯代表第一個給刷下來，香港、日本、南韓也都給淘汰了。連我們一致看好的兩大強手，瑞士的Paislo Basso和瑞典的Andrea Larsson都無法進入決賽。這兩都是該國的最佳侍酒師，而且以往曾入決賽。我跟Basso熟稔，很希望他能勝出。他們兩位未入決賽，會場都有驚呼之聲。

進入決賽的，是德國、英國、美國、義大利。

值得一提的是，官方參賽語言是英語和法語，而所有參賽者都要用第二語言參賽！當然，如果真的語言不通，可以要求翻譯，但除非閣下是日本人，否則動用翻譯而不落敗，幾稀矣！

更有趣的是，英美兩位代表都是法裔，母語是法語，用英語參賽。德國人也用英語，義大利代表在大名鼎鼎的巴黎Jorge V四季酒店任首席侍酒師，當然佔了便宜，用法語參賽。

事實上，歐洲很多人精通三種語言以上，只有英國人和美國人給寵壞了！有人竊竊私語，說英美連參賽也要用外援！英國代表有Master of Wine頭銜，多次參賽，美國代表曾獲法國侍酒師大賽第二名。
侍酒鐵人
有人看輕了「侍酒」兩字，大錯特錯了！要成為合格的侍酒師恐怕真不容易呢！
決賽試題如下：
1.先改正一張有錯漏的酒單，五分鐘，十種酒，十個錯處，一出場拿起酒單便開始計時。
2.試五款酒：一白一紅一甜，要詳細說出，另加兩款烈酒，只需猜出那是什麼酒即可，共九分鐘。
3.侍酒：拿起一張菜單，向客人介紹六款可以配合的酒，酒要來自不同地區，要解釋菜的特色及酒的特色，然後開酒，換瓶，斟酒……
4.回答兩個有關雪茄的問題，兩分鐘。

每一問題都不容易，絕不會有波爾多拼錯字那種錯誤，而是很多非常陌生的酒。必須對全世界酒都非常熟悉——包括新舊世界。當然，今年在雅典進行，有希臘酒，有希臘菜，有希臘乳酪。

時間緊逼，英國和美國代表都無法完成所有項目。德國代表相當不錯，但怎也不及義大利代表。他最後一位出場，由頭到尾令人讚嘆。他不單說酒說得好，又熟希臘乳酪，侍酒技術完美、靈巧，時間掌握恰當。賽後統計分數時，由司儀上台公佈酒單改錯的正確答案。他的說法是：Enrico Bernardo全對！全場沸騰。

他說酒，那語調的動聽、態度的誠懇，換瓶時，姿態的漂亮，侍酒時，腳步、走位的靈活，在在令行家擊節讚賞。

結果未公布，觀眾已有公論，冠軍只能是他。如果不是他，一定會暴動！

冠軍當然是他，實至名歸。筆者甚至認為，他是十一屆以來最無爭議的冠軍。宣布結果時，全場歡聲雷動！看見這麼完美的表現，令許多人感動流淚！

我沒有看過以前的比賽，但我的感覺，他是冠軍中的冠軍！

侍酒，真的可以成為大學課程！

		Icould never have believed that a Sommelier competition can make 400 people virtually holding their breath for almost two hours until I attended one recently. All contestants have delivered extremely high standard of artistry and precision, especially the champion Enrico Bernando. The name “Sommelier” I meant no mockery when I called a sommerlier the “wine-serving person” in Chinese. My sommelier friends preferred to be called ‘Wine taster” in Chinese. But after I attended this year's International Sommelier competition, I realized that a good sommelier do not only serve wines, but they must also have in depth knowledge about wine, cigar, tea, coffee and cuisines from all over the world. The origin This was the 11th international Sommelier Competition and it was held in Athens, Greece in October. Tri-annually the competition is held in different location and over the years this competition has become the “Event” in the culinary world. The standard of competition is extraordinarily high, and through the years the standard has gone even higher. The person who won the champion immediately attracted massive media attention and wealth and often became the spoken person for wine and cuisine; sometimes they could even improve the culinary standard of their home country.

Association de la Sommelerie Internationale is the organizer of this event. The organization was formed in 1969 with only four country members, Italy、France、Belgium and Holland, presently there are 60 members from 60 countries (including observers). There are three members from Asia, Hong Kong、Japan and Korea。Malaysia、Vietnam and Australia are observers at the moment.

Each member selects a team of representatives to enter the international competition. Participants with Master of Wine qualification do not usually guarantee their places at the final.

Preliminary in secret

There were 43 participants in this year's event. At the preliminary stage of contest the whole proceeding was not open to the public, but this year requested by the media, the organizer has agreed to let one reporter from each representing country to witness one contestant's preliminary contest.

The first part of the preliminary competition was on the wine-tasting; I witnessed the Italian representative Enrico Bernando (who eventually won the title). He spoke in French which I barely understood, but as I looked at him holding his wine confidently and describing it vividly, I knew he has a good chance of qualifying for the final.

The second part of the competition was on the “serving” and I witnessed the Japanese representative 阿部誠。 Japan had the largest team of representatives of over 40 people. Japan won the 1995 competition and they were confidant they could won it again. Without any prejudice, after watching his performance I knew he would not qualify for the final.

To “serve” wine means more than decanting it and pouring it into glass; it actually entails other aspects. In this part of competition the examiner tried to create most bizarre situation to test contestant's reaction. In a created scenario the contestant opened a bottle of wine and decanted it, after serving it to the examiner at the table the examiner told him that the wine he has just served was corked, which the contestant knew that wasn't true because he has just tasted it. So he opened another bottle to confirm it but instead the examiner asked him to serve the previous one. While he was pouring it, the examiner said that he could not believe that synthetic cork could cause corkiness in wine, the contestant then suddenly realized that the bottle he has just opened used synthetic cork for closure.