When a bottle of Italian wine arrives at a dining table in Vietnam, it brings with it more than a grape variety, a region, or a flavour profile.
Behind every bottle are places, people, cultures, and stories shaped over generations. Bringing those stories closer to the person drinking the wine requires someone with the knowledge and experience to connect all of those elements.
That is also part of what a sommelier does.
At Vietnam Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2026, the search for such a sommelier reached its final stage after months of training and competition.
On 29 September at Casa Italia in Hanoi, the second edition of the competition officially came to a close. Nguyễn Hữu Phát was crowned VBSIW 2026 Champion, becoming the first sommelier to represent Vietnam at the Asia Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2027.
From 62 applications to the final three
VBSIW 2026 began with 62 applications from across Vietnam, with 46 contestants advancing to the regional semi-finals in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.
After the three regional rounds, only the three highest-scoring contestants earned their places in the National Final in Hanoi.
But reaching the trophy required more than knowing Italian grape varieties, wine regions, or appellations.
The three finalists faced challenges covering Italian wine knowledge, blind tasting, service skills, food and wine pairing, professional communication, and the ability to convey the story behind a bottle of wine.
Because the work of a sommelier does not exist only within a competition. In the real world, sommeliers stand between producer and guest, between technical knowledge and the experience at the table.
And then the winner’s name was called
Following the final challenges at Casa Italia, the results of VBSIW 2026 were announced:
Champion: Nguyễn Hữu Phát
First Runner-up: Đỗ Phương Thảo
Second Runner-up: Đỗ Ngọc Trúc Duyên
For Nguyễn Hữu Phát, this year’s victory does not end with the title of Vietnam Best Sommelier in Italian Wines.
He will become the first representative of Vietnam at the Asia Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2027, while also taking part in a professional study and experience trip to Italy. There, the champion will have the opportunity to meet producers, explore vineyards and terroirs, learn more about production methods, and experience Italian wine culture where it is actually formed.
From Casa Italia in Hanoi, the champion’s journey still has a long way to go.
Knowing wine is not enough
One idea stood out throughout this year’s VBSIW.
Luca Dalla Vecchia, Acting Vice Chairman of ICHAM, noted that bringing a bottle of Italian wine to Vietnam is one thing, but helping people understand the land, people, culture, and stories within that bottle is something more.
That helps explain why communication, service, and storytelling sit alongside knowledge and tasting in the competition.
In a market where consumers are becoming increasingly interested in quality, provenance, and authenticity, Marco Saracco, Head of the Economic and Commercial Section at the Embassy of Italy in Hanoi, also highlighted the growing importance of professionals who can properly present wine and communicate the stories behind it.
A sommelier therefore needs to know more than where to find a good bottle. They also need to understand why it is made the way it is, what gives it its identity, and how to make that story meaningful to the person sitting in front of the glass.
When the competition moves beyond the stage
VBSIW 2026 was not limited to the hours of competition.
Ahead of the National Final, on 28 September, ICHAM collaborated with Don Vino to organise an in-depth Italian wine masterclass attended by nearly 40 participants. Alongside the programme, an exhibition and tasting area brought together products from Italian wine associations as well as importers and distributors in Vietnam.
These activities placed the competition in a broader context, creating space for sommeliers, restaurants, hotels, importers, distributors, and other industry professionals to meet beyond the competitive stage.
VBSIW is also part of A Taste of Italian Wines, a project developed by ICHAM since 2022 to promote Italian wine culture in Vietnam through education, business networking, and market development. The competition itself was launched in 2025 with professional support from the Italian Association of Professional Sommeliers (ASPI) and the Vietnam Sommelier Association (VSA).
A new door opens for Vietnamese sommeliers
Two editions are not yet a long journey. But between 2025 and 2026, VBSIW has already started to move beyond being a competition to find the person who knows Italian wine best.
Training, competition, professional networking, and now a pathway to a regional stage are gradually coming together as part of a wider professional development journey.
This year, the person taking the next step is Nguyễn Hữu Phát.
Ahead of him are the Asia Best Sommelier in Italian Wines 2027 and a trip to Italy to continue learning about wine in the places where it is made.
Behind the VBSIW 2026 trophy, however, lies a broader story. Vietnamese sommeliers are gaining more opportunities to learn, test themselves, and take their profession beyond Vietnam’s borders.
And perhaps that is the part most worth watching after the competition itself has come to an end.
