2012 Best Sommelier of Asia-Oceania : Franck Moreau won for Australia

Contest Korea

2012 Best Sommelier of Asia-Oceania

Franck Moreau won for Australia

His name was announced on May 9th in Deajeon, South Korea, the city hosting the 2nd Contest of the Association
de la Sommellerie Internationale organized for this part of the world, after a very tough series of final tests.


Shinya Tasaki, Franck Moreau, Ben Edwards, président de Sommeliers Australia, et leMaire de Daejeon, Yum Hong-Chul.

Franck Moreau is following Satoru Mori’s path, the Japanese sommelier of La Tour d’Argent in Tokyo who had won this first ever competition in Osaka, Japan, in 2009.
Japan did once again a very good job thanks to the two candidates from Tokyo Nobuhide Tani, La Tour d’Argent, and Yoichi Sato, Maxivin, respectively 2nd and 3rd.
Apart from the three finalists, we need to salute the performance of the Chinese candidate,Ka Lun Terence Wong, 4th, and of the two young Korean,Ju Wang Kim, 5th, and Lee Yong Moon, 6th of the semi-final.
Nineteen sommeliers, including a young lady, from ten different Asia-Oceania countries were fighting for the 2012 title. Each country is allowed to send one or maximum two representatives duly selected by their National association.
A big thank you to KISA, the Korean association of sommeliers, official member of A.S.I., and its president, Jayoun Ko, who had hosted this important event and took in charge all the logistics. Let us point out the great flexibility and extreme kindness of the whole staff!


Les demi-finalistes sur scène.

A big thank you also to the city of Daejeon which greatly supported this contest. The lord mayor, Yum Hong-Chul, took part himself in the fantastic opening ceremony, then during the competition and the prize giving, offering a trophy to each of the finalists and a certificate to every candidate.
The partners of A.S.I., ARC International and Entaste, also presented prizes to the finalists. Moët & Chandon offered
the early evening cocktail, and Wines of Austria, a Wiener Gemischter Satz, Fritz Wieninge which matched perfectly with the appetizers. Of course, SanPellegrino & Acqua Panna as well as Nespresso supported the event during the three days in Daejeon.
The highly selective tests were prepared and set up by the Technical Committee of A.S.I. who supervised the panel of judges guided by Serge Dubs, 1989 Best Sommelier of the World. The president of honor was Shinya Tasaki, 1995 Best Sommelier of the World and president of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale.

Let us remind that the winner of the A.S.I. Contest of the 2012 Best Sommelier of Asia-Oceania is automatically selected to represent his country for the 2013 Contest of the Best Sommelier of the World, in Tokyo, next year at the end of March. His National association is free to select another candidate, giving Australia a double chance in the competition.
“Of course, the title of Best Sommelier of the World is a dream, but I am already very happy to have won this superb Asia-Oceania Contest, today. I have been working hard for years to achieve my goal, and now, after becoming Master Sommelier last year and with my first child’s birth seven months ago, I would like to breathe somehow and enjoy the family life! I am very lucky to have a fantastic wife who is always supporting me in my job and also in my projects… It is too good to be wasted!” Franck said with his A.S.I. gold medal around his neck, after the wonderful gala evening at the Convention Centre of Daejeon.

List of Candidates by country

Australie/ Australia :
- Franck Moreau, Merivale, Sidney
- Mark Protheroe, Grossi Group, Melbourne

Chine/ China :
- Sam Chong, Hôtel Nikko, Hong Kong
- Ka Lun Terence Wong, Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong

Indonésie / Indonesia :
- Hezron Febriando, Amuz Gourmet, Jakarta
- Pamor Budi Kurniawan, Hôtel Indonesia Kempinski, Jakarta

Japon / Japan :
- Nobuhide Tani, La Tour d’Argent, Tokyo
- Yoichi Sato, Maxivin, Tokyo

Corée du Sud/ South Korea :
- Ju Wan Kim, Bar Plus Wine Code, Séoul
- Lee Yong Moon, Lotte Hotel, Séoul

Malaisie / Malaysia :
- Liew Chien Hearn Edmund,
- Rajeshwaran Raja Gopal, db Bistro Moderne, Singapour

Nouvelle-Zélande / New Zealand :
- Joe Wang, The Northern Club, Auckland

Singapour / Singapore :
- Kok Hoong Au, Marina Bay Sands, Singapour
- Weuie Alvin Gho, Jean-Georges, Shangaï, Chine

Taïwan / Taiwan :
- Meng-Yi (Xavier) Tzeng, Le Moût French Restaurant, Taiwan
- Hsin-Wei (Thomas) Ho, Le Moût French Restaurant, Taiwan

Thaïlande/ Thailand :
- Mademoiselle Krongtong Namtiwon, Anantara Lawana Koh, Samui
- Peetiwat Manapim, Anantara Kihavah Villas, Maldive