AIS sommelier and Best Sommelier of Italy 2021 (Italian Sommelier Association – Trentodoc Award), Stefano Berzi combines solid training with a strong teaching vocation. Between dining-room service, competitions and communication, he approaches wine as a cross-disciplinary language, extending to beer and spirits.
Born in Bergamo in 1992, Stefano Berzi grew up immersed in hospitality: his father is a sommelier and his mother a cook, and the family osteria became his first school, shaping an early understanding of service and guest relations. After graduating from hotel school, in 2010 he broadened his outlook with a two-month course at the Wessex Academy School of English in Poole, UK, strengthening language skills and an international mindset.
In 2012 he qualified as a professional AIS sommelier. Within the Italian Sommelier Association he later became an official taster and lecturer, leading classes not only on wine but also on beer and spirits, approached with the same analytical rigor. His education continued at ALMA – the International School of Italian Cuisine founded by Gualtiero Marchesi – where he completed the Master’s program in “Wine Management and Communication,” consolidating managerial and communication skills related to the wine world.
Alongside this, Berzi pursued the WSET pathway, achieving Level 3 and continuing as a Diploma (Level 4) student, confirming a structured and internationally oriented approach to wine knowledge. Competitive activity soon accompanied his studies. In 2019 he placed third in the AIS Best Sommelier of Italy competition and second in Best Sommelier of Lombardy, results that strengthened his national profile. The same year he won the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, a competition promoted by the Champagne Maison Ruinart, highlighting his tasting and communication abilities.
A major milestone came in 2021 with his victory in the AIS Best Sommelier of Italy competition – Trentodoc Award, a recognition instituted by the Italian Sommelier Association in collaboration with the Trentodoc Consortium. This achievement encapsulates years of study, dining-room experience and competitive commitment.
Alongside his work in education and communication, Stefano Berzi currently manages Hosteria del Vapore in Carobbio degli Angeli (Bergamo), where he puts into practice a vision of service rooted in competence, attentiveness and coherence. His professional trajectory outlines a form of sommellerie that integrates technical knowledge and human connection, delivering a thoughtful service attuned to an increasingly informed and curious audience.
