Piero Sattanino, who graduated Best Sommelier in the World in 1971, takes his first steps in his parents’ tavern in the outskirts of Turin. He attended the Hotel School in Turin which allowed him to undertake his first internships abroad until 1966 when he embarked on the Michelangelo, Genoa – New York route, as a first-class waiter. Returning from this experience, in 1969, Piero participated in his first International Sommelier Competition, ranking second but, on the second attempt, success is not lacking. In Milan, in 1971, he won the world title. In 1973, together with a friendly chef, he opened the Tastevin in Turin, the first restaurant where wine by the glass is served, to the amazement of the guests. Piero Sattanino is the first to let his customers try the best food-wine pairing by serving up to 5 wines during a meal, thanks to the novelty of the wine by the glass. While Piero’s career is in full development, the parents buy the Hotel Parigi in Bordighera which still today, together with the La Reserve restaurant (Bordighera), is owned by Piero Sattanino and his two sons, Davide and Mario.
To Piero Sattanino, who dedicated his life to the profession of sommelier and then hotelier, we could only ask what it means to take the path to become a sommelier to then reach the top of the world as a champion.
“The roads of the sommellerie are open to all those who, men and women, have humility, passion, the will to know, to face the great journey made of courses, tastings, masters, visits to the cellar, tests and exams, which leads to create, with time and sacrifice, that broad and structured knowledge base that is the basis of the preparation of a sommelier. All those who decide to undertake this experience to make it a work and life choice, therefore making what is a passion a real job, are represented in Italy by the Associazione Sommellerie Professionale Italiana which currently sees me covering the role of Vice President.
In these few lines I wish to express all my pride for belonging to a reality that recognizes professional respect and due respect and makes it its founding principle. The sommelier, the true Sommelier, is the one who takes care of the management and service of wines and drinks within a restaurant business on a daily basis and who therefore has full knowledge of his sector. The fact of being part of an association that supports and promotes professionalism means, consequently, being able to enter the international context, thanks to A.S.I, and being able to participate in events and competitions that allow you to keep up to date. That of the sommelier is, today more than ever, a profession in great demand, especially abroad, and which, today as then, is able to give enormous satisfactions to those who decide to make it their own way. “