The Best Sommelier of the Great Steppe
The Great Steppe — is a competition founded on the international educational and cultural platform CAWU (Central Asian Wine University), bringing together sommeliers, wine experts, winemakers, and gastronomy professionals from the region and neighboring countries.
This is not just a competition — it is a space where knowledge, respect,
and progress are born.
Mission of the Project:
To develop the sommelier profession and beverage culture in the Great Steppe region by connecting East and West, the local and the global, tradition and modernity.
This is not just a competition — it is a space where knowledge, respect,
and progress are born.
Mission of the Project:
To develop the sommelier profession and beverage culture in the Great Steppe region by connecting East and West, the local and the global, tradition and modernity.
“WE BELIEVE THAT THE STEPPE IS NOT A BORDER, BUT A SPACE WHERE CULTURES MEET.”
History and Context (2019)
The Great Steppe was created as a continuation of the long-standing educational and cultural work of the IWINE School, which has been promoting wine culture in Kazakhstan and Central Asia since 2017.
The initial idea for the competition emerged in 2019 as a response to the need to:
provide young professionals in the region with strong motivation and an international perspective
The initial idea for the competition emerged in 2019 as a response to the need to:
provide young professionals in the region with strong motivation and an international perspective
Main goals:
- To create an international competition that meets global standards of judging and education.
- Strengthen professional ties between Central Asian countries and their neighbors.
- To build a sustainable educational ecosystem through the CAWU platform.
- Make Central Asia a Recognizable and Respected Wine Region on the Global Map.
- Promote the exchange of knowledge and elevate the standards of wine service, communication, and gastronomy.
WHAT DOES THE PROJECT INCLUDE?
The Great Steppe is more than just a competition. It’s a journey where knowledge becomes culture
and the profession becomes part of the region’s identity.
and the profession becomes part of the region’s identity.
- -1-Sommelier competition
Top industry professionals compete for the title of “The Best Sommelier of the Great Steppe.”
The competition stages were held in key cities of Central Asia:
Tashkent, Baku, Ulaanbaatar, Bishkek, and Astana.
- -2-Wine Salon
As part of the “The Best Sommelier of Great Steppe” competition, this project serves as a unique platform where guests and participants can discover a wide selection of wines and complementary wine industry products.
- -3-Boot camp
Each city hosts a Bootcamp followed by a qualification exam — ensuring thorough preparation of participants and fostering a fair, competitive environment in the race for first place.
STRUCTURE OF THE COMPETITION:
Preliminary Round:
Participants undergo a theoretical test and a blind tasting — assessing their knowledge, analytical skills, and understanding of the region’s wine culture.
Semifinal:
Practical tasks on service, sales, and food pairings. Only the best move forward.
Final round:
An open performance in front of an audience — a true test of knowledge, palate, and sommelier craftsmanship.
Wine Salon:
A unique platform where guests and participants can explore a wide assortment of wines and related products from adjacent industries.
Wine Salon
THE MAIN MEDIA MOMENT
OF EACH STAGE
THE MAIN MEDIA MOMENT
OF EACH STAGE
WINE SALON is promoted as a standalone cultural event, open to a wide audience. It brings together professionals, wine lovers, and partners — with a layout that reflects the very philosophy of the competition:
— GLOBAL WINES ZONE — international brands and wines from around the world
— CENTRAL ASIA ZONE — local producers, national beverages, and regional gastronom
— PARTNER FOCUS ZONE — the general partner of the season and their featured brands
This is more than just a tasting space — it is an educational and cultural map of the region.
— GLOBAL WINES ZONE — international brands and wines from around the world
— CENTRAL ASIA ZONE — local producers, national beverages, and regional gastronom
— PARTNER FOCUS ZONE — the general partner of the season and their featured brands
This is more than just a tasting space — it is an educational and cultural map of the region.
| BOOT CAMP Starting in 2026, we are expanding the educational component of the competition: the theoretical module will take place online — allowing participants to watch recordings, study at their own pace, and prepare for the competition in advance. OFFLINE STAGE IS DEDICATED TO PRACTICE: • service and blind tasting, • working with experts and exploring different approaches to wine description, • partner-led seminars covering key industry topics — from wine styles to brand philosophy. |
CAWU: A New Level of Partner Presence
As part of the BOOTCAMP preparation for the international competition “The Best Sommelier of the Great Steppe,” the CAWU platform offers participants a unique educational opportunity — access to online seminars by leading global wine brands.
These online sessions are more than just lectures.
They are part of a broader strategy to build a new generation of the wine community — knowledgeable, engaged, and loyal.
Become a partner These online sessions are more than just lectures.
They are part of a broader strategy to build a new generation of the wine community — knowledgeable, engaged, and loyal.
The CAWU platform offers flexible opportunities
for delivering partner-led online sessions:
for delivering partner-led online sessions:
An online seminar can be pre-recorded by the brand itself in accordance with the technical requirements of the CAWU educational platform
(format, duration, presentation structure, branded visual materials, etc.).
Upon the partner’s request, the seminar recording can be prepared by the CAWU teaching team — featuring such experts as Artem Lebedev, Ilya Sakharov, Valentina Kirichkova, Igor Baranov, and other tutors and leading sommeliers of the region.
Thus, the brand can choose the most convenient format — from self-produced recordings to expert-level production involving instructors already familiar to the platform’s audience.
(format, duration, presentation structure, branded visual materials, etc.).
Upon the partner’s request, the seminar recording can be prepared by the CAWU teaching team — featuring such experts as Artem Lebedev, Ilya Sakharov, Valentina Kirichkova, Igor Baranov, and other tutors and leading sommeliers of the region.
Thus, the brand can choose the most convenient format — from self-produced recordings to expert-level production involving instructors already familiar to the platform’s audience.
Competition Schedule
2026
April , 2026
April , 2026
Astana, Kazakhstan
May, 2026
May, 2026
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
June, 2026
June, 2026
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
July/August, 2026
July/August, 2026
Belgrade, Serbia
October, 2026
October, 2026
Baku, Azerbaijan
November, 2026
November, 2026
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Register for The Great Steppe
You can register either as a competition partner or as a participant in one of the qualifying stages.
