Glass Act: Shiva pours to win
He may be just 25 years old, but Indian sommelier Shiva Chaurasiya’s ambition to be the best propelled him early into the sommelier competition game. After winning at the Best Sommelier India 2025, he has his eye on loftier targets
Shiva Chaurasiya is no stranger to competition pressure. The 25-year-old sommelier with the fine wine club 67 Pall Mall Singapore had begun participating early in the competition game. Earlier this year, he placed in the top five in the inaugural Best Sommelier of India competition of the Sommeliers Association of India (SAI), part of the noted international sommelier body, Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI). I had spoken to him then, and was impressed at the grit and zeal displayed by the young somm, who comes from a vegetarian, teetotalling background in India. This time, he succeeded at the Best Sommelier India 2025 competition held annually by the Indian School of Beverages (ISB) and the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), with a judging panel comprising the world’s top Master Sommeliers. His hard work, juggling a full-time job with study, has finally paid off.
His first attempt at ISB’s Best Sommelier India competition was last year, but that was a last-minute entry with no time to practice or prepare, he says. “My preparation time before the competition was short,” he recalls, “I could only practice decanting once, so I had decided to go and just try my best, put myself out there and learn from the outcome. We got 8 minutes to mix a Negroni and decant a wine, and I could not finish in time. When I asked Ronan (Sayburn MS) what I need to work on most after the competition, he told me I must learn to manage my speed.”
Shiva went back and reviewed every mistake he made, focusing on the aspects of his performance that needed more work. At the SAI Best Sommelier of India 2025 competition in January this year, when he did not make it to the final three, he admitted to being disappointed and was determined to improve on his performance. So, in September this year, under the eagle eye of a judging panel filled with Master Sommeliers, he tried once again at the ISB’s Best Sommelier India 2025.
This time, he was better prepared and won. Much of the credit for this victory, he gives to his colleagues at 67 Pall Mall, who worked with him and advised him well. Work on your own wine pairing menu, they told him. If the wine mentioned in the competition changes, you can adapt quickly. “This year I also practiced cocktail making, unlike last time,” he says, “Being a sommelier, that was not my primary area of expertise. So, I practiced making classic cocktails, and luckily, I was given one to make that I was familiar with – the Old Fashioned.” As far as wines are concerned, he acknowledges that he is fortunate to work at an establishment like 67 Pall Mall with its formidable list of wines. “We see and work with so many labels, from Egon Mueller to Château Lafite. The resources that 67 Pall Mall has are huge. You get exposure to people and a work environment where you often must work calmly under pressure. This plays an important role in building your confidence. You don’t need to struggle to find wines to study and taste, plus you get to learn from top experts. Maybe not all my competitors had this advantage.” There is no doubt, hearing him speak after a gap of several months, I found that he was already more confident, more articulate, and focused.
After the SAI Best Sommelier of India 2025 competition in January, he had spoken to me of his next target – to pass his Advanced Sommelier exam from the CMS. Is that still on? “Very much so,” he replies, “It is my main goal. But it is part of the bigger picture. I am still working and closer to the date, I will adjust my schedule and step up the pace.” His countdown app tells him how many days he has left before the next big competition – when we spoke, it was 148 days to go – and Shiva is ensuring that he makes every day count.
For someone who has found himself on the national stage at a very young age, what tips would he have for other youngsters trying their hand at becoming sommeliers or joining the wine industry? “I was present during the CMS Introductory and Certified Sommelier exams in September this year, before the Best Sommelier India competition. It felt great seeing such young talent putting themselves out there. I told them what I always tell myself – you either win or you learn: there is no winning or losing. I didn’t win last time, but I learned. I also told them, don’t get disheartened if you fail. You may not realise it, but you are already in a better place despite not making it through. You know now what you need to work on, and this will give you an edge next time.”
India is a difficult market for sommeliers, Shiva agrees, “In many places, alcohol is still considered taboo. We are trying to change that scenario, and I am happy to have the chance to do that. Like my friend Michelle told me, becoming a sommelier is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. And it is much harder for us in India than it is for those outside the country. Here, we are dreaming of something unique.”
For Shiva, Jai Singh, Pankaj Singh, and many other sommeliers before them are already role models for him. “It is like what my favourite chef Vikas Khanna said, ‘Difficult times are what make diamonds shine.’”
A school for somms
The Indian School of Beverages (ISB), incubator of the Best Sommelier India competition, was founded 10 years ago by sommelier Viraj Sawant and has seen rapid growth since. Exclusive partner in India for the Court of Master Sommelier (CMS) Europe, it has educated over 500 sommeliers for CMS and 400 students for different levels of WSET to date, says Sawant. “When we started ISB, we would get 20-25 students for the level 2 CMS course; students were intimidated by the exams. As time passed and engagement increased, more people enrolled and passed the course. Now we can say that every fine dining restaurant or hotel has a student who has passed an exam from ISB. We have nearly doubled the number of students per course since we started 10 years ago.” He ratifies Shiva’s opinion about 67 Pall Mall: “Shiva passed his introductory and certified course with us two years ago. He was young, enthusiastic, and eager to learn. We recommended him to one of the finest workplaces for wine, 67 Pall Mall Singapore. This gave him the exposure and groomed him into a fine sommelier. Combined with his hard work and passion, it has made him stand out in the competition.”
So now that the 2025 competition is over, what next steps do you advise for the winners of the Best Sommelier India? I asked.
“First of all, the winners must enjoy their travel gifts and their wines!” Sawant replies, “But seriously, competitions such as these give sommeliers a platform to perform, to gain confidence, to go and compete on a global stage. That’s the reason we invite judges like Master Sommeliers onto the judging panel. The tasks our competitors get are similar to those in global competitions. All of this pushes the candidate to his or her limit in terms of performance.”
