Wine provides sommeliers a great gateway to develop a deep understanding of their senses. Today my approach when exploring drinks has no limitations. I am passionate about discovering and sharing my learnings.
Wine provides sommeliers a great gateway to develop a deep understanding of their senses. Today my approach when exploring drinks has no limitations. I am passionate about discovering and sharing my learnings.
about
My journey began in Bariloche, Argentina, where I was born. Eighteen years later, I moved to Buenos Aires to enroll in a Literature Teacher Training degree. I worked at high-end restaurant Restó, initially as a means to support myself, but I became so enthralled by the universe of gourmet food, that I decided to take on, in parallel, the study of sommelierie at the Centro Argentino de Vinos y Espirituosas (CAVE), the country’s best wine school. At Restó, I grew a deep love for wait-service and for wine and, after graduating from CAVE in 2006, I stayed on for five more years, teaching, which is another great passion of mine.
As of 2010, I earned a string of prizes and awards: 2010 and 2014 A.A.S. Best Sommelier of Argentina, 2015 A.S.I. & A.P.A.S. Best Sommelier of the Americas, and fourth place in the 2016 A.S.I. Best Sommelier of the World competition, among others. These achievements distinguished me and, most significantly, refined my practice as a sommelier. In addition, I become the first Argentine to obtain the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Certificate.
Concurrently, I furthered my training under Rajat Parr in the U.S., under Gérard Basset in England; under Rubén Sanz Ramiro in Sweden and under Véronique Rivest in Canada.
In 2013, driven by my thirst for knowledge and my eagerness to challenge myself, I spent a semester in Shanghai, China, learning about tea and Chinese culture. I am captivated by the vast world of beverages, over and above my focus on wine.
The same desire to explore led me to move to Paris after my travels East, forgoing the opportunity to return to Argentina, where I had a burgeoning career. Henceforth, I held sommelier positions at Épicure, Hotel Le Bristol’s three-star restaurant with chef Marco Pelletier, and at Virtus (one-star), with Chiho Kanzaki and Marcelo Di Giacomo. At present, I am Head Executive Sommelier for the Groupe PIC of celebrated chef Anne-Sophie Pic, with restaurants in France, Switzerland and the UK (one, two and three stars). My purpose is to open the door for our customers to the wondrous world of beverages, making each meal a journey, and each pairing, a narrative of discovery.
In addition, I serve as Regional Chair for Argentina for the Decanter World Wine Awards. From this position, I contribute to communicating Argentine wine to international markets and to promoting quality, dedication and integrity in every level and aspect of our field.
about
My journey began in Bariloche, Argentina, where I was born. Eighteen years later, I moved to Buenos Aires to enroll in a Literature Teacher Training degree. I worked at high-end restaurant Restó, initially as a means to support myself, but I became so enthralled by the universe of gourmet food, that I decided to take on, in parallel, the study of sommelierie at the Centro Argentino de Vinos y Espirituosas (CAVE), the country’s best wine school. At Restó, I grew a deep love for wait-service and for wine and, after graduating from CAVE in 2006, I stayed on for five more years, teaching, which is another great passion of mine.
As of 2010, I earned a string of prizes and awards: 2010 and 2014 A.A.S. Best Sommelier of Argentina, 2015 A.S.I. & A.P.A.S. Best Sommelier of the Americas, and fourth place in the 2016 A.S.I. Best Sommelier of the World competition, among others. These achievements distinguished me and, most significantly, refined my practice as a sommelier. In addition, I become the first Argentine to obtain the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Certificate.
Concurrently, I furthered my training under Rajat Parr in the U.S., under Gérard Basset in England; under Rubén Sanz Ramiro in Sweden and under Véronique Rivest in Canada.
In 2013, driven by my thirst for knowledge and my eagerness to challenge myself, I spent a semester in Shanghai, China, learning about tea and Chinese culture. I am captivated by the vast world of beverages, over and above my focus on wine.
The same desire to explore led me to move to Paris after my travels East, forgoing the opportunity to return to Argentina, where I had a burgeoning career. Henceforth, I held sommelier positions at Épicure, Hotel Le Bristol’s three-star restaurant with chef Marco Pelletier, and at Virtus (one-star), with Chiho Kanzaki and Marcelo Di Giacomo. At present, I am Head Executive Sommelier for the Groupe PIC of celebrated chef Anne-Sophie Pic, with restaurants in France, Switzerland and the UK (one, two and three stars). My purpose is to open the door for our customers to the wondrous world of beverages, making each meal a journey, and each pairing, a narrative of discovery.
In addition, I serve as Regional Chair for Argentina for the Decanter World Wine Awards. From this position, I contribute to communicating Argentine wine to international markets and to promoting quality, dedication and integrity in every level and aspect of our field.
awards
awards
published
published
press
services
educator
writer
speaker
consultant
wine judge
Paz has an extensive trajectory as a wine judge and is valued for her extraordinary nose and palate, as well as for her subtlety, rigor and insightful descriptions in English, Spanish or French. The long hours of concentration required by wine tasting find their ideal partner in this zealous sommelier. She currently serves as Regional Chair for the Argentine panel of the Decanter World Wine Awards. In addition, she conducts tastings for competitions such as the IWSC, Wines of Portugal and Argentina Wine Awards, among others. Beyond wine, she performs tastings for Kuramaster, France’s most prestigious sake contest, of which she is vice-president, and regularly judges spirits (whisky, vodka, rum, mezcal, etc.) for Whisky Magazine France.
educator
writer
speaker
consultant
wine judge
Paz provides expert, dedicated and honest advice to a large clientele. In the dining sector: on restaurant openings, wine menus and waitstaff training in wine, beverage and integral service. In the wine industry: from sector suppliers, through wine estates, to blenders and bottlers of wine, spirits, tea, coffee, water and sake, relaying her unrivaled expertise in high-end restaurants and in-depth knowledge on many practices related to wines and beverages.
educator
writer
speaker
consultant
wine judge
Paz is a writing devotee. It comes as no surprise that she holds a degree in literature teaching as well as in sommelierie; her interdisciplinary approach is palpable in the analytical and critical style of her texts. She has published reviews, articles and reports in prestigious Argentine publications dedicated to wine, as well as in websites and lifestyle magazines, and has contributed chapters to specialized books. Abroad, she writes for Decanter, Wine & Spirits, GuildSomm and Whisky Magazine. Paz thrives from traveling to the world’s wine regions. She finds inspiration to research and write about pisco in Peru, sake in Japan, tea in China, and so on and so forth across the fascinating landscape of the world’s beverages.
educator
writer
speaker
consultant
wine judge
Paz is a seasoned speaker, used to communicating and lecturing on multiple topics, with expertise, eloquence and charm, in conferences, seminars and talks. She has hosted several editions of Premium Tasting and participated as a speaker at TexSom (USA), Must Fermenting Ideas (Portugal), Atlante Wine Forum (Spain), Star Wine List (Sweden), among other events.
educator
writer
speaker
consultant
wine judge
Paz teaches since 2007. Even before she chose the path of sommelierie, she fancied teaching, and her noted penchant for language and literature is palpable in her communication skills. Her teaching career began at CAVE, Argentina, lecturing on wine at every level; nowadays, when she travels to her native country, she gives masterclasses on topics such as: the diversity of Pinot noir, the universe of sake and classic wines of the world, among others. Furthermore, she teaches worldwide for Wines of Argentina, on all matters related to Argentine wine. She also teaches at sommelierie schools in France and collaborates with several European associations, communicating their wines, that is, researching, tasting and sharing her insights on appellations such as Saint Joseph (France) and Fully (Switzerland). Paz enjoys sharing knowledge as much as she enjoys sharing a drink!
services
contact
Consulting
Paz Levinson
paz@pazlevinson.com
Management
Picky Courtois
picky@studiocourtois.com
Booking
Flor Iñigo
flor@studiocourtois.com
contact
management
Picky Courtois
picky@studiocourtois.com
consulting
Paz Levinson
paz@pazlevinson.com
social media