Here Are China’s Top 10 Sommeliers

Li Xiaolong

Early in September, Li Xiaolong took the crown of the 2024 China’s Best Sommelier Competition of French Wine. By the end of 2023, Li was recognized by the 2024 Michelin Guide Beijing as the Michelin Sommelier Award winner. 

In June 2024, he founded his own sommelier studio XIAOLI Wine & Service (晓礼·侍酒工作室) in Beijing, providing sommelier services to restaurants and banquets, as well as offering wine training and consultancy services.  

This endeavour emerged at a challenging time when the wine industry was still grappling with the lingering effects of the pandemic and subdued consumer sentiment. Speaking of the challenges, he said: “I strive to maintain personal growth. I often engage with industry veterans and peers to stay informed about the latest market dynamics, including consumer purchasing power and preferences. By gathering this information, I can make informed judgments”

Prior to starting his own studio, Li was the sommelier director of DrinkArts Studio founded by Li Meiyu, China’s first female advanced sommelier. Inspired by his wife who worked for the wine industry, Li’s journey as a sommelier started in 2019, when he returned to China after obtaining a postgraduate degree in hospitality management from the University of Houston and earning some experience in the hospitality business. 

For Li, time management is the key to balance personal development with late-night working schedule. “I need to utilise my fragmented time and day-offs to learn wine knowledge,” Li said. He always keeps himself in tone with the latest local and international market trends, both from the customer side and the vineyards. 

Li has observed that restaurants are becoming more conservative in their decisions regarding the scale and pricing of wine lists, as well as inventory management, largely due to the current economic climate. 

As a consultant, he believes that maintaining open communication with restaurants is essential. He noted, “Restaurants are tending to be more cautious about the size of their wine lists and inventory, which is influenced by the economic environment. As a consultant, it’s vital to understand their concerns while fostering positive discussions to develop strategies that minimize inventory pressure while still introducing exciting new wines to customers.”