‘It’s a big responsibility’: Maria Boumpa on representing UK at ASI Best Sommelier 2026

db caught up with Maria Boumpa, wine director at two-Michelin-starred Da Terra in Bethnal Green, to talk about overcoming stage nerves, the evolution of the sommelier role in London, and her rapid rise to represent the UK at the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2026 – just two years after entering her first competition.

Yesterday, Boumpa was announced as the UK representative at the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2026 competition, which will take place in Lisbon next October.

Boumpa, who is currently IWSC UK sommelier of the year, was chosen at a selection event at Trivet Restaurant, London Bridge, on Monday 15 September, where she excelled across written, oral and practical tests, designed by the UK Sommelier Association’s (UKSA) head of technical committee, Romain Bourger.

“It was a mini competition, but quite fast-paced and difficult, “ said Boumpa. She found out she’d been picked just an hour after the event finished.

“I was a bit shocked,” she said. “I wanted to compete to see where I stand, but now, the stage is bigger. It’s a big responsibility.” Boumpa, who passed the Advanced Court of Master Sommeliers exam in 2024, will be supported by UKSA in preparing for the big day. 

UK Sommelier of the Year win

In July, she was crowned UK Sommelier of the Year 2025, after beating Dion Wai and Joanna Nerantzi in the final round, having competed for the first time in the competition a year before. “I didn’t do anything crazy different,” she said, “of course, I kept going to blind tastings and improving in that sense, but I tried to be more mentally prepared as I had an idea of what to expect.”

Having worked in two-Michelin starred restaurant Da Terra for five years, Boumpa found the practical tasks pretty easy. “I’m on the floor all the time – it’s something I do daily,” she added. 

The first time Boumpa, who’s currently completing the WSET Diploma, competed in a competition, was 2024. At the time she was nervous on stage, but looking forward, she’s “super excited” for the ASI Best Sommelier of the World event. “It’s a sign that if you work hard for something, you can achieve it,” she added.

Earlier this year, db visited Boumpa’s stomping ground, Da Terra, and found the somm to “curate wine with the precision of an architect”, with a “daring and precise” wine list that sheds light on more than 20 Champagne producers.

Da Terra’s ‘playful’ wine list

The somm feels like she’s grown with the east London eatery, which has only been operating for six years. “Our wine list doesn’t have a specific focus, because we attract many international guests,” she said. “We try to keep it interesting, relevant and different.”

Boumpa, who’s from a mountainous village in northern Greece, is always excited to showcase Greek wines. Other than that, she’s open-minded: “I like to try different things – I don’t want to get stuck in a specific region or producer. We try to keep it very playful.”

While her career has included stints in Mykonos, it was during an internship in a one-star Michelin restaurant in Denmark that Boumpa’s developed an interest in wine: “There were lots of different wine pairings, and I found myself in a situation where I didn’t know a lot about wine, so I thought the next logical step for me to grow in the industry would be to learn more.”

And she has high praise for the London wine scene: “Everything’s available, and it’s a good place to be if you want to grow.” Nonetheless, she sees the capital’s hospitality sector is in a challenging spot. “It’s very interesting to still be part of a restaurant, to still be able to tell these stories to people, and support all these wine regions, showcasing what winemakers are doing,” she said. 

The evolving role of the sommelier

As the restaurant scene evolves, Boumpa predicts the role of the sommelier will evolve with it. “The role will remain in restaurants as you need someone who has knowledge of wine. But it will probably involve other aspects, like front of house and bar, as well,” she explained. “A sommelier will have to be more ‘all around’ in a way, which makes sense, because you need to understand food to make a good wine recommendation.

“Especially, more senior positions, like head sommelier and restaurant manager, will become two titles in one. That’s the standard in many other countries – everyone who works on the floor is technically a sommelier, as everyone needs to be able to recommend a wine.”

But she doesn’t want to put off young somms, and shared advice for those entering the industry: “One important thing is getting a good work environment that gives you the opportunity to try all the different styles of wines out there.

Knowledge is power

“But formal education is also very important, like CMS, ASI or WSET courses. That’s how you build a base and that helps you understand the wine world and where you want to go with that.

“And find mentors, and people who can help guide you. The sommelier community, especially in the UK, is quite big, and you can always find somebody who’s willing to support you.”

UKSA is particularly proud that the UK will be represented by a female sommelier in October’s competition, with Maria standing out among the remarkable group of women who were half of the Top 10 in this year’s IWSC UK Sommelier of the Year.

“We are thrilled to support Maria on this journey,” said UKSA President, Nicolas Clerc MS. “She is an outstanding ambassador for the UK.”

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