The Association is aimed at unification of regional wineries, retail and wholesale wine companies, wine and restaurant specialists, foreign partners and specialized educational institutions of South of Russia.

The Association was created in 2009.

Objectives of East European Sommeliers and Experts Association:

The main goal of the Association’s activity is coordination of actions and consolidation of efforts aimed at establishment and rise of alcohol consumption culture in the region, development of viticulture and wine-making in Southern Federal District, as well as bringing the Rostov region to the leading position as a consolidator of all the alcohol market operators in South of Russia, and also:

• diffusion of knowledge in sphere of wine culture in South of Russia;
  
• promotion of high-quality alcohol products from regional and foreign producers;
  
• organization of annual specialized show for alcohol market operators’ products in Rostov on Don on regular basis and hosting of thematic conferences with participation of Russian and international partners;
  
• creation of a specific institution allowing to evaluate the quality of alcoholic beverages imported on the regions’ territory and entitled to issue official expert opinions about the condition of examined products;
  
• rise of social importance and prestige of wine-related jobs on state level;
  
• development of the regional draft law «On grape and wine» aimed at increase of quality and prestige of regional producer’s wines and contribution to its adoption by legislative authorities of Rostov region;
  
• classification of lands suitable for viticulture;
  
• creation of a unified vineyards register.

Mission of East European Sommeliers and Experts Association:

• uniting people with common professional interests and unanimity of views;
  
• contribution to public image improvement of high-quality alcoholic beverages from regional producers;
  
• organization of specialized events for promotion of local producers’ wines through organizing regular shows of winemaking industry achievements of South of Russia in Rostov on Don;
  
• complete coverage of Association’s and its partners’ activity in mass-media, creation of professional-level media for information diffusion in sphere of wine culture;
  
• favoring creation of appropriate conditions for professional activity, assurance of high social, economic and legal status of Association’s members;
  
• registration of sommelier’s occupation and its inclusion in professional occupations register regulated by the Law in vigor;
  
• cooperation with foreign and international public organizations, unions and associations, as well as with leading foreign alcohol producers and mutual working experience exchange.

Principles of Association’s activity:

• supporting goods production as well as grapes and wines turnover;
  
• protection of rights and legal interests of activity participants in field of goods production and grapes and wines turnover;
  
• creation of conditions ensuring the production of high-quality competitive winemaking products,
  
• public health protection, protection of consumer’s rights against counterfeit winemaking products;
  
• equality of rights of actors in sphere of goods production and grapes and wines turnover;
  
• elaboration of unified requirements for grapes and wines production and turnover throughout the Russian Federation;
  
• transparency in adoption and implementation of state regulatory measures in sphere of goods production and grapes and wines turnover;
  
• implementation of unified system of state accounting and control of grapes and wines production and turnover;
  
• implementation of methods of state regulation in sphere of grapes and wines production and turnover throughout the Russian Federation.
  
• self-sufficiency and possibility of protection of Association’s members’ rights on various levels;
  
• active formation of wine consumption culture in the region;
  
• international acknowledgement of Russia as a winemaking country;
  
• formation of a stable positive image of wine-related jobs;
  
• maximal openness and multi-layer public relations;
  
• close cooperation with international organizations in this field.