(Decanter) - Arvid Rosengren emerged from a field of 15 semi-finalists to claim the top prize at the best sommelier in the world competition in Mendoza, Argentina, at 1am local time on Wednesday 20 April.

‘It’s a dream’

 ‘I’m in a dream state,’ the 31-year-old sommelier said after being announced the winner in the black tie event.

Sommelier at a trendy New York restaurant for the last two years, Rosengren breaks the mould of the previous winning sommeliers. ‘At work I wear a buttoned-down shirt and sneakers, we play loud hip hop and drink old wine.’

Six years of preparation

Most competitors have been preparing for at least six years for the tournament, which takes place every three years.

Sleepless nights, thousands of pounds invested in rare bottles, and zero social life are common elements of preparation. Japanese candidate Hiroshi Ishida spent last month living away from his wife and three children, for his final purgatory of preparation.

This year’s competition saw a record 61 candidates enter, and it cost the Argentine Sommelier Association £0.5m to host.