Ep. 2338 Ratmir Akhmetov of Kazakhstan Wines & Spirits | Asia Wine Market: Almaty Special Edition

Welcome to Episode 2338 and the second episode of the new special series focusing on the Asian Wine Market. In today’s episode, Roza Zharmukhambetova IWA interviews Ratmir Akhmetov of Kazakhstan Wines & Spirits.  Key Learning Objectives: Explore how sommelier training and competitions are raising the bar for wine professionals in Kazakhstan. Learn about Kazakhstan Wines & Spirits and potential opportunities for Italian wineries. Get a glimpse into consumer trends in Kazakhstan through wine events and experiences. Asia Wine Market is a new podcast series from the Italian Wine Podcast that explores the fast-growing wine markets across Asia. Designed for wine professionals, importers, and producers, the series highlights regional trends, consumer behavior, and business opportunities for Italian wine exports. Through 10 exclusive episodes, this series offers insights from key industry players and builds up to the Vinitaly Kazakhstan Roadshow 2025 — a strategic event connecting Italian wineries with Central Asian wine importers, sommeliers, and distributors. Whether you're looking to enter the Kazakhstan wine market or expand your brand presence in Asia, this series is your starting point. To learn more about Kazakhstan market, listen to Stevie’s interview with Marco Alberti, the former Ambassador of Italy to Kazakhstan: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/Episodes/ep-2205-marco-alberti-ambassador-of-italy-to-kazakhstan-on-the-road-with-stevie-kim/  Today’s guest: Ratmir Akhmetov  Ratmir Akhmetov has been a driving force in elevating Kazakhstan’s sommelier standards through competition, education, and international engagement. With over a decade of experience, he has earned multiple national titles, including Best Sommelier of Kazakhstan in 2022, and is a gold medalist of the prestigious ASI Diploma. In his current role as Sommelier and Brand Activation Manager at Kazakhstan Wines and Spirits, Ratmir is responsible for staff training, portfolio development, and brand activation for some of the world’s most esteemed wine producers. This year, Ratmir will represent Kazakhstan on the international stage at the ASI Best Sommelier of Asia & Pacific competition in Kuala Lumpur. Connect: Website: https://kws.kz/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shudzor/  Today’s host: Roza Zharmukhambetova Roza Zharmukhambetova has a background in foreign languages and education. She discovered her passion for wine in Beijing, where she gained two years of experience in wine sales. Since returning to Kazakhstan, she has focused on studying Italian wine and exploring its regions.  Roza holds certifications as an Italian Wine Ambassador (VIA), Italian Wine Scholar (WSG), Langhe Wines Ambassador (BBA), and Valpolicella Wine Specialist (VEP). She is also a member of the Kazakhstan Sommelier Association. Since late last year, she has been a member of the Italian Wine Podcast (IWP) team, contributing her passion for Italian wine. Connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roza.zharmukhambetova Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/le_vin_enrose/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rozazharmukhambetova/ To learn more about Roza’s background and career path, listen to her interview for Italian Wine Podcast Next Generation hosted by McKenna Cassidy: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/Episodes/ep-2213-mckenna-cassidy-interviews-roza-zharmukhambetova-next-generation/  _______________________________ Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast  Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast  If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/  Until next time, Cin Cin!