The Wassersommelier Union e.V. (e.V. = eingetragener Verein / registered association) was founded on October 15 th, 2011 and was registered in the Munich Registrar of Associations on January 4th, 2012 (VR 204018).
The Wassersommelier Union e.V. (WSU) is a recognized Professional Association.
The Association’s objective is to promote the ideal and economic interests of the Water Sommeliers that result from their professional activity, and thus to promote the cultural beverage of natural mineral water and natural curative water.
The Association strives to advocate all of the interests of Water Sommeliers, including but not limited to vocational training and further education.
Members
All for one and one for all
All ordinary members of the Professional Association are Certified Water Sommeliers who have successfully completed a rigorous two-week training programme at Doemens Academy in Graefelfing, Germany. The aim of the Association is to promote all matters concerning water sommeliers and to provide ongoing professional development opportunities. Events are regularly held to exchange ideas, experiences and opportunities with other members. As an international Professional Association with members from more than 25 countries, WSU offers events and professional development seminars in both German and English. 
253
Full Members
45
Sustaining Members
6
Cooperation Partners
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee according to Art. 26 German Civil Code [Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch; BGB] and Art. 9 of the articles of association is currently composed of the following members:
Jens Bunzel
1st Chair
- Trained Marketing/Sales Specialist (VWA)
- Senior Manager for Product & Marketing, Bad Brambacher Mineralquellen and the Braustolz brand
- Full member of the Marketing Committee of the Association of German Mineral Springs (VDM)
- Water Sommelier (Doemens)
- private Qigong teacher (DQGG)
Jens loves wine, cheese and olives, is interested in beautiful things and describes himself as an optimist, bon vivant and hobby gardener.
His motto in life: „If the world were to end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today.“
Gerlinde Mock
2nd Chair
- Wine Academician
- Milk, Fruit Juice & Water Sommelière
- Diploma Sommelière for Beer, Tea, Cheese
- Chief Diploma Coffee Sommelier & Barista SCAE I
- Certified American Bartender & Expert for Cigars
- Trainer for Business Etiquette & Allergens
- Degree Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Nutrition Education
- Master of Arts (MA) in Health Promotion and Education
Gerlinde loves culinary art, traveling, further education & water tastings.
Her motto in life: „Live and let live.“
Dr. Peter Schropp
Managing Director
- Certified food chemist (TU Munich)
- Head of the „Seminars“ department at the Doemens Academy GmbH
- Initiator and head of the national and international Doemens Water Sommelier Training
- Initiator and head of the Doemens Fruit Juice Sommelier Training
- Juror of various international Mineral Water Awards
Peter is an enthusiastic road cyclist. And when he wants it quieter and more relaxed, he likes to roll out his VW Bulli T1.
His motto in life: „Smile and the world changes“.
Assessors of the Executive Committee
Bärbel Graf
- Studied political science
- Worked in organizational and communications roles
- Worked as an assistant at a law firm in Munich
- Water sommelier since 2025
Bärbel founded the company element aqua® in 2026 and offers water tastings, lectures, and consulting services on the topic of water.
Her motto in life: „Life is too short to follow just one path.“
Joachim Kuppert
- GEFAKO specialist for mineral water in sales, field and event service
- Supporting trainer for marketing and trade at the Doemens water sommelier course
- Water Sommelier since 2011, and Beer Sommelier since 2014 (Doemens)
- Founding member of the Water Sommelier Union in 2011
Joachim gives seminars on mineral water and beer for GEFAKO dealers and their employees.
His motto in life: „Don’t let it get you down“.
WSU-Representatives
Greater China Region – China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan
Our Mandarin-speaking members from the countries of China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are supported by WSU-Representatives, located in Taipei, Taiwan.
Yvonne Wu
Dr. Howard Hsia
Sustaining Members
A valuable membership opportunity!
The Water Sommelier Union offers companies and institutions that wish to support the work and goals of the WSU in an ideal and financial way the possibility to register as a sustaining member. More information can be found here.
We would hereby like to thank all of our sustaining members for their ongoing support!
Sustaining Members
A valuable membership opportunity!
The Water Sommelier Union offers companies and institutions that wish to support the work and goals of the WSU in an ideal and financial way the possibility to register as a sustaining member. More information can be found here.
We would hereby like to thank all of our sustaining members for their ongoing support!
Cooperation Partners
Together we can achieve more!
Would you like to partner with the Wassersommelier Union e.V. and enter into particularly profitable forms of cooperation? Then we look forward to hearing from you! Click here for the contact form.
We are already working with a cohort of committed partners who share our goals and values:
Articles of the Association
The Associations’s objectives
The association strives to advocate all of the interests of water sommeliers, including but not limited to vocational training and further education. Events will be organised for the exchange of experiences and ideas with other members. In addition to opportunities for further education, the regular meetings shall particularly provide for the possibility to actively exchange interests among the groups.
The Articles of Association of the Wassersommelier Union e.V. were established on Oct. 15, 2011, amended in the general meeting of Oct. 20, 2012 and in the aforementioned version revised in the general meeting of Sep. 22, 2018.