Women who have fought their way to the top of the male-dominated wine sommelier world say their profession is becoming less sexist and more open -- even if men continue to win all the prizes.

Now an established figure as resident wine advisor at Chambers restaurant in New York, Pascaline Lepeltier told AFP that when she first started out "a certain male clientele of a certain age didn't trust me" -- or would ask to see the real sommelier.

Argentina's Paz Levinson, who is in charge of wine at renowned French chef Anne-Sophie Pic's eateries, said she faced similar experiences in France.

"When I arrived in France, there were clients who tended to prefer a male sommelier, and a French one," the 47-year-old explained.

But now, more than 20 years into their professional careers, both women s

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