Becoming a master sommelier requires completing four levels of training, including an advanced course and exam with a written test, blind tasting, and service exam. Only 142 people have passed the Master’s Examination in the past 33 years.
A master sommelier is a person who has gone through four levels of training to obtain an MS degree. This diploma is awarded to select candidates by the Sommelier Tribunal, which was established in 1977. This group of master sommeliers conducts training programs and holds exams for those wishing to become sommeliers at any level.
Before becoming a master sommelier, candidates must first take an introductory course followed by a basic exam. This course is offered throughout North America and Europe. The introductory course covers all aspects of a sommelier’s duties including viticulture, viniculture and various production methods.
Once the introductory course has been successfully completed, students must pass a certification level, which covers all materials studied during the introductory course plus additional in-depth material related to winemaking and winemaking. Nearly sixty-five percent of all students applying for certification pass the exam. Those who complete the certification exam can then progress to the advanced stage.
As with the introductory exam and certification exam, the advanced course and exam delve further into the wine process. The advanced course is fast-paced and designed for those who thoroughly understand the intricacies of wine. To pass the advanced course, you must complete a two-day exam that comprises three parts.
The first part of the advanced exam consists of a written test. The second part consists of a blind tasting judged by a master sommelier and the third part consists of a service exam which is judged by a panel of master sommeliers. In order to complete the last part of the exam, students must pour wine, suggest wine and food pairings, and discuss six wines in under twenty-five minutes. Only twenty-five percent of people who reach the advanced course stage pass this exam.
Those who have completed the advanced stage do not necessarily become master sommeliers. A lead sommelier candidate must be invited by the Sommelier Tribunal to participate in an oral examination. This exam takes place in front of a jury and consists of complex questions relating to wine regions and wine production. Applicants who fail part of this exam may retake the exam within a three-year period. Since the Master’s Examination was devised nearly thirty-three years ago, only one hundred and forty-two people have passed this exam. Therefore, the term master sommelier is a well-deserved title.
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