How to Become a Master
Sommelier (3/16/01)
(updated with the 2006
Exam Schedule)
What is a sommelier, let alone a
Master Sommelier, and how do you become one? The
American Heritage Dictionary defines a sommelier
as "A wine steward in a restaurant.". A
steward is then defined as "A person who
manages another's property.". This does not
quite tell the whole story. The job of a
sommelier is to manage the wine selection,
purchasing, receiving, storage, sales and service
for a restaurant, club, hotel or other
institution. Although there is no legal
requirement in the U.S. to be certified for this
position, there is one internationally recognized
organization for certification. The Court of
Master Sommeliers was founded in London in 1977.
They conduct education and testing for restaurant
wine professionals. There are three
four levels of certification
within the organization: introductory (formerly
called certificate), advanced and MS Diploma
(Master). The exams are held annually in the
United Kingdom and North America.
The Introductory Course is a two
day educational seminar. It covers wine regions
of the world, viticulture (vineyard management),
viniculture (winemaking), appellation rules for
various countries and regions, production methods
for beers and spirits, cigars, food and wine
pairing, service and blind tasting technique (the
steps to evaluating and identifying wines by
appearance, smell and taste). At the end of the
seminar is a multiple choice exam for which a
score of 60% is required. I could not get an
exact historical average but I would estimate
that 90% of those taking this exam pass. This
course is very helpful to any restaurant wine
professional or manager and the Introductory exam
can be passed with just a little advanced
preparation.
As of 2005 there is a step
between Introductory and Advanced called
Certificate. See the Court of Master Sommeliers'
web site for more information on this exam. Thus
far approximately 65% of the people attempting
this new exam have passed, earning the title
Certified Sommelier.
The Advanced Course is a
significant step up from the Introductory. It
covers all of the same material but at a more
detailed level. The pace is also faster as it is
expected that you are prepared for the exam prior
to attending the seminar. The seminar is also one
day longer than the Introductory Course. For the
first time, candidates were required to apply to
be accepted for the exam in 2001.
The test is the real difference
though. It is a two day test in three sections.
The first section is theory. It is an 82 question
test with 20 multiple choice and 62 short answer
questions. One hour is allowed for completion.
The second section is blind
tasting. The candidate enters a room with a table
with six glasses of wine on it and two Master
Sommeliers sitting on the opposite side of the
table. They listen as you swirl, sniff, taste and
talk about each wine. You have 25 minutes total
to identify all six. These wines can be from
anywhere in the world, but they stick to classic
examples. Points are given for your analysis and
deductive reasoning as well as your
identification of the wines.
The final section is the hardest
of all. Restaurant service somehow seems harder
when it is in a test environment. There are
service stations where the Master Sommeliers
judge your skills at opening still and sparkling
wines, decanting, cigar service, freehand pouring
of spirits, wine and food pairing, proof reading
of wine lists, setting tables for a variety of
menus, conversing with the guests and complaint
resolution. While this is going on they also
throw questions at you to see how you react. A
passing score of 60% is required on all three
sections. Approximately 25% of candidates pass
this exam.
The final test is by invitation
only. You are also required to wait at least one
year between passing the Advanced and your first
attempt at the Master. The test is the same as
the advanced but the theory portion is verbal
instead of written, the questions are much more
detailed and the score required to pass is 75%.
An example of the difference between an Advanced
question and a Master question might be: name six
of the Anbaugebiet (high quality wine regions) in
Germany for the Advanced versus name all 13
Anbaugebiet for the Master. The good news is that
you can pass an individual section and retain it
for three years, only re-taking the portions you
failed. The pass rate for this exam is
approximately 4%, though very few people pass it
on their first attempt. After 29 years
of testing only 142 people
in the world have completed the Master Sommelier
(MS) level. The next time you see MS after
someone's name you will know what they went
through for those 2 letters.
The
North American schedule for 2006
is:
Introductory
$495
| March 26-27, 2006 |
Toronto,
Canada |
| March 28-29, 2006 |
California Grill at
Disney’s Contemporary Hotel,
Orlando, FL - FULL, wait list
only |
| April 1-2, 2006 |
Honolulu, Hawaii |
| May 22-23, 2006 |
Aspen, CO |
| June 19-20, 2006 |
Caribe Hilton St, San
Juan, PR |
| August 1-2, 2006 |
Culinary Institute of
America (St. Helena), Napa, CA |
| Aug. 13-14, 2006 |
The Breakers, Palm Beach,
FL |
| Aug. 25-26, 2006 |
Four Seasons Resort Las
Colinas, Dallas, TX |
| August 28-29, 2006 |
Bellagio Resort &
Casino. Las Vegas, NV |
| October 1-2, 2006 |
Hyatt Regency Burlingame,
San Francisco, CA |
| October 2-3, 2006 |
Snow King Resort,
Jackson, WY |
| October 24-25, 2006 |
California Grill at
Disney’s Contemporary Hotel, Walt
Disney World, Orlando, FL |
| November 6-7, 2006 |
Darden, Charlottesville,
VA |
Apply
for any of these exams on-line at www.courtofms.org/apply;jsessionid=4B189ED3624D118FD670C5F10CF731A6
or contact the
American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers at:
c/o: Balzac Communications
1200 Jefferson Street
Napa, CA 94559
phone: (707) 255-7667
e-mail: courtofms@aol.com
web: www.courtofms.com
For the exam
dates in Europe:
1 Seaway Close, Chelston
Torquat, Devon
England TQ2 6PY
e-mail: bjulyan@hotmail.com
web: www.courtofmastersommeliers.org
