How To Become A Master Sommelier
By http://www.sfsommelier.com/webpages/publishedpage/sommelier.html
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
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