Anyone taken the Master Somm. exam series?

[Sarah_Warner]

I’m thinking of going along that path. Starting with level 1. Need I study beforehand? If so, please recommend materials, books? How important is service for level 1?

Thanks!

[Bill_Tex_Landreth]

I am interested in the responses as well. Would love to start to begin to think about taking this path.

[G_Williams]

It’s been a few years for me so some things could have changed. I was given a book, “Sales and Service for the Wine Professional: Brian Julyan” but the testing is not all about the book. For the service side, polish up on knowing your spirits, how to decant a bottle and open bubbles properly. Also, be aware of pouring equally proportioned glasses for service of 5 or more.

If you are a little behind in the regional discussions, polish up a bit before taking the certification exam. Focus on being able to identify varietal characteristics and the difference between warm and cool climate differences.

Best of luck. You will not regret passing the first level of certification if you are ITB.

[G_Williams]

I can also recommend subscribing to the Sommelier Journal. IMO, it’s the best wine magazine available to those in the wine sales and service industry.

[Steve_M_c_C_a_l_l]

@Bill Tex Landreth

Would love to start to begin to think about taking this path.

Bill, you’ve got enough modifiers above to avoid doing anything for years to come.

[Sarah_Warner]

@G Williams

It’s been a few years for me so some things could have changed. I was given a book, “Sales and Service for the Wine Professional: Brian Julyan” but the testing is not all about the book. For the service side, polish up on knowing your spirits, how to decant a bottle and open bubbles properly. Also, be aware of pouring equally proportioned glasses for service of 5 or more.

If you are a little behind in the regional discussions, polish up a bit before taking the certification exam. Focus on being able to identify varietal characteristics and the difference between warm and cool climate differences.

Best of luck. You will not regret passing the first level of certification if you are ITB.

Thanks G. So I am talking the most basic, basic level here–is there really pouring at this level? Does level I really qualify as Certification/ I thought that was level 2 or advanced, even.

I am a grad of the level 3 WSET–this is more MoW-geared, though. Know how they compare?

[G_Williams]

I believe they have changed the structure of the court since I took the first exam. When I started out, I took the intro at Greystone which was back to back 8 hour days of lecture and tasting. They did not offer a certification exam the following day. I opted to take the next available test which was about a month later up in Seattle. This portion of the exam started out with identifying 2 or 3 wines blind and writing concise tasting notes. We then had a written exam. later in the afternoon, I was required to take the service portion which, for me, was a bit intimidating as I had yet to work in a restaurant. If you are only considering taking the intro course, you have nothing to be concerned about with the exception that tasting notes are structured a bit differently and the standard glass is the Riedel Restaurant Sango. I would recommend following the intro with the certification exam.

One of my best friends has just about completed the WSET. If you have passed the exam on spirits, you have nothing to be concerned about. I also think that your wine knowledge should be sufficient to pass the intro exam if you have been involved with the MoW.

[Sarah_Warner]

@G Williams

I believe they have changed the structure of the court since I took the first exam. When I started out, I took the intro at Greystone which was back to back 8 hour days of lecture and tasting. They did not offer a certification exam the following day. I opted to take the next available test which was about a month later up in Seattle. This portion of the exam started out with identifying 2 or 3 wines blind and writing concise tasting notes. We then had a written exam. later in the afternoon, I was required to take the service portion which, for me, was a bit intimidating as I had yet to work in a restaurant. If you are only considering taking the intro course, you have nothing to be concerned about with the exception that tasting notes are structured a bit differently and the standard glass is the Riedel Restaurant Sango. I would recommend following the intro with the certification exam.

One of my best friends has just about completed the WSET. If you have passed the exam on spirits, you have nothing to be concerned about. I also think that your wine knowledge should be sufficient to pass the intro exam if you have been involved with the MoW.

Thank you!

[Jeff_Brinkman]

I took and passed the first exam, it’s a piece of cake. It was about 5 years ago, so I don’t know how it’s changed, but when I took it there was no blind id of wine for the exam. They tell you the MS approach to blind identification and you are given a few blind wines in the lecture portion and they open it up to guesses (which is highly entertaining). I remember one wine that I correctly guessed ( ) as a 1995 Amarone, the person who guessed before me said it was a 2001 Washington state Cab blend. [laughingneqw.gif]

The test was multiple choice and covered wine laws (aoc, doc, do, etc) and simple service questions. If you read Julyan’s book, you’ll be ready. I read that, The World Atlas of Wine and Tom Stephenson’s Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia and was ready. I remember I had all the grand cru vineyards of burgundy memorized, all of the classed growths of bordeaux, and basic regional facts about the wine producing countries of the world and felt like I was overprepared. But, as I said, it may have changed. I have always intended to go further but it hasn’t happened.

If you’re looking for just comprehensive wine knowledge and don’t need the service aspect, you should check out the Masters of Wine program.

[Ed_Kurtzman]

@Sarah Warner

@G Williams

It’s been a few years for me so some things could have changed. I was given a book, “Sales and Service for the Wine Professional: Brian Julyan” but the testing is not all about the book. For the service side, polish up on knowing your spirits, how to decant a bottle and open bubbles properly. Also, be aware of pouring equally proportioned glasses for service of 5 or more.

If you are a little behind in the regional discussions, polish up a bit before taking the certification exam. Focus on being able to identify varietal characteristics and the difference between warm and cool climate differences.

Best of luck. You will not regret passing the first level of certification if you are ITB.

Thanks G. So I am talking the most basic, basic level here–is there really pouring at this level? Does level I really qualify as Certification/ I thought that was level 2 or advanced, even.

I am a grad of the level 3 WSET–this is more MoW-geared, though. Know how they compare?

Sarah, from my experiences tasting wine with you, I believe you’d pass the first stage of the MS exam easily, without studying. You would have done great at our late night, blind tastings in Colorado tonight. But I’ve heard the first stage of the MS is multiple choice, no tasting at all.

[Sarah_Warner]

@Ed Kurtzman

Sarah, from my experiences tasting wine with you, I believe you’d pass the first stage of the MS exam easily, without studying. You would have done great at our late night, blind tastings in Colorado tonight. But I’ve heard the first stage of the MS is multiple choice, no tasting at all.

Awwwww shucks, Ed. Come visit again! Blind tasting with you was SUCH a gas!

[G_Williams]

I just looked at the courses: http://www.mastersommeliers.org/courses" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sarah, from the sound of things, you will pass the first level with flying colors. I highly recommend taking the second level for certification. This is where service and tasting come into play.