Established in 1977, the Court of Master Sommeliers has set the bar for excellence in the beverage service at the highest level. Only 229 people in the world have passed the examination; a number that continues to grow each year. There are four stages in the journey to become a “Master Sommelier.” The first, an Introductory Course and examination includes a “fast paced review for a day and a half, with a theory exam at the end of the second day.” On the Court of Master Sommeliers America Facebook page or the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide Facebook Page you can find photos and videos of Introductory Classes happening around the country, and around the world respectively.
Screencap of the Court of Master Sommeliers US Twitter feed. (Screencap by: R. Jacobson)
The second step towards becoming a Master Sommelier is to take the Certified Examination, which candidates are strongly encourage to wait at least 3 months following successful completion of level 1, in order to have time to prepare and study for the examination. With over 9,000 followers on Twitter, the Court of Master Sommeliers frequently updates their Twitter with new testing dates, test results, and announcements to keep all potential Master Sommeliers in the know.
The third step of the process is a 3 day Advanced Course, and an additional 3 day Examination which is divided into 3 parts:
* Practical restaurant beverage service and salesmanship in a dining room setting.
* Written Theory
* Deductive Tasting of 6 wines
The fourth and final step in becoming a Master Sommelier is the Masters Theory Examination, followed by the Masters Practical and Tasting Examination, which will test the candidates on extremely specific details on a wide range of topics.
Using #courtofmastersommeliers on Instagram will allow you to find photos and videos of potential Master Sommeliers successful completion of each of the stages in the process. You will also find groups of friends “studying” together, by sharing bottles of wine, and trying to use the deductive method of tasting to determine the grape varietal, where the wine was produced, and the vintage.
The 2013 documentary, “Somm” follows a group of friends on a quest to become Master Sommeliers. The documentary chronicles the men as they dedicate their lives to passing what has been called “the most difficult test in the world.”
Local restaurateur Erin Burke recently completed level 1 of the process, and says “the two day review and examination were extremely fun and interesting, but challenging, and no joke.” Burke plans on taking the second examination, the Certified Sommelier Examination in the fall, and hopes to eventually become one of only 23 (number as of date of publication) woman to have passed the level 4 examination.
Some of the tools that Burke uses to help her prepare for the level 2 Court of Master Sommeliers Examination. (photo by: R. Jacobson)
