By Jerry Kolins, WSET Diploma Candidate and Wannabe Sommelier
I have been enamored with wine since the late 1970s when I first tasted a Silver Oak Cabernet. In New York City, up until this point, I only knew Ripple as a wine. That Silver Oak experience taught me there is more to wine than I imagined. Of course, I didn’t expect anyone to pay me to study wine. So, this had to be a hobby. The obsession came later.
In a prior blog, I shared my challenges with the baccalaureate degree (diploma) offered by the Wine and Spirit Educational Trust (WSET), the prerequisite to enter the Master of Wine program administered by the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW). The IMW represents “the highest standard in all aspects of the production, trade, and marketing of wine, as well as related health, social and environmental issues.” I believe the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) deserves a share in that statement with the additional focus on serving their guests.
The first Masters of Wine exam was in 1953. The Court of Master Sommeliers tested their first candidates in 1977. Pass rates are extremely low, around 10% when you get to the highest levels. At the mid-levels and beyond, like the WSET Level 3 and Level 4, pass rate is about 50%. It should be emphasized that for both programs, the passing rate is not graded on a curve. With a talented group of candidates who satisfactorily complete all aspects of the test, a 100% passing rate is possible. You don’t need to be better than the next guy. You need to be proficient and competent. That is where I failed.
After finishing five of the six modules required for the WSET diploma, I quickly completed the sixth module, my research paper, in March, 2024. But a candidate is not permitted to submit the paper until the end of the semester—July 31. The results will be available around October, 2024. After studying almost daily for three years, I couldn’t stop studying. So, I decided to take the Certified Sommelier (CS) exam on August 14, 2024. You must first pass the Introductory Sommelier exam to be eligible to take the CS exam. The Introductory level is truly a fun exam that I completed in August, 2021. But the Certification exam is a quantum jump from the Introductory test.
Like WSET, Certified Sommelier requires knowledge in (1) theory, (2) “blind” tasting, (a term discouraged by some because eyes are wide open), and (3) service. Unlike the WSET diploma program, the sommelier is not just expected to know wine; one is also questioned on knowledge of distilled spirits, cocktails, beer, and sake. During a virtual learning session given by CMS, I expressed surprise at the scope of knowledge expected of a sommelier. Master Sommelier Robert Jones told me the sommelier is in charge of everything served to the customer except that which comes from the kitchen. That is the chef’s domain. He asked me about my background. Once he knew I almost completed the WSET diploma, he said, spend all your time working on service; don’t study theory and tasting. You have a big knowledge gap to fill. And get a job in a restaurant ASAP. So, I did.
My heart was in the right place. I love service. But the skill set could not be learned in six weeks. A humiliating service experience is not pleasant, but if you have spent several decades in healthcare, you have learned the taste of humble pie.
Imagine this testing environment. You are assigned a time to show up for your service exam after finishing the blind tasting (8am on test day) and the theory (9am on test day). My assigned time was 2:30pm. Service testing goes on all day with three candidates showing up every 20 minutes for the service exam. I stood tall when the three of us were approached by the person who began the exam, verifying that we came to work with the tools of the trade, i.e., corkscrew, pens, pad of paper, flashlight, or similar device used for decanting wine. Then, the bottom fell out.
Our evaluation is based on the performance of the instructions we are given. We were told that the restaurant is offering an Oi, Oi, Oi flight of wines today. I had a bit of trouble understanding this first sentence. I thought the instructor had a stutter. I needed to ask for clarification. It certainly would have been rude of me to ask her to enunciate more clearly. I tried to write down phonetically Oi, Oi, Oi.
My downhill experience was about to take a deeper dive than my wildest imagination. The person giving us the directions for service rattled off three wines, two of which came with vintages. She clearly stated the dessert wine was a non-vintage muscat. I should have immediately recognized this was an Australian Rutherglen muscat, but I was still wondering what the meaning of Oi, Oi, Oi was. And how would I explain to the customer what the special flight of the day is if I do not comprehend Oi, Oi, Oi. If I worked the floor for a few years, I’m not sure I would have figured that out. Watching TV probably would have helped. The Outback Steakhouse commercial repeating the chant Oi, Oi, Oi was shown multiple times during the Olympics. It’s just an Aussie cheer. Knowing that would explain that all three wines I was to serve were Australian. That is an important point.
One month before the test, I opened about 50 bottles of sparkling wine, but during the exam my manual dexterity was unquestionably lacking. There is an important lesson here. This enlightening experience gave me a better understanding of the skill set needed to competently perform the duties of a sommelier. I am especially thankful for the patience of the examiners. I passed the tasting and theory portion but that is irrelevant. If you fail one of the three portions of the test, you failed the exam.
My plan is to continue to work at the bistro a few nights a week as a volunteer. I am fortunate in that my passion remains unabated. I truly hope our master sommeliers continue to be understanding with the occasional candidate who falsely believes they are ready to be tested. Learning one’s limitations is worth the price of admission. And, that price is expensive. I remain in awe of the skills of the sommelier. They have the opportunity to bring a beautiful eternal memory to people every day.
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