We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Involved in Sommelier Training?

By Vicki Hogue-Davies
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 7,685
Share

Sommeliers, or wine stewards, work for restaurants and are experts in the pairing of wine and food. There is no single training path to becoming a sommelier, because anyone working in the role can use the title. Many restaurants, though, will expect that sommelier job candidates have gained professional certification by passing competency examinations. Some people who gain certification are self-taught, and others attend wine professional or sommelier training programs that teach aspiring sommeliers about all aspects of wine grape varietals, wine production, tasting and serving wine.

Students in formal training programs must be of legal drinking age in their countries. Training programs typically consist of courses about wine characteristics, wine regions of the world, using the senses to taste wine and the business aspects of working as a sommelier in a restaurant. Students in wine professional or sommelier training programs might visit wineries, vineyards, food markets, restaurants and other businesses related to the wine industry.

Various institutions and organizations throughout the world offer sommelier training for people seeking professional-level wine knowledge. Program lengths and coursework can differ, because there are no standard training requirements. Just a couple of examples of organizations offering sommelier training include the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in California's Napa Valley wine region and The International Sommelier Guild. The Guild has office locations in the United States and Canada, and it offers sommelier training classes throughout the world.

At the CIA, the wine professional training program involves 30 weeks of instruction, leading to a certificate. The program includes courses in New World wines, European wine regions, the business of wine, culinary skills and more. The organization also offers certification exams that allow wine professionals to put the acronyms C.W.P. or A.C.W.P after their names, which stand for certified wine professional and advanced certified wine professional.

The International Sommelier Guild offers a sommelier diploma program. Sommeliers are accredited upon completion of the six-month program. Sommelier classes are held once a week for eight hours a day, and they teach students about vinification, tasting techniques, cellaring wine, decanting and serving wine and much more.

Another organization, the internationally recognized Court of Master Sommeliers offers four levels of certifications. To receive the prestigious and rare title of master sommelier involves passing all of the increasingly difficult levels; there are fewer than 200 people in the world who have earned the title. Exams include blind tasting, theory and practical wine service portions. For the master sommelier certification, participants must blind taste six wines with a 75-percent passing level. Blind tasting includes identifying the wine varietal, year, region and more.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-involved-in-sommelier-training.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.