How To Become A Sommelier

[@Strathd.somm1]

Great video! On my journey to becoming a certified somm, I started with WSET 2 and fell in love with wine, I immediately took WSET 3 after and knew this was my passion. I then jumped over to CMS for the certified as it was more cost effective than the WSET 4 Diploma. But as you said, WSET is a more detailed educational program, and that is what gave me a great advantage / foundation to learning and building the additional knowledge needed for the CMS Certified exam. Mentoring is a huge thing that I’m glad you highlighted. I was lucky enough to have a class available in my city that is run by a master sommelier that prepares you for what you need to know for the Certified exam, including classes with tastings on the the important regions, as well as breaks for blind flights in between. One thing I will add to your assessment about blind tasting, is that it is a muscle you need to work. You get better at identifying flavours, aromas and structure the more often you get to do it. Which is why tasting groups or classes like mine are so important for that part of the exam. You nailed it, great video again. There are many ways to achieve a certification, mine was more like a hybrid of education, but at the end of the day, I achieved what I wanted it has allowed me to grow to a successful position in the hospitality industry. If anyone sees this, just know that there are many ways you can achieve your goals for certification, and you don’t necessarily have to just choose one, but choose the best path for you. Cheers!

[@visforvino]

We’ll said!!

[@botrytis_cinerea]

CMS Certified is non-comparable to WSET Diploma in terms of knowledge. Certified is more equivalent to WSET Level 3.

[@michaeldove281]

This is really helpful, I've completed my Wset 2, realized I had a huge passion in wine. I know this is a little late, but did you have to do your introductory CMS to jump over or did they just accept the level 3 and level 2 Wset? Hoping for the latter, haha!

[@jameswingad3212]

"Having to do all the travelling" is an interesting way of putting it. It´s utterly brilliant! I love nothing more than travelling to wine regions, eating food in their lical restaurants and that no more than 12 months of the year... More seriously though so often the wine makes so much more sense if you´re there and taste where it was produced.

[@visforvino]

100% agree, it’s why I started the show! 🙌🙌

[@Dr.JohnLenihan]

Nice video. I did the Intro somm Class and passed but haven’t been able to find much info on how to prep for the CS exam. I passed the CSW test from the SWE after a year of intensive study and found it very helpful in preparing for my WSET 2 exam and the Intro Somm course, so I would highly recommend that. Keep the blind tasting videos coming. They are very useful!

[@kevind4061]

Your show is next level. Ty.

[@lostbonobo]

Finally an educational video about the subject that provides a path and tools. Thank you!

[@visforvino]

Of course, glad it helped!!

[@PNWJEEPER01]

If your goal here was to make it easier for people to learn, I think you knocked it out of the park. I've been working in the wine industry for several years, always looking to learn more about wine and grapes, how they're made, the people who make them and the history and culture associated with them. Honestly, I'm pretty fascinated by anything that comes in a bottle- wine or spirit. These videos have helped me learn more and prompted me to research more, in the few weeks since I discovered them than I learned in the past year. Seriously - this is awesome stuff. So far, I've been building as much theory as I can in order to become a more competent wine enthusiast, salesperson and server; but I'd like to take the WSET in the next year. Thanks for sharing your experience and all the great material!

[@visforvino]

Comments like these make me so happy!! It's why I started the show. Thanks so much, and I'm so happy it's helped you grow in your career: good luck on WSET, it's a great challenge to take on!

[@laurawenrick1524]

WSET level 2 was a great resource and accomplishment for serious wine students and drinkers and the knowledge to amassing a great collectIon. I believe I got a well-rounded base to continue to learn about wine and continue to stock my wine cooler with great wines. WSET 3 … next year. 😃🍷

[@visforvino]

Totally agree! Good luck with level 3 next year!!

[@gabrielnunesduarte5576]

Thanks for that video, i am recently took the lvl 2 wset exam, and now looking further to do the lvl3, im in service industry for about 3 years now.

[@visforvino]

Glad we could help!

[@TheBourbonWrench]

So glad to have more vino videos!!

[@visforvino]

Thank you! More to come!!

[@GadgetGuru-r4w]

Sommelier goes back even further in history, he was basically the rations planner for the King on any trips he would take and have you heard about all of those kings that were worried about being poisoned? The Sommelier was the taster of food and beverages to ensure they were safe for the King to consume. Cheers!

[@visforvino]

Oh man, I didn’t know this! I had heard the poison thing before, but didn’t know that was the “somms” job. Thanks for this!!

[@maxerpelding8553]

Etimologicaly Sommelier comes from somme in French "bête de somme " which is basically a sort of buffalo that Sommelier use to ride with their carriage to go from a village to an other to sell their wines. At least that's the story I was told back then.

[@irenezadonska462]

I am so looking forward to your videos from Tuscany and Sicily

[@visforvino]

I hope Tuscany happens soon for sure!

[@Cclo215]

Great video, yet again. Huge fan. I have you to thank in part for my WSET3 certification. So glad I found you on YT early in my journey. Cheers!🍷

[@visforvino]

That makes me SO happy!!! Congrats on the certification. And I'm excited, new the season starts today!!!

[@dlclawson]

Great information. Just took the WSET level One exam and waiting for my results. Level two is next on my list!!

[@visforvino]

Congrats for going for it! Good luck WHEN you pass and go for level two!

[@CH-tg6zq]

Vince, I am so glad that you decided to go in the direction of making educational videos. You might be a "certified" sommelier but you are a "master" educator. Many thanks for all of the great content that you produce!

[@visforvino]

Thanks so much for the note, so glad the show is helping!!

[@tiberiumore]

such a useful video, please do more like this for us wine novices, thank you

[@visforvino]

Definitely dive into our channel, specially the pairing videos and need labs; I think they’ll be helpful!

[@Seannery]

Great video, Vince! I agree that WSET is great at walking you through and really educating you. I did level 1 & 2 last year virtually from home and it was fun. It had been a VERY long time since I had been in a classroom or done anything really educational, and I really wanted to do well, so in the end I studied way harder than I probably needed to before both exams. But it was worth it.

[@visforvino]

Thanks Sean! Yes, for me the "forced studying" was really helpful as well. Really gave me a reason to work!

[@rickkan4870]

I’d interested in doing cms’s intro course, it should give me different perspective than WSET(currently doing my WSET diploma). But as far as blind tasting I don’t think just doing WSET is really adequate(even at the diploma level)

[@1tbriscoe]

Thanks for this comment... I have been considering the WSET and I'm gonna pop that cork!

[@dunsterman356]

Clear and concise. Great information. Thanks!

[@visforvino]

You’re welcome, glad it helped!

[@marksands1861]

I'm a new subscriber and I have to say that your videos are very well done and the content is interesting and keeps me engaged. I look forward to watching many more or your videos. Thanks.

[@visforvino]

Thank you Mark! So happy to have you on board!

[@carlcadregari7768]

Great video as always. Why did you become a SOMM? You should consider opening a school, your presentation style is very professional but not stuffy or pretentious. I’d take a course from you. I got into wine at the end of 2019, my epiphany wine was a 2010 Brunello di Montalcino we had in Florence. I never knew wine could taste like that. Came home and started learning. So far I’ve done WSET L2 and L3, WSG Italian Wine Scholar and read the Society of Wine Educators CSW book (but not the course) and a couple of online “master classes”, built myself a wine cellar and have been to some industry tastings and more. I went that route just like you said, I wanted to learn but the service component was not something I wanted. I’ve lots and lots of other books that I’ve read, for studying and pleasure (not sure it’s permissible to mention them on your site). This is a life long learning path for sure. And I know I’ve just scratched the surface.. My dad was a plant geneticist, and I’m a science geek, so that part of viticulture is way cool to learn, but so is the art of wine, the history, the people, everything. Oh, and you get to drink wine for study purposes! Thanks again for great videos!

[@visforvino]

Thanks Carl! You've done a fair amount of training!! Thanks for sharing your "it" wine. Everyone has that moment in their wine journey, and from there its all over! lol I started my formal training when I was in restaurants and I liked the idea of having this knowledge that not all my colleagues did; it was a way for me to advance my career. I then started the show to give others the same opportunity, without having to take more formal classes! Maybe I will make a course at some point; it would be a good thing to do I think, and I could incorporate some of what we already have!

[@KishorTwist]

I’d love to become one just for the knowledge.

[@travisthompson9104]

Thanks for this! I am looking to transition into wine sales from way unrelated current career and am strongly considering WSET to get a strong foundation of knowlege.

[@visforvino]

I'd highly recommend it! (In addition to our episodes of course lol!) But yes, WSET is really good at providing a great foundation!

[@lauracanna2201]

I was curious to learn about the other qualifications you mentioned but you only explained the WSET, which is the one I'm doing. Ih well, I’ll look them up 😊

[@visforvino]

Most of what I was chatting about was actually CMS (the test process and such) although it’s similar for WSET. I haven’t personally taken the other ones, but I can tell you from chatting with others that my gut says WSET or CMS are the most worthy of your time and money!

[@lauracanna2201]

@visforvino thank you for your reply 💕 Sorry I badly phrased it I meant of all the other options (a part the one you did), you only explained WSET. Thank you for letting me know, I won't look up the others then 🙂

[@corey_watsonkyagent]

Very cool!

[@lesbrown8099]

Thank you...

[@brunettesailor9072]

Just finished with the 3 day WSET Level 2 course. Exam on 24th 😬

[@visforvino]

Good luck!!!

[@candycoatedreams]

I decided I want to take an introductory sommelier course in 2024 for fun. I've always loved wine taste and wine buzz. Why not take it a little further?

[@visforvino]

I hope you do!

[@edriccarter9895]

Awesome video. Thank you. What books/resources do you recommend to read and prepare flashcards for the court of master sommelier intro and certified exams?

[@visforvino]

For sure. The wine Bible, wine folly, the world atlas of wine are all great. And for flash cards, some people have made some great ones on “quizlet” if you search the topic/test you’re doing!

[@marlenemalmesbury1421]

Cheers. Good info

[@visforvino]

Glad to help!

[@RatAndRaven]

Awesome video, caught my attention when I decided to look into becoming a sommelier. But it's etc (et cetera) not ect

[@visforvino]

Glad it helped, and thanks for the note!

[@hzlkelly]

I want to become a sommelier because I'm a chef and it'll help with my food and wine pairing.

[@visforvino]

it will help for sure!

[@mattemuch3719]

Being a sommelier seems pretty fun, it's cool to be able to tell where and when the wine is from just by tasting and looking at it

[@visforvino]

It is fun for sure! But anyone can train their palette with practice! And the good news is, the practice is fun- drinking wine!

[@martinkhachatoorian1930]

Hi Vince, great video! you did mention that weekend events are offered for purepy the foundational knowledge of becomming a sommelier, any that you recommend? hopefully in the los angeles region?

[@visforvino]

The Wine House in West LA does great classes!

[@brandonlucas15]

Great video

[@wineasmr]

Great video 🍷

[@visforvino]

Thanks!

[@Booze_Hound]

Watched this months ago and came back to watch again! Have always loved wine and have been the “go to wine guy” for my close group of friends, 2 of which recently opened a bar and want me to get certified and come on as their sommelier! In this situation, would the service part of the CMS be more beneficial to me in a bar setting or the knowledge and structure of WSET? Cheers! 🍷

[@visforvino]

So glad it helped! I think the WSET. The service is CMS is very formal; how to serve at a table, carry the tray, pour from the right side, clear from the left, etc. At a bar setting, its much more informal, so WSET is the way to go.

[@thecobrasnakes]

Great video!

[@phunkymonkiee]

Thanks for the video. Can you speak a bit more to what the value of the different certifications from these organizations are in terms of employment prospects? I assume that the court of Masters is considered the most prestigious.

[@visforvino]

I'd say you're correct. Certified CMS is probably the most respected in restaurants, though in the last few years, level 3 of WSET is also more and more recognized as equivalent. At the end of the day, I think any formal training will look good on a resume.

[@sailor786]

What is the chemical composition of a white versus red oak wine? can you answer this question please ?

[@visforvino]

I wish I could help you, but that’s a little above my pay grade. There’s always something new to learn I suppose!

[@whisk-e-y_problems9075]

As Vince suggested, this is a very difficult question to answer. The quick answer is that wine is overwhelmingly (probably >97%) made up of three things: water, ethanol, and acetic acid. The remainder is comprised of dozens, if not hundreds of flavor compounds, some of which come from fruit, some of which come from fermentation, and some of which come from the interaction of the wine with wood and oxygen. Overall red wine, due to its higher amount of contact with the grape skins, has a higher amount of compounds that come from the grape skin. These include organic (carbon containing) compounds like carbohydrates and fatty acids and many phenolic compounds like anthocyanins (gives red wine its color), tannins (responsible for the drying feeling in your mouth), and other polyphenols that are responsible for giving fruits like grapes their particular aroma and taste. Red wines, once fermented, also have a higher percentage of esters, which often taste like bananas and tropical fruits, because those fatty acids react with alcohols to form esters. White wine tends to have a higher level of glycerin, a compound known as a polyol (multi-alcohol), because white wine has less of those fatty acids to react with the glycerin in esterification reactions. The primary reaction of fermentation is the conversion of sugar into ethanol, but there are several side reactions that occur during fermentation, most of which are not well understood. Oak ageing further complicates things because it introduces all the compounds that exist in wood, mainly cellulose (the wood fibers themselves), hemicellulose (wood sugars), lignin (the complex "glue" that binds the wood fibers together), and dozens more organic compounds. The complex interaction of alcohol, oxygen, wood, and acid is also poorly understood, but there are some interesting things that happen when a fermented beverage or alcoholic spirit is stored in wood. The first is the extraction of tannins and other polyphenols from the wood. The next is the extraction of the wood sugars (hemicellulose) which often give wines or spirits a caramel-like flavor (esp. in new barrels) due to the charring of most wood barrels, caramelizing the wood sugars due to the Maillard Reaction. Finally, there is the creation of entirely new flavor compounds. If you have ever wondered why wine, whiskey, or rum aged in new barrels has a vanilla flavor, it's because vanillin (the compound responsible for the flavor) is actually *created* by a reaction between alcohol, oxygen, and the hemicellulose wood sugars. I hope this helps. Overall, due to innate variations in the grapes, the fermentation process, the wood, and the ageing, it is impractical to try to determine the complete chemical composition of something like wine. Credibility: I am a chemical engineer, avid homebrewer, whiskey aficionado, and (thanks to shows like this) increasingly educated wine lover.

[@phunkymonkiee]

Also, what does a sommelier need to do to 'maintain' their palette- since a lot of the variation in skill and expertise comes from sensing subtle differences in flavors and smell? I grew up eating a lot of spicy food and still do. But it means that I often find some cuisines to be bland and I worry if that means I won't be as good at tasting differences or identifying them as someone with a more sensitive palette to spice. Or is that not really as much of a concern as it can be made out to be?

[@visforvino]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I love spicy food too! lol I would just say don't eat spicy right before tasting wine, as that WILL mess with your palette. But I think with training, you'll be able to distinguish smells and tastes as well as anyone in the day-to-day!

[@richardwhite2730]

I own mobile bar and catering business in Australia and most of my clients order Australian and New Zealand. Is there some sort of advanced wine course I can do just on Australian and New Zealand. As much as I would like to do the courses you suggested. I don,t have the time to learn, about wines from various different countries. Particularly when it will be not useful for my business

[@visforvino]

Totally understand. I did my best to see if this is out there with some googling, but had no luck. If you had a local chapter/location that teaches WSET, they sometimes do masterclasses on specific regions. That being said, I hope to do episodes in both these places someday soon!

[@richardwhite2730]

@@visforvino thanks for that, I have attempted the first course of the court of Master sommelier, but failed just. But did very well with the Aussie and kiwi section. In fact with one of the tastings I was able to not just identify the variety, region etc. But picked want wine it was. I did get the year wrong. But I correctly picked it as Mt pleasant sem sav blanc

[@PedroGrecco-u2c]

When blind tasting do they put a wine for you that could be a mix of multiple grapes in it or usually just one grape? - which I believe would be easier to find out which wine is

[@visforvino]

If it's a blend, it's a "classic" blend like a GSM.

[@winenerdbrian]

I was fortunate enough to pass the advanced my first time. I’m still not a sommelier.

[@visforvino]

Wow, congrats. The advanced is no small feat!

[@edriccarter9895]

How much time should I let pass between taking the intro to somm exam and the certified some exam?

[@visforvino]

They recommend 1 year, and thats about what it took me to be ready for it!

[@davidagiel8130]

I struggle with pointing out tastes let alone regions and vintage.

[@visforvino]

Practice makes perfect as they say!

[@jotsingh8917]

The sommelier probably started out in the king’s court to make sure the wine was not poisoned.

[@ARMDwSpirit4Life]

Hi all so I just signed up. But I thought this was a way or class type site to help me reach the 1st level As I am navigating the site I don't really see like a structure. It seems like it's more videos season 1. Season 2 so it's just this more of a show where he talks about different places that he has been to. Or is it more focused on understanding how to become a Sommelier and the information needed? Or am I just not navigating the site correctly? Any help would be appreciated.

[@visforvino]

Just sent you an email!

[@hzlkelly]

I think my husband would be the 271st master 😂 because he just has a way to break down ingredients when he tastes something.

[@homehere9817]

Why is it called spirits?

[@visforvino]

Who knew? - "Alcohol was once thought to have mystical properties that could turn common metals into gold. This magical essence, which was believed to be the substance's life force, was referred to as having a “spirit.”"

[@patrycjaferenc4280]

🍷👍🏼

[@dennisnguyen8105]

I'm not a wine drinker, I'm an anti-Bud Light beer drinker but I listen to all of Joe Rogan podcasts. So, do you think I can become the Master Sommelier in five weeks? Also, my gf's maid knows the gf of Aaron Rodger's head gardener so I have access to his vast knowledge on every subject.

[@xenonmob]

etc. not ect