A sommelier, or wine steward, is a highly trained and knowledgeable wine professional. A sommelier normally works in fine restaurants and is someone who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. Having a formal education or certification is not required to earn the title of sommelier. However, to take this route takes a long time, is far from guaranteed, and will not give someone an edge against other sommelier candidates.
One of the first steps to becoming a certified Sommelier is through The Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS). The Court of Master Sommeliers has a four-level education and examination program, beginning with the Introductory Sommelier Course and Examination.
To become a sommelier through the CMS, three areas of study are routinely tested through the four levels of certification: wine theory, wine tasting and wine service.
The level 1 certification is meant to introduce students to these three basic areas of wine knowledge needed to become a sommelier. Registration for the Introductory Sommelier Course and Examination is open to anyone 21 or over in the hospitality, wholesale and retail sectors of the food and beverage industry, anyone considering a career as a professional sommelier, or anyone interested in learning more about wine.
The Introductory Sommelier Course and Examination is offered in-person and online. The online course is on-demand and self-paced study, students attending will have up to 180 days to complete the program and take the examination. Or students can attend two full days of in-person study taught exclusively by Master Sommeliers.
The course covers the three primary topics at an introductory level: a review of wine and beverage theory, an introduction to deductive tasting methodology, and wine service etiquette. At the end of day two, students take an examination consisting of 70 multiple-choice questions and must be completed within 45 minutes. A minimum score of 60% is required to earn the Introductory Sommelier Course and Examination certificate and lapel pin along with being eligible to take the Certified Sommelier Course.
The Level 1 Introductory course will only provide students with basic wine knowledge and is simply a stepping stone to becoming a certified sommelier. The goal of the level 1 Introductory Sommelier certification is to introduce students to the three fundamental areas of wine knowledge that are required to become a sommelier in the future.