I get a lot of questions from readers about how I went from wine lover to Certified Sommelier. My journey to wine certification began officially in 2010, although I first started reading about and becoming interested in learning about wine in 2008, when my husband and I traveled to Barolo in Italy and had a chance to tasted some of the finest red wines in the world. It took me about three years to accumulate enough wine knowledge to pass the Certified Sommelier exam. Here is the path I took:
- In 2009 started attending tastings and wine events available to me in Baton Rouge and New Orleans as frequently as possible. I also began subscribing to wine magazines and reading wine blogs.
- I signed up for the Court of Master Sommelier's Introductory Level Class and Exam in October of 2010. This is a 2-day class where you review the major wine regions and practice blind tasting of wines under the guidance of three Master Sommeliers. The second day you learn about service standards and then take a test at the Introductory Level. The test is not too difficult if you have some familiarity with wine, and no wine experience is required to take it, although it can be helpful.
- After passing Level 1, I began preparing for the Certified Sommelier test (Level II). That test involves a theory component, a service component, and a blind tasting component. The best way to prepare is to taste a lot of wines and read about them.It can also be helpful to form a tasting group of like-minded wine lovers who you can learn and practice with. However, since I live in Baton Rouge, which is not exactly a mecca for wine lovers, I was never able to get a tasting group going. So, instead, I signed up for wine courses offered in my area. Along the way I obtained other certifications that helped me get ready for the Certified Sommelier test, including the Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators and the French Wine Scholar from the French Wine Society.
- In 2011, my love of wine had really become a passion and I opened a wine bar called Roux Wine Spirits. Working in wine is a great way to accelerate your knowledge, so if you can get a job at a wine shop or wine bar this is a great way to learn and expose your palate to lots of wine.
- In 2013, I had to close Roux Wine Spirits. But, this freed up my time to prepare for the Certified Sommelier exam, which I discovered was being offered in June. Needing to get away to recover from closing the business, I registered for a 6-week Wine Immersion Course at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, CA. This is the class that really took my wine knowledge to the next level. Although I knew a lot of wine theory from reading, I had limited practice with tasting. This course changed that and improved my confidence with blind tasting.
- In June 2013 I took and passed the Certified Sommelier exam in New Orleans. I think the intervening certifications and classes I took were instrumental in helping me pass, especially the Immersion course I took in California. The hardest portion of the test for me was service, because it is not something I do every day. It really helps if you have some fine dining experience serving wine to pass this portion of the test.
So, that was my path. There are many alternate paths to achieve certification. But the most important thing is to taste wine mindfully, write tasting notes, and taste with others who are also trying to learn.
