The Certified Sommelier Certificate is the Court’s primary qualification for sommeliers and beverage professionals. It recognises professionals whose knowledge, skills and demeanour are worthy of the title Certified Sommelier.
It is one day of examinations, with no coursework, and it is the first level at which tasting is examined. This article covers the format, the rules on entry and the time limit that applies after the Introductory.
01The three examinations
The Certified examines all three of the Court’s core skills on a single day. The theory paper has 40 questions: ten multiple choice and thirty short answer, set at a higher level than the Introductory exam.
The tasting examination is two wines tasted blind, answered in writing on a tasting grid. The practical examination is a service test. The pass mark is 60% in each section, and all three sections must be passed together.
- 40 questions
- 10 multiple choice, 30 short answer
- 60% to pass
- Two wines tasted blind
- Answered on a tasting grid
- 60% to pass
- A practical service test
- 60% to pass
02Who can sit it
The Certified is open only to candidates who hold the Introductory Sommelier Certificate. Enrolment is offered only to applicants who have successfully completed the Introductory, and the Court decides who is eligible for each sitting. It considers both candidates who passed the Introductory earlier and the top qualifying candidates from an Introductory examination held immediately before.
