The Master Sommelier Diploma is the highest level of certification the Court offers. The first Master Sommelier examinations were held in London in 1969, and only 305 people hold the MS Diploma.
It is three days of examinations and nothing else, and it is open by invitation only to candidates who have passed the Advanced.
01The three examinations
The format mirrors the Advanced, with one difference: knowledge is tested by oral questioning. Theory is a one-hour verbal test. Tasting is six wines tasted blind in 25 minutes, verbal only. Service is a 45-minute practical test.
Throughout the examination, the candidate must show an exemplary standard of technical and social skills, demonstrating the courtesy and charm of a Master Sommelier plus an ability to sell.
The theory is broad. Candidates are expected to speak with authority on the wine regions of the world, answer questions on the wine laws of countries including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the USA, and describe the methods of distillation and production of spirits and liqueurs.
- A one-hour spoken test
- 75% to pass
- Six wines tasted blind
- 25 minutes, spoken
- 75% to pass
- A 45-minute practical test
- 75% to pass
02The 75% and the three years
The pass mark is 75% for each of the three sections. They do not have to be passed at one sitting. A candidate who passes one or two parts may retake the others in any two examinations during the following two calendar years.
