The Court publishes a short set of study tips for its candidates. They are plain and practical, and they fall into four parts: general habits, tasting, theory and practical service.
None of them is a shortcut. Together they describe how a candidate who passes tends to work.
01Build the habit
Start with a schedule. Use a wall calendar to plan over a long period, keep a set of study notebooks, and commit to a regular day and time each week when you can find a quiet space to focus.
Balance matters too. A study plan helps you fit study around work, personal life and physical exercise. Build a support network of colleagues, Court alumni or industry contacts, and talk to people who have already attended the course.
Two tips are easy to overlook. Do not print your learning materials: writing out the important points teaches you more, because you interpret the material in your own words. And spend your time on the areas you find hardest, not on material you already know well.
Finally, train under examination conditions, so that you feel prepared and confident on the day. Read widely, and cross-reference your sources for greater accuracy. Draw your own maps and images, and test yourself as you prepare. Stay humble, and show that you are passionate about your profession.
02Tasting
Taste hundreds, even thousands, of wines a year with the same technique, and learn the elements of the grid until they are second nature. Repetition is key.
Blind tasting raises your skill, but also taste wines of the same classic variety side by side, to understand how countries and regions differ. If Old World and New World wines are hard to tell apart, spend more time analysing the structural elements: acidity, alcohol, tannins and ripeness. Keep studying theory alongside, because strong theory and successful tasting are closely connected.
