When I really fell in love with wine, I knew I wanted to know more. I found such a huge respect for the winemakers, grape growers and every hand that had ever picked a grape since the dawn of time. I will never pick up a glass without thinking about the hard work and artistry that I am about to experience.
Of course, I thought about becoming a sommelier as a direct result of this new passion. But I learned the difference between The Court of Master Sommeliers and WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust). Even with the Court of Masters being fraught with scandal, I decided that the hyper-trendy sommelier route was not where I really wanted to go. I wanted to focus on the grape, food and wine pairings, not become a wine steward for a hotel in Vegas. So that is exactly what I am doing.
I should be studying flashcards right now instead of doing this post but I want to share my learning experience along the way, not after the fact. This coming week I will be taking my WSET Level I Award in Wines exam. I am not feeling very confident.
When I was researching, I read that you could skip Level I and just go straight to Level II. Oh hell naw! After finding a few test quizzes online, I discovered how clueless I really was about wine. More importantly, I realized how much I wanted to know about wine from the roots to the corks. I want to really be able to make a solid recommendation with my recipes so that the whole experience of eating and drinking will be as merry as possible.
So stay tuned for my update on my exam and I will keep you posted. I am super excited and have learned so much already that I cannot wait to share the ride with you!
Update March 5, 2024:
I really took a long time to update you all on my test but not only did I pass “with distinction” but I nailed Level II as well. Yay me!
I have also done a chunk of specialized training and certification and become an Independant Ambassador for the Boisset Collection. What the hell does that mean? I am so glad you asked! Click the logo below to find out! You can also read about that decision in my post on Fluff This to learn a little more.
