Trevor Schofield, MW
I think I like the looks of that…
I would love to pursue the title of Master of Wine, but it is much easier said than done.
There are currently only 297 people with a Master of Wine qualification (87 of which are women), residing in 23 countries around the world. Regarded as being the highest standard of knowledge in the wine-world, this status takes years of work and study to achieve.
Before being chosen to enroll in the three-year program, potential students must have undergone training through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), completing at least the Level 4 (Diploma) or Level 5 (Honors) program. As well, they must submit a series of papers and tasting notes on wine and wine making, in addition to finding a current Master of Wine to apprentice under.
If actually chosen, the next three years are spent preparing for a 4-part written exam and 3 blind taste tests (follow the link at the bottom of this page to see the 2012 exam). After successful completion, potential Masters of Wine must complete a dissertation within six-months of getting approval of a synopsis by the Institute’s Education and Examination Board. To get an idea of just how difficult this whole process is, between 1993 and 2000 only 85 candidates were successful out of 266 that challenged the program – a success rate of only 32%…
I have a long way to go if I want to reach the high levels that the designation requires (I currently have my Level 2 WSET qualification), but for the time being I am having a great time filling my days at Urban Vintner!
Are you curious as to what it takes to become a Master of Wine?
See how you would do challenging the Master of Wine Exam. Students have to respond to one question in each section A and two questions from each section B of the “theory” section. In the “practical” section, students must score 195 (out of a possible 300) to pass.
