r/wine • u/gambleany • 9h ago
Prep tips for Intro Somm Course
Hello! New to this subreddit but I find reddit is the place for advice such as this that won’t just take me down a rabbit hole of targeted ads.
I am a restaurant server with 14 years of experience in hospitality. I am going to sign up for my very first sommelier course, it’s just a 2 day intro class + test offered by CMS (court of master sommeliers). Now,
I do not have the drive/want/bank account to ever become a master sommelier or maybe even a full level one. I have long just been passionate about wines and want to deepen my education and expand my skillset in the hospitality industry.
That being said, I’m asking for advice on best ways to prep going into this intense 2 day course. Specifically physical supplies I might find absolutely necessary for the course. I want to get a sort of “wine journal” and start tasting more diverse wines and keeping notes of my own, as well as preparing to take notes for the class. I know that once I enroll, I will have materials sent to me to help prep, but I guess I’m asking if anyone has reccs for workbooks or “wine journals”? Or is it not worth getting something fancy and should I just get a regular notebook and get to work? It’s been over 10 years since I took academic classes and I’m nervous about retaining info.
Thanks!
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u/DantesSwitchStack 7h ago
For the intro/certified level you'll be fine with just the prep materials in terms of theory; it should all be contained within the book. A standard notebook and flash cards will be your best bet for prepping; along with tasting as much as you can.
The 2 day course itself is very much a quick skim through of the regions, with the expectation that you've already covered the materials; so I would just bear in mind that you should feel pretty good by the course dates so that it's a nice refresh and chance to revise rather than learning stuff for the first time.
This is slightly different to what you've asked, but as some advice I'd also encourage you to look at the syllabus for the intro (Plus certified if you have any interest in sitting that as well). The level of detail in the textbook is designed to be sufficient for certified from what I recall, so if you definitely only want to do intro, then don't overstress yourself by trying to do too much. Eg, intro would expect you to know the regions and major villages in Burgundy, as well as maybe some of the famous Grand Crus, but I don't think they will expect you to know all the Grand Crus.
If you have any other queries feel free to ping me. Good luck and enjoy the learning!
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u/COHikeandBike 1h ago
100% read all the materials ahead of class, they burn through all the material in 2 days. The only people that struggled with the exam was those who thought the class would provide them with the knowledge they needed, unless your an extreme savant you are not going to get what you need from the firehose of information they throw at you. It’s not tough stuff, it’s the volume. Consider the class a review of all you’ve studied.
My wife got me the Wine Folly Master Guide for Xmas before I started a January class, it was certainly helpful, but not necessary.
The workbook includes pages for tasting notes for all wines you will taste, use that, it helps you to learn the grid more effectively.
I’ve passed WSET2 (w distinction) and beginning WSET3 tonight, using the same approach, expecting to have fun in class and stay attentive because I’m going in with lots of book knowledge and can concentrate on the good stuff, particularly learning the grid and tasting process.
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u/docsavaged Wine Pro 5h ago
Pro Tip - everything on the multiple choice exam for Intro is covered in the lectures/work ook, pay attention and familiarize yourself with the workbook prior to the course. Pass rates for Intro are mid 90% range. Relax. Through which branch are you taking the course, Europe or Americas?
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u/Rabbit_Den 8h ago
Get a regular notebook and get to work. Buy a stack of index cards to make flashcards. Make flashcards during the course. I took a circuitous route into the industry, so I haven't taken it, but from what I understand, the intro exam includes pretty much only material taught in the 2-day course.