Sommelier, which means ‘wine
steward’, in French is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional. It is
widely considered one of the hardest jobs to get, given how rigorous the
education and certification process is. Forbes reports that the average
candidate sits for the exam two to three times, and some take it as many as six
times. It takes years to prepare for, and a very small percentage of candidates
who take the test actually pass.
As a bit of history, the
Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) was established in 1977 “to encourage improved
standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restuarants.” The
first Master Somm exam was held in the UK in 1969. Since the Court’s inception,
only 229 candidates across the globe have earned the Master Sommelier diploma,
which is the “ultimate professional credential any sommelier can attain
worldwide.” All aspiring Master Sommeliers have to sequentially pass the intro
exam, the certified exam, and the Advanced Sommelier exam before they’re even
eligible to take the three-part Master Sommelier exam.
In terms
of pay, according to the most recent poll by the Guild of Sommeliers Salary
Survey of 2014, the average salary for a Master Sommelier is $150,000, compared
to $78,000 for an Advanced Sommelier.
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