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Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 6: Rhône

Posted on by Josh

I’m so behind. Too many things!

I recently attended a Blind Tasting Seminar led by the Guild of Sommeliers. Geoff Kruth MS and Jennifer Huether MS led the whole shindig, and we tasted six wines: a Sancerre, a white Crozes-Hermitage, a Rias Baixas, a Chianti Classico, a Saint-Estèphe, and a weird hipstery Morgon from Beaujolais. More on that in another post! It was legitimately exciting! So many exclamation marks!

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!!!

A friend texted me soon after to join for a sparkling wine event at Marquis and so I did, and all was well in my soul.

In the same week I attended a big dinner that had way too much wine and beer, but the gods did not think it appropriate to cast a hangover on me, and instead I felt rather okay the next day.… read more

Life

Court of Master Sommeliers: The Certified Sommelier Exam

Posted on by Josh

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Phew.

The Certified Sommelier exam consists of three parts: a blind tasting exam, the theory exam, and the service exam. Much more intimidating to a guy whose restaurant experience involves washing dishes six years ago – and though the average pass rate isn’t too scary, ~60% is enough to have you doubt everything, because even at this level there’s a lot of material. There are brilliant, brilliant people I met this day who’ve spent oodles more time in the wine industry than I have and didn’t pass.

Balance seemed important – there was one intelligent fellow who already had the WSET Diploma, which requires you to know a VAST amount of information on wine (and it’s something I’m only in the middle of) – yet he didn’t pass. … read more