Wasting no time, I decided to jump right into the deep end of the wine-education pool. The study materials from our recent completion of The Court of Master Sommeliers – Introductory Course and Examination had just had time to cool down before a new set of study materials arrived. At first glance, I knew there was much to learn in preparation for the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) exam 😉

The Society of Wine Educators offer a variety of courses and exams leading to certifications for wine and spirits. The first step in my pursuit of a Society of Wine Educators Certified Wine Educator status is the highly respected Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW). The course collateral includes a textbook and workbook filled with information required to pass the 100-question timed exam.

With the holidays just around the corner, the study-time window is closing. The level of detail in the course materials goes well beyond the Court of Master Sommeliers Introduction Course and Exam—as expected. This will be no walk-in-the-park. Regardless, there is much to learn and it is all very fascinating.

I absolutely love the deep dive into the chemistry of wine, the nuances of viticulture and the most obscure wine regions of the world. This curriculum provides the level of detail you would expect someone who is preparing for a career in wine education to know. As with the previous courses, there are also requirements for tasting, evaluating and identifying wines. Here we go 😉