Certified Sommelier Program

Hello All --

Well, after two months of studying wine and three 10-hr days of seminars and testing, I am happy to say it paid off as I received my sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers this past Friday!  Without hesitation, I can't think of a better way to get back into the swing of things here than to first give credit where credit is due. 

For those of you who are interested, I was enrolled in the Certified Sommelier Program, headed by David Glancy (MS, CWE), at the  Professional Culinary Institute.  The program began on June 18th and ran for 10 weeks-three hours a day, five days a week.  After much research in deciding the best wine program under which to study, I must say, deciding on PCI was one of the best decisions I could have made.  Mr. Glancy is not only extremely knowledgeable when it comes to wine, he has passion and dedication to teach like you wouldn't believe.  His energy, coupled with the opportunity to learn A LOT about wine and taste wine every day (averaging 6-8 wines, but usually more) made this experience well worth the money.  On top of that, the program is THE ONLY one co-created and approved by the Court of Master Sommeliers.

In my opinion, this innovative program is like no other program out there today.  It is a hands on program designed to teach you the practical aspects of service, not solely about wine and how to taste.  The class size was small, 17 to be exact, which meant a lot of face time with the instructor and allowed us to get to know each other very well.  Each day began with students buffing the glasses we'd need for tasting and then carrying them around on lined trays and placing them at each seat.  Once Mr. Glancy demonstrated the proper opening of champagne and wine bottles, students were required to do so properly for each wine tasted every day.  We also had to learn how to pour accurately so that one bottle would sufficiently provide for all students.  You may wonder what the point of this is.  Aside from allowing the instructor to be budget conscious, it also prepared us for service in a real restaurant and knowing how much we can pour in each glass depending on how many guests are seated at a table.  Granted it isn't often that there are 17 people at a table, the point is learning accurate pouring is critical.  There's nothing worse than running out of a bottle at a table before reaching all of the guests.

At the beginning of the program, during our "wine foundations" module, we went on two field trips to two wineries/vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  At At Cooper Garrod Vineyards we learned about winemaking, got the opportunity to blend wine ourselves, and then tasted some of their wines.  The following day, we went to Kathryn Kennedy Winery where we learned about how much time and care goes into managing vineyards.  Both of the winemakers strongly believe in sustainability, and to some extent, biodynamics as it relates to viticulture.  Later on in the program, we also received a tour of Gordon Biersch Brewery and learned about beer production from Dan Gordon, part owner.  Don't hold me to this, but it is my understanding that there are usually two winery/vineyard field trips, but they are not always the same.  Also, I believe the GB tour is subject to his availability and doesn't always happen.

Following our wine foundations module, we had individual modules covering France, New World, Italy, Iberia, Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe, and Beer, Spirits and Cigars.  Each module would conclude with a theory and two wine blind tasting exam.  On exam days, we'd have lunch prepared for us by chefs of the school's culinary program.  These lunches were themed based on the region(s) just studied.  This was a great way to get to know each other, but also was crucial in learning food and wine pairing, as wines would be paired with the meal we were served.  All of this was meant to prepare us for the Introductory and Certified Sommelier Exams, which we took back to back, over three days. 

In preparation for the service portion of the certified exam, we thoroughly practiced champagne and wine decanting service.  These practice simulations definitely helped prepare us for the real thing - viewing a demonstration of how it's done is really no substitute.  Even some of my classmates who work as fine dining servers/sommeliers felt this was an invaluable component. 

Our final module, not in any way related to the certified exam, taught us how to manage a wine program - information you cannot find even in conducting advanced research.  Mr. Glancy had other Master Sommeliers come in and teach portions of the modules so we could get a feel for what they were like (in terms of theory, tasting and service) and not get too comfortable with his way of doing things.  This was also very helpful in preparing for the exam since, for ethical reasons, we would be tested by Masters other than Mr. Glancy. 

There are many great wine programs out there, including the International Sommelier Guild, but I don't know of any that is all encompassing as this one at PCI.  Also, there was a bond created between all of my classmates that no explanation could ever really do justice.  The students came from all over the U.S. And while some may return home and others will stay, lifelong friendships will remain.   We definitely grew very close to Mr. Glancy especially, but also getting the opportunity to network with other Master Sommeliers was a great learning curve.  This is definitely one experience I'll never forget. 

If any of you are interested in becoming a certified sommelier, I highly recommend this program!  Also, if you have any other questions, feel free to email me!