Registrations are now open for the 2017 Court of Master Sommeliers Australian program, which is offering Introductory, Certified and Advanced certification to students this June.
The Court of Master Sommeliers was established in 1977 to promote excellence in hotel and restaurant beverage services. The intensive education and examination program guides aspiring Masters through four increasingly rigorous levels of coursework and examination, culminating in the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination.
Since its first Australian course in 2008, 891 sommeliers have participated in the examinations resulting in 579 Introductory Sommelier graduates, 245 Certified Sommelier graduates, 20 Advanced Level Sommeliers and three who have attained the title of Master Sommelier: Franck Moreau MS (Merivale), Sebastian Crowther MS (Rockpool Group Melbourne) and Benjamin Hasko MS (Bootleggers). Worldwide there are currently just 236 sommeliers who have gained the title of Master Sommelier.
"Australia is an exciting training ground for sommeliers from around the world and the industry is rich in passionate and inspiring talent. This is an incredible opportunity to achieve the most prestigious qualification in our profession,” Moreau said.
Last year, Hasko shed light on the intensity of the program.
"There are three components to the MS diploma. If you pass one or two components the first time you try then they say ‘the clock has started’. You then get two more attempts over the next two years to be successful in the remaining components. If you aren’t, then you have to start all three from scratch.”
2017 course dates and locations
- Introductory Sommelier Certificate – 19–21 June 2017 (Ivy Sunroom, 330 George St Sydney)
- Certified Examination – 21 June 2017 (Ivy Sunroom, 330 George St Sydney)
- Advanced Sommelier Certificate – 22–26 June 2017 (InterContinental Sydney, 117 Macquarie St Sydney)