Deciding on a Wine Certification Course (CMS vs. WSET vs. CSW)

Are you interested in learning more about wine and maybe even getting a certification? The three main options in the U.S. for wine certification programs are The Court of Master Sommeliers, Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and the Society of Wine Educators.

I have personally received my Level 1 Sommelier Certificate, my Level 1,2, & 3 with WSET, and my Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators, so I want to help break down the differences for you below to help in your decision making for what program might be the best fit for you!

The Court of Master Sommeliers

The Sommelier exams have 4 levels, the Level 1 introductory level, Level 2 Certified Somm, Level 3 Advanced Somm and then Level 4 the Master Sommelier Exam. These exams are highly geared towards wine professionals that will be working in service on the floor of a restaurant, with sections of the exam that are all about proper wine service. So if you are looking to make a career in a restaurant, this would be the certification program for you!

Starting with level 2, you will be tested on blind tasting and service skills. The blind tasting is focused on being able to describe the wine properly as well as a good guess for what the varietal and country of origin is of the wine. The level 1 exam is only multiple choice without tasting and service portions so it is a good test to take to get started on your wine knowledge journey, but keep in mind that it expires after 3 years. If you are going to commit to the level 1, I would be prepared to go all the way to the Certified level 2 exam so that you don’t end up with an expired certification after 3 years.

Also keep in mind that these exams get much much harder each level, with very few people receiving their Advanced certification and under 300 people in the entire world with a Master Sommelier certification, it’s considered one of the hardest exams in the world! However, for most restaurant jobs, a Level 2 Certified Sommelier certificate should be plenty of knowledge to earn that position. 

Wine & Spirits Education Trust

The Wine & Spirits Education Trust was established in the UK, so it is a widely recognized certification body Internationally around the world. There is 4 Levels, from Level 1 to the Diploma Level 4.

The Level 1 is all multiple choice and is pretty beginner wine knowledge. If you consider yourself already pretty savvy, it is possible to skip the Level 1 and go straight to your Level 2. However, the Level 1 is a great place to start if you are starting from scratch with your wine journey. The Level 2 is all Multiple Choice, but still takes a good amount of studying to pass. I think the WSET 2 is a great place to start if you are looking to start working in the wine business and want to get a certification under your belt in a couple of months. I was able to study the book, attend a weekend intensive course, and pass the WSET 2. It gives you a really great base of wine knowledge to work from, without taking too much time to get started, and I think it’s enough to get any entry level wine job in the industry.

The WSET 3 is a much more advanced exam, with a short answer and tasting portion. The tasting portion for WSET is more geared towards being able to describe the characteristics of a wine and judge the quality level, rather than being able to guess the exact variety and region. This is a very hard test with a lot of study time required, and is great if you want to become an educator or gain advanced wine knowledge.

The 4th level, the Diploma, is extremely intensive and is divided into 6 testing sections, requiring you to become an expert in each section as you go, you even have to submit a research paper on a wine related topic. Tasting is tested in both level 3 and 4.

I took my WSET courses through the Napa Valley Wine Academy, 1 and 2 in person, and Level 3 online. I would definitely recommend reading the textbook and having a good knowledge already going before you start the courses as they move fast and you want to be able to keep up and be testing yourself throughout the classes, rather than just trying to retain the information for the first time. I would also make sure you have the time to commit to the classes before signing up, so you can really commit your time and energy during the courses as it moves quick and is a lot of information. 

Society of Wine Educators

Society of Wine Educators is highly recognized in North America. There are two levels the CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) and CWE (Certified Wine Educator). Both do not have any online learning lessons or in person classes and are great for students who thrive with studying on their own time, and being able to go through a textbook and really be able to take in the information without a lot of outside help.

The first level is all multiple choice, but is extremely detailed and advanced information. I would place the knowledge needed somewhere in between the WSET 2 and 3. The CWE is similar in knowledge to the WSET Diploma, but has less components, with just a tasting portion, multiple choice, and essay portion.

I would say CSW is more focused on the memorization of very intricate facts, compared to the WSET 3 that really wants you to be able to connect all the facts and deduce how that affects quality and price of a wine. I bought my CSW book online, studied at home, and then even took the test online during the pandemic, so it is very flexible studying and testing timeline if you need to go at your own pace. 

If you are interested in trying a couple different wine courses, this was the order I took my courses in: 

1. Level 1 Sommelier Exam (I took this exam while I was working in a restaurant, and then decided I'd rather go the distribution route, so I switched to WSET)

2. WSET 1 Exam (I think I could’ve skipped this and gone straight to Level 2 WSET with the knowledge I learned in the Level 1 Somm exam)

3. WSET 2 Exam

4. CSW

5. WSET 3

I have had such a fun time in my wine learning journey, hope you enjoy it as well and find the certification program that is right for you! Reach out if you have any questions, always happy to share my experience!