I got the news last week that I was admitted into the MW program! So (whew!) all that effort I put into my application and the entrance exam was worth it. š
Since receiving this email, my feelings have been a blend of excited with a sense of accomplishment and a dash of nervousness. Thereās a well-known saying amongst first year law students: “Look to your left, look to your right, because one of you won’t be here by the end of the year.”Ā And while this wasnāt an accurate statement about my law school experience, I suspect it might be about my MW experience.Ā Ā More people have gone into space than have successfully passed the MW exam.Ā Although that exam is a couple years away, thatās still a rather daunting statistic for us Stage 1 MW students.Ā
When I started law school, I knew the bar exam was looming after graduation and that I would need to pass it in order to become an actual lawyer. Likewise, I know that thereās a Stage 1 Assessment exam (probably in June 2022), then the Stage 2 MW exam, and finally a 10,000-word research paper to complete in order for me to become an actual Master of Wine.
However, Iām not going to worry about all that right now. Iām going to approach the MW program like Iām training for a race: Iāll keep the end goal in sight ā but Iām going to focus my attention on the next step in front of me.
Truth be told, I have never particularly enjoyed running. However, there were a few years in my life when I was a runner. It was good for blowing off steam and stress and many a flashcard was reviewed while putting one foot painfully in front of the other. But I didnāt start off running a marathon ā I started with a program called Couch to 5k.
The Couch to 5K program (or C25K) basically takes a non-runner from sitting on their ass to running a 5k (3.1 miles) in 9ish weeks. The program starts off VERY slowly ā something like 20 minutes total with alternating running one minute and walking for 90 seconds. But by easing into it ā youāre better able to avoid shin splints, burnout and aching knees. And by breaking down the larger goal of 5K into smaller, manageable sized steps it made the whole process a lot less painful – mentally and physically.
So Iāll take the MW program one step at a time. Sometimes Iāll be running fast, pain free and (hopefully) with that elusive runnerās high. But other times Iāll be walking . . . or even limping along. And there will be times when I stop moving altogether so I can catch my breath.
But for right now, Iām going to treat these next couple of weeks as doing some really enjoyable stretching before my first laps. I want to enjoy this moment ā because I know Iāve got a long run ahead of me.
Me after finishing my first 5K – The Polar Bear Plunge in Seattle, WA
In my last blog post, I detailed the Master of Wine application process up to the actual entrance exam. Ā The Master of Wine entrance exam is the final hurdle to apply for the program – consisting of a 90 minute theory section and a 90 minute practical (tasting) section.Ā Applicants can attempt either section first and the sections can be taken on different days or both hammered out on the same day.
Applicants have 90 minutes to answer one question.Ā The question needs to be answered in an essay format and should be presented in a logical and factual manner. Each point made should be supported by evidence and examples from the world of wine. Logic, facts and evidence . . . as a former lawyer, this is music to my ears! In other words, this is not a brain dump of everything you know about a subject matter.Ā Thereās no set word count ā but Richard Hemming gives an example of somewhere between 700 to 1,200 words (for point of reference ā this blog post is about 1,400 words)
The entrance exam questions are past MW exam questions ā or at least very, very similar. The MW exam covers five topics:
Viticulture
Vinification & Pre-Bottling Procedures
Handling of Wine
Business of Wine
Contemporary Issues
However, the entrance exam will only cover four of these. Iāve heard that the āContemporary Issuesā isnāt included on the entrance exam because the IMW wants to test applicants on their technical knowledge for admittance. Not sure if this is true or not, but it does make sense.
MW exam questions from the past 20 years (!!) can be found on the IMW website. For the entrance exam, applicants will choose one question from three options. The past two yearsā entrance exams are also published on the IMW website (seriously ā how fantastic is this transparency?!) Actual entrance exam questions change every day during the application process – smart move on the IMWās part to prevent collusion amongst applicants. Which Iād like to think doesnāt happen at this level, but then I remember what happened with the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Of the two exams, theory was the one I was most nervous about, so I spent most of my time preparing for this section. My āstrategyā for this hurdle was three-fold:
1.Ā Review Past MW Exam Questions From 2015 Onward. The idea of reviewing 20 years worth of questions was just too daunting and seemed like overkill for the entrance exam . . . and thatās coming from me ā the QUEEN of overkill.Ā So, I decided to focus on the past 6 years worth of questions. Interestingly, there does seem to be a number of topics that come up on the regular – yes, I’m looking at you sulfite levels.
2.Ā Focus Most of My Preparation on Q1 and Q4.Ā Based on my research, Viticulture (Q1) and The Business of Wine (Q4) come up as an option on every entrance exam ā with Vinification (Q2) & Wine Handling (Q3) rotating as the topic of the third option.Ā As a result, most of my research and prep work was done on past Viti and Wine Business questions.Ā And while I didnāt completely ignore Q2 & Q3, since these are already my weaker spots, I didnāt spend precious hours spinning my wheels on these subjects for the entrance exam.Ā If admitted to the program, I figure Iāll have several years to figure out all things Vini and Wine Handling.Ā Well, probably not ALL things . . .
For those of you doing the math at home, yes ā I had to answer only ONE question and I prepared for about 50. However, this process was by no means a waste of time because if I DO get in ā the Stage 1 Assessment exam for MW students is also based on past MW questions. So, having already reviewed and outlined several of these questions ā Iāll at least have a start for my studies. And if I donāt get in . . . well, I learned a lot of interesting things about wine.
Alrighty, that takes care of the Theory portion of the entrance exam.Ā Now letās look at the Tasting section, which Richard Hemming also briefly covers on the IMW website.
Tasting Section:
Applicants have 90 minutes to answer a series of questions about four wines. The entrance exam wines are released on the IMW website prior to the exam – so, obviously, the goal is not to simply identify the wines. Applicants can either purchase and taste these wines or do a ādry noteā based off of tech sheets, etc.
Also, this is NOT writing a WSET style tasting note (Halle-fucking-lujah!)Ā This type of note might help you draw your conclusions ā but the note itself is not what the IMW is looking for.Ā Historically, questions that have been asked include: identify variety and origin, discuss quality with reference to winemaking techniques, comment on the method of production and who would buy this wine.Ā Truth be told, I much prefer this approach for tasting notes as opposed to the regurgitation of five aroma descriptors and rote applicable of BLIC.Ā
My strategy for how to prepare for the tasting (aka practical) section of the entrance exam was also three-fold:
1. Attend the Online MW Intro Course. The IMW ran several introductory online live webinars in the months leading up to the entrance exams and I HIGHLY recommend anyone considering the program sign up for one as soon as the dates are released. The moderators walk attendees through the entire program, the application process and go through a practice tasting āMW style.ā After the course, I had a better understanding of what the IMW is looking for on the entrance exam and what evidence would help āproveā my conclusions of variety, origin, quality, etc.
2. Practice a Ton of Open Label Tasting. Since the entrance exam isnāt blind, doing lots of blind tasting as prep work wasn’t going to be overly beneficial to me. Instead, I practiced writing āMW styleā tasting notes a couple times a week and answered hypothetical questions about whatās in the glass ā origin, production methods, consumer appeal, etc. This helped me get into a groove with the IMW way of analyzing a wine.
For the life of me, I couldnāt find a Pale Cream Sherry anywhere (perhaps because over 90% of these wines are exported to the UK!)Ā So I did a dry note for this one, but purchased the other three wines.Ā In addition to tasting the wines (over & over), I also tracked down tech sheets, researched what these styles typically tasted like and how they were produced, and also read up on popularity (or lack thereof in this case) amongst mainstream consumers for these wine styles.
The Actual Entrance Exam!
I opted to get the tasting exam out of the way first and then take theory the following week. The IMW also had a mock exam, not necessarily to test your knowledge, but to get familiar with their online system. This was quite helpful – anything to remove exam day stress is key!
Without going into too much detail – for both exams, Iām happy with how much (and how) I prepared.Ā The IMW will release the entrance exam questions in a few months, so Iām not going to jump the gun and disclose them here. Ā In looking back, I put in a LOT of effort just to gain acceptance to the program.Ā But I wasn’t going to start off half-assed.Ā I wanted to give it my best shot ā and I did.
And now I just wait . . . Iāll find out in early September if Iāve been admitted to the program. Either way ā Iāll let you know!
Today, there are 416 Masters of Wine in the world. Without a doubt, achieving this distinction is an incredibly challenging feat. Nonetheless, Iāve officially decided to give it a go and apply for the Masters of Wine program later this year!
I plan to document my experiences here on my blog – so depending on how the application process goes, this might be a quick three-part series, or a several years long one. Iām inspired by what Richard Hemming did when he wrote about his Master of Wine journey for Jancis Robinsonās site, but if you’ve read me for any length of time you know my language will likely be a bit more . . . colorful? š
To become a Master of Wine, there are several hurdles to clear ā the first one being: get accepted into the program. So I’m focusing my energy on the application process right now (and not what might come after!) and am seriously hoping I donāt end up like this poor gal and miss this hurdle right out of the gate.
The Institute of Masters of Wine accepts applications annually each May. Individuals who are accepted into the program are usually notified sometime in September. So, like waiting for WSET Diploma results, youāre in for a relatively long waiting period where you can either obsess over it daily or forget about it because it’s outside of your control. Iāll try to do the latter, but ā letās be honest – will probably end up doing the former.
Recently, itās been estimated that between 50-60% of applicants are admitted. There are numerous requirements to even apply ā but after looking at the criteria, I believe I have a decent shot of getting in. And when doubts start to creep in (as they frequently do), I just ask myself: āwhy NOT me?ā
For those of you who are curious ā Iāve detailed the requirements for admission to the MW program as well as a WSET inspired personal āquality assessmentā of myself clearing these hurdles below. Disclaimer: as someone who is merely planning to apply, I obviously should NOT be your main source of information for this process ā the IMW website should be your true north.
Alrighty ā letās take a lap around the application process:
The Nine Hurdles of the MW Application Process
Hurdle #1: Wine Qualification ā Candidates must have a wine qualification āat the WSET Diploma level or equivalent.ā Based on the IMW website, a Bachelorās or Masterās in enology or viticulture, or a higher level sommelier certification (Advanced and above) would qualify as āequivalent.ā
My personal assessment: Outstanding. Iāve earned WSET Diploma, so this hurdle is easily cleared. Well . . . not āeasilyā ā but this is one requirement Iām confident Iāve satisfied.
Hurdle #2: Work in the Wine Trade ā Candidates must have a minimum of three years professional work experience in the global wine community. This encompasses everything from wine buyers to winemakers, journalists and educators.
My personal assessment: Very Good. I have several years wine retail experience in addition to being a WSET and IWS instructor. I also developed and taught one of the courses for the Gonzaga University Wine Institute. The only reason Iām not giving myself an āoutstandingā here is that this past year presented some challenges in pursuing a full-time career in the wine industry. I know Iām not alone with this, so am hopeful theyāll factor this into their decision.
It is also specified that candidates who may not meet the minimum three years experience requirement can apply if they feel they fit āwithin the spirit of the IMW missionā, which is: to promote excellence, interaction, and learning across all sectors of the global wine community. I strongly believe I satisfy this criteria. With my Instagram wine quizzes, mentoring and coaching of wine students, and leading corporate and consumer tastings ā my passion and career (albeit much of it gratis) is encouraging others to learn more about wine. Iām confident that my myriad of experiences in wine education will be enough to get me over this hurdle.
Hurdle #3: Reference Letter – Candidates must submit a letter of reference to support their application from a Master of Wine or another senior wine trade professional.
My personal assessment: Outstanding. Iāve already chatted with an MW and she has agreed to be my reference. Additionally, my Diploma instructor is a Master Sommelier (and would qualify as a āsenior wine trade professionalā) so I have a plan B if necessary.
Hurdles #4-7: Personal Statements and Supporting Documentation ā Candidates also must include the following with their application:
A statement regarding how you intend to dedicate sufficient study time to be fully prepared for the MW exam.
In no more than 500 words, a statement of motivation on how you see yourself contributing to the IMWās mission of promoting excellence, interaction and learning in the global wine community.
Brief details on your wine tasting experience and how you intend to access wines throughout your studies, in preparation for the MW exam.
Supporting documentation for your application,Ā such as copies of your WSET Diploma (or equivalent) certificate.
My personal assessment: Very Good. In short:
I have an incredibly supportive spouse (which is of utmost importance!) and no kids. After years in the corporate world, I’m at a point in my life where I have ample time, energy and passion to dedicate to studying for the MW exam.
As mentioned above, Iām currently spending countless hours on my edutaining wine quizzes and coaching wine students for certifications. And I truly LOVE doing this!! If this doesnāt fall within the mission of promoting āexcellence, interaction and learning in the global wine communityā ā frankly, Iām not sure what would.
For WSET Diploma, I personally purchased 95% of the wines necessary for the course. And although Iām willing to do this again for MW, Iām hopeful (as is Hubs!) that we can bring that percentage down a bit. As the world starts to open back up, Iām planning to resume regular tastings at my favorite local wine store, forming a tasting group and participating in blind tasting courses from local wine experts.
So . . . I actually donāt have this in hand ā and Iām not sure if I will by May. But thereās got to be a way for WSET global to confirm to IMW that I have indeed passed all required units of the Diploma. This is just a slight hiccup more than a hurdle.
Hurdle #8: Costs Associated with the Application – The MW program in total is several thousand dollars (weāll get into those details in a future post – gulp). The application alone is $325. There are scholarships available and I know of at least one individual who has established a GoFundMe account for his pursuit of MW. The costs are an unfortunate barrier to entry for many as opposed to merely a hurdle . . . and this is something that Iād like to help solve in the future.
My personal assessment: We are very fortunate to be in a position to afford the costs of the MW program. This is basically the college education and/or wedding of the children we didn’t have.
Final hurdle: Entrance Exam
Once candidates have met all the requirements above and submitted all the necessary documentation, thereās an online entrance exam consisting of a theory question and a practical tasting component. Iāll cover this last hurdle in detail in my next blog post. Just as there are techniques for clearing actual hurdles (who knew??!) ā there are techniques I plan to put in play to clearing the entrance exam as well.
Outwines 