How to become a sommelier

The World of the Sommelier

All the secrets of an unlikely seducer

• The World of the Sommelier: The figure of the sommelier, the requirements to become a sommelier, AIS, FIS or FISAR.

• Cellar management: Ideal environment, bottle layout, wine cellar of the day and wine cabinets, procurement and cellar management, purchasing.

• Wine Reloading: Stock rotation, wine sales, sales price.
• The customer is right: How to deal with customers (restaurant, wine bar, GDO).
• Sommelier Tools: Corkscrew, wine basket, decanter, bucket, glacette, wine thermometer, cork stopper, wine trolley.
• Wine service: From cellar to table, presentation of the bottle, presentation of the important bottle, opening the bottle, decanting, table service, precedence.
• Service priorities: Who should serve the wine first at the table? In what order should you serve?
• The restaurant menuMenu setting, à la carte menu, banquet menu, theme menu, tasting menu, fixed price menu.

How is wine made?

From the vineyard to the bottle: do you know what you are drinking?

Viticulture

• The vineVitis vinifera, how a vineyard is born, grafting techniques, vine and rootstock, vine cycle, grape ripening, problems and diseases, types of viticulture.
• The vineyardVineyard quality - internal factors (vine genetics, rootstock) and external factors (soil and climatic environment, cultivation techniques) + how the cultivation soil influences the organoleptic characteristics of the wine.
• Grapesbunch, berry, pulp.

Enology

• The must: What is must, from grapes to must, yeasts in must.
• The must: Treatments for white wine-making, treatments for red wine-making.
• White vinification
• Red vinification
• Wine yeasts: fermentation with indigenous yeasts, alcoholic fermentation, technological characteristics of wine yeasts, health characteristics of wine yeasts.
• Malolactic fermentation
• Maturation, ageing & refiningwhat are they and what are they for?
• The barrel: Types of wood, how to prepare a barrel, which barrel to use.
• Wine ageingsmall barrel or big barrel?
• Wine treatments - cellar practicesdecanting, racking, draining, clarification, filtration, fermentation, pasteurisation and wine corrections.
• ClarificationIs gelatin or albumin better?
• Contains sulphiteswhy is carbon dioxide added?
• BottlingBottle types, cap types and rules of use.
• Wine ageing: How does bottle size affect this?
• Wine alterations, defects and diseases: Difference between alterations, defects and diseases; what they are, causes, effects, how to recognise them.
• How to recognise if a wine tastes corked?

Sparkling Wines

• Sparkling winesThe classical method.
• Sparkling winesThe charmat method.
• Sparkling winesThe ancestral method

Sweet Wines

• Sweet wines: Raisin wines.
• Sweet winesLate Harvest Wines.
• Sweet winesIce Wine.
• Sweet winesMoulded wines.

Fortified Wines

• Fortified wines: The Port.
• Fortified winesThe Marsala.
• Fortified winesMadeira.
• Fortified winesSherry.
• Fortified winesAromatised wines.

Tasting

How to shoot the crap... er recognise (often imaginary) scents and be convincing!

• Tasting: Wine analysis, tasting rules, AIS terminology.
• The glass: Glass shape, glass and crystal, tastevin, tasting glass, glass for each wine, how to keep glasses clean.
• Visual examinationSight: The eye, stages of visual examination, wine appearance. Clarity: What it is, how it is assessed, glossary. Colour: What it is, how to assess, glossary. Consistency: What it is, how to evaluate, when to evaluate, glossary. Effervescence: What it is, how to assess it, types of effervescent wines, glossary.
• Olfactory examinationThe nose, stages of the olfactory examination, wine perfume, description of perfume. The world of wine fragrances. IntensityWhat it is, how it is evaluated, glossary. QualityWhat it is, how it is evaluated, glossary. ComplexityWhat it is, how it is evaluated, glossary.
• Taste-olfactory examinationTaste, stages of the olfactory taste test, the taste of wine. Taste sensations, tactile sensations, taste-olfactory sensations, wine temperature. Wine composition and taste, structure, balance, intensity, persistence, quality of taste.
• Is the wine ready to drink?

Evaluation forms

• Evaluation form: AIS wine tasting terminology, AIS analytical-descriptive card, AIS points card, ONAV wine organoleptic examination card, AEEI still wine sensory analysis card, UIE points card.
• Scorecard: What it is, evaluation bands, correction coefficients, wine score, visual examination, olfactory examination, taste-olfactory examination, harmony.
• Glossary: What are the terms you absolutely must know?

Italian Wine

We have arrived at the terrible nightmare of AOCs and DOCGs... 😱

Wine in Italy

• Wine in ItalyLegislation and classification.
• Wine in Italy: Labelling, how to learn to read the label.
• Wine in Italy: Marks.

Regions in Italy

• Abruzzo: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Basilicata: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Calabria: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Campania: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Emilia: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Romagna: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Liguria: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Lazio: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Lombardy: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Brands: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Molise: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Piedmont: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Apulia: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Sardinia: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Sicily: Climate, soils, gastronomy, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Tuscany: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Trentino: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• South Tyrol: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Umbria: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Aosta Valley: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.
• Veneto: Climate, soils, suitable grape varieties, wine-growing areas, DOC & DOCG, gastronomy, key wines and food and wine pairings.

Wine in the World

Because France is France, always!

Main (other) countries where you may not know that there is also good drinking!

Wine in America

• Wine in America | USA, California: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | USA, Oregon: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | USA, Washington: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | USA, New York: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | USA, Texas: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | USA, New Mexico: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | Canada: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | Mexico: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | Argentina: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | Brazil: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | Chile: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in America | Uruguay: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.

Wine in Oceania

• Wine in Oceania | Australia: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in Oceania | New Zealand: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.

Wine in Africa

• Wine in Africa | Republic of South Africa: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.

Wine in Asia

• Wine in Asia | China: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in Asia | Japan: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in Asia | Israel: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, viticultural practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.
• Wine in Asia | Lebanon: History of wine, climate, soil, grape varieties, wine-growing practices, oenology, key areas, key wines, gastronomy and food and wine pairings.

Food and wine pairing

How to choose wine and make a good impression (not only in front of people who don't know shit)

The taste of food

• The taste of food | IngredientsAcids, water, minerals, vitamins, bitters, fats, essential oils, proteins, sugars.
• The taste of food | Cooking: Bain-marie cooking, steaming, boiling, baking in foil, vacuum cooking, stewing, braising, cooking in a non-stick pan, sautéing, frying, in a microwave oven, in a traditional oven, on a barbecue, on a grill, on a griddle.
• The taste of food | ConservationRefrigeration, freezing, freezing, drying, freeze-drying, pasteurisation, sterilisation, vacuum packing, pickling, pickling in salt, in sugar, in oil, in vinegar, in alcohol, in ferments, smoking, radiation.

Food tasting

• Tasting food | Savoury sensations: Savouriness, acid tendency, bitterish tendency, sweetness.
• Tasting food | Tactile sensations: Fatness, succulence, unctuousness.
• Tasting food | Taste sensationsAromaticity, spiciness.

Food examination

• Food examination | Visual examinationAppearance and presentation.
• Food examination | Olfactory examinationFreshness and harmony, intensity and quality.
• Food examination | Taste-olfactory examination: Evaluation of structure, evaluation of balance, evaluation of harmony.
• Food Examination | Food and Wine Pairing Sheet: How the AIS food and wine pairing card works, how to fill in the card, the chart, practical cases.

Wine tasting as a function of pairing

• Wine tasting (pairing) | The role of smoothnessAlcohol, sweetness, smoothness.
• Wine tasting (pairing) | The role of hardnessAcidity, savouriness, tannicity.
• Wine tasting (pairing) | The role of structure: How does structure influence the choice of wine?
• Wine tasting (pairing) | The role of carbon dioxide (bubbles): How does effervescence affect the perception of food? And of wine?
• Wine tasting (pairing) | The role of intensity and persistence: How does intensity and taste-olfactory persistence influence pairing? What is PAI?

Food and wine pairing technique

• Food and wine pairing techniques | Types of pairing: Territorial pairing, seasonal pairing, enhancement pairing, psychological pairing, pairing by concordance, pairing by contrast.

Food types and pairings

• Food types and pairings | OilHow is olive oil made? Types of olive oil, types of olives, regions, oils produced and how to use them, seed oil.
• Food types and combinations | Butter, lard, margarineProduction, taste, use.
• Food types and pairings | Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar (production, taste, use), wine vinegar (production, taste, use), rice vinegar (production, taste, use)
• Food types and combinations | SaucesRoux and bottoms, mother sauces, base sauces, derived sauces, marinades and dressings, sauces and wine.
• Food types and combinations | Aromatic herbs, spicesTypes, use and combination.
• Food types and combinations | Garlic, onion, leek, shallotTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and combinations | Tubers, rootsTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and combinations | Famous compound saladsTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and combinations | LegumesTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | RiceTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | PastaTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | PizzaTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | EggsTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | MeatTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | Cold cutsTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | CheesesTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | Barbed fishTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | CrustaceansTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and combinations | MolluscsTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and combinations | Frogs & snailsTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | DessertsTypes, use, combination.
• Food types and pairings | ChocolateTypes, use, combination.

Not just wine

Unbelievable: even beer, spirits and liqueurs have their dignity!

Beer

• Beer | IngredientsCereals, hops, water, yeast.
• Beer | ProductionMalt, must, fermentation, filtration and pasteurisation, packaging.
• Beer | Brewing styles, bottom-fermenting beers
• Beer | Brewing styles, top-fermented beers
• Beer | Brewing styles, spontaneously fermented beers
• Beer | Tasting: Serving (temperature, glass, tapping), Evaluations (visual, olfactory and taste-olfactory examination), aromas and faults.
• Beer | Beer-Food Pairing

Distillates

• Distillates | Distillation processPreparation of the must, fermentation of the must, distillation of the must, stabilisation of the distillate and optional procedures. Composition of the distillate.
• Distillates | Service of a distillateGlass and temperature.
• Distillates | Tasting a distillateVisual examination, olfactory examination, taste-olfactory examination, Taste-olfactory Persistence (PGO).
• Distillates | Types of distillate, Armagnac: Wine distillate from France.
• Distillates | Types of distillate, Cognac: Wine distillate from France.
• Distillates | Types of distillate, Grappa: Distillate of marc from Italy.
• Distillates | Distillate types, Rum: Sugar cane distillate from the Equator.
• Distillates | Types of distillate, Tequila: Distillate of Blue Agave from Mexico.
• Distillates | Types of distillate, Vodka: Distillate of cereals and tubers from Russia.
• Distillates | Types of distillate, Whisky: Distillate of cereals from Scotland.

Passing the examination to become a Sommelier

How it works, tips & questions... it's all about CUL...ture!

The AIS examination

• AIS 2022 examination questionsstudy together?
• The AIS examination: New AIS Examination (after 2019)
• The AIS examination: How long does the exam take? How is the exam structured? What do they ask in the exam? Questions and answers from past exams (you can close the answers to help you study!)
• The AIS exam | My AIS exam: The questions they asked me, the wines I tasted... and the answers to the questions you emailed me with my tips for passing the exam.
• The AIS exam | AIS 2015 exam questions: The exam questions you readers sent me and my answers to study on.
• The AIS exam | AIS 2016 exam questions, tab 1: The exam questions you readers sent me and my answers to study on.
• The AIS exam | AIS 2016 exam questions, tab 2: The exam questions you readers sent me and my answers to study on.
• The AIS exam | AIS 2017 exam questions: exam simulation

Study method & advice

• Study method & tips | Study techniques: Techniques for studying less and better for the exam.
• Study method & advice | When wine tastes corked: How to recognise a wine that tastes corked? (Because we sommeliers only like mushrooms in tagliatelle! 🤣)
• Study method & advice | AIS exam rejectionhow to avoid it?

As always, good luck and... let's get this wolf drunk!!! 🍀