Questions Uncorked

Jun 19, 2008

Hi Vivian,

Thanks for stopping by the website and also for your question. The Master of Wine title is an internationally recognized qualification awarded by the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) and is generally considered to be the highest level of certification that one can obtain in the wine trade. The IMW was originally started for the benefit of the UK wine trade in the 1950s and it has since become a world-wide organization.

In order to become a Master of Wine, you have to pass a 4 day exam that is the culmination of many years of study. The exam covers both the theoretical and the practical sides of the wine industry. There are 4 theory papers that cover all aspects of the wine industry and each paper involves writing several very detailed essays. There are also 3 tasting exams where you are given 12 wines and then asked to identify the wines and some of the winemaking techniques used as closely as possible. After you have successfully passed all of the different parts of the exam you are required to submit a dissertation on a topic of relevance to the wine industry. Once you have completed all of these steps you are awarded the title “Master of Wine” or, as many call it for short, “MW.” Becoming a Master of Wine was definitely one of the most difficult, exciting and demanding challenges I have ever accomplished!

Currently, there are 264 Masters of Wine from 22 different countries around the world. If you would like to read more about the IMW and the MW title, please check out the Institute’s website which can be found at www.mastersofwine.org.