For sommeliers
Study andcareer.
Sommelier study and career from 15 years on the floor: a Level 1 course, Certified and Advanced study, quizzes and exam guides. Formerly sommdigiblog.com.
202 articlesRewritten for 2026
Most read
Exams & certifications
Level 1 sommelier practice test: 40 questions
A free Level 1 sommelier practice test: 40 questions with answers, how the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory course and exam work in 2026, and a study guide.
13 min read
Sommelier life
The Sommelier Pin: what each pin means, and how to get one
There are two kinds of sommelier pin. One you earn by passing an exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers. The other anyone can wear. Here is the difference.
3 min read
Exams & certifications
The Advanced Sommelier exam: how to prepare and pass
I failed my first Advanced in Austria and passed in Hong Kong in 2019. Here is what each part asks, what failing taught me, and how I would prepare in 2026.
7 min read
Exams & certifications
The WSET Level 3 tasting grid, and how to pass Level 3
The tasting grid, step by step, in plain words. The exam as it is in 2026. And what helped me pass with Merit.
4 min read
Working in wine
Sommelier salary: how much does a sommelier make in 2026?
The average US sommelier salary is $66,844 a year (Salary.com, Oct 2026). The pay range, New York pay, what moves it, and what Master Sommeliers make.
4 min read
Loire
The best Sancerre: a sommelier's guide to the producers
What makes Sancerre taste the way it does, the soils and villages to know, and the producers I would buy, from easy to find to worth hunting.
3 min read
Free course
The Level 1 sommelier course
27 lessons · in order
- 01Viticulture and vinification for the Level 1 Sommelier exam
- 02Bordeaux for the Level 1 sommelier exam: a study guide
- 03Burgundy for the Level 1 sommelier exam: a study guide
- 04Champagne for the Level 1 sommelier exam: a study guide
- 05Alsace for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 06The Loire for the Level 1 sommelier exam: regions, grapes and styles
- 07The Rhône for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 08The South of France for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 09Italy for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 10Spain for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 11Portugal for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 12Germany for Level 1, line by line
- 13Austria for Level 1 sommeliers: the study guide
- 14Greece for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 15US wine for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 16Argentina for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 17Chile for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 18Australia for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 19New Zealand for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 20South Africa for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 21Sparkling wine for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 22Fortified wines: Sherry, Port and Madeira
- 23Aperitif wines, liqueurs and bitters
- 24Spirits for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 25Beer and cider for the Level 1 exam
- 26Saké for the Level 1 sommelier exam
- 27Food and wine pairing for the Level 1 sommelier exam
By topic
Exams & certifications
26- After the Certified Sommelier exam: jobs and next steps
- ASI vs CMS: two sommelier paths compared
- Certified Sommelier exam: the study tools that work
- Certified sommelier practice test: 40 questions
- Certified Sommelier service exam: practical tips to pass
- Classic gin cocktails for the Certified Sommelier exam
- CMS-A and CMS-EU: how they work together
- Court of Master Sommeliers: the Americas and Europe compared
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- Food and wine pairing for CMS exams: what the Court expects
- How much does sommelier certification cost? The 2026 fees
- How to become a Certified Sommelier: the steps, the exam and how to prepare
- How to pass the CSW: the Certified Specialist of Wine exam
- How to pass the French Wine Scholar exam
- How to use the Court of Master Sommeliers syllabus
- Is the Court of Master Sommeliers the best sommelier course?
- Level 1 sommelier practice test: 40 questions
- Sales & Service for the Wine Professional
- Sommelier exam questions by level, with answers
- The Advanced Sommelier exam: how to prepare and pass
- The Certified Sommelier theory exam
- The WSET Diploma (Level 4): what it is and how to earn it
- The WSET Level 3 tasting grid, and how to pass Level 3
- The WSET wine courses: levels, costs and which to take
- What is the Certified Sommelier practical exam?
- Wine crossword puzzles: a better way to learn sommelier terms
- WSET vs CMS: what's the difference, and which should you choose?
Winemaking & vineyard
14- A vine's year: from budburst to harvest
- Biodynamic wine: where it came from and what it means today
- Coulure and millerandage: when vine flowers don't become grapes
- French wine terms: a sommelier's glossary, from terroir to cépage
- How sunlight shapes wine, from leaf to glass
- Malolactic fermentation in Chardonnay
- Malolactic fermentation: the complete guide
- Natural wine vs regular wine: what's actually different
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- Pulp, skin and seeds: what each part of the grape gives wine
- Sur lie ageing: what every sommelier should know
- Vine diseases explained: fungal, bacterial, viral and phytoplasma
- Viticulture and vinification for the Level 1 Sommelier exam
- Why grapevine leaves matter so much to your wine
- Wine barrels from A to Z: names, sizes and where they come from
Working in wine
12- Basic wine knowledge for servers
- English writing skills for wine and hospitality
- How to become a sommelier: the path, the exams and the real job
- How to start a career in wine
- How to write a sommelier resume: what to include, with a template
- Sommelier and wine quotes, and who really said them
- Sommelier levels: from commis to wine director
- Sommelier movies: the wine films and documentaries worth watching
Italy
11- 5 Prosecco Rosé producers to try
- Barolo: where it comes from and what it costs
- Franciacorta: Italy's traditional-method sparkling
- Gavi: Piedmont's white wine, and what Gavi di Gavi means
- Italian Cabernet Sauvignon: wines, places, names
- Italian dessert wines, from light to strong
- Italian wine terms, from terreno to vitigno
- Italy for the Level 1 sommelier exam
Service & the floor
11- 4 common guest complaints about wine
- Bin numbers on a wine list: why they matter and how to set them up
- Code38 wine key review: a sommelier's honest take
- How to calculate the true cost of a cocktail, step by step
- Mise en place for wine service: the sommelier's checklist
- The best wine keys for sommeliers
- The modern wine list: clearer, greener and built for guests
- The tastevin: the sommelier's silver cup
Quizzes
10- Alsace quiz: 15 Level 1 sommelier questions
- Barolo quiz: 12 sommelier questions
- Bordeaux quiz: 15 Level 1 sommelier questions
- Cabernet Sauvignon quiz: 15 questions
- Champagne quiz: 15 Level 1 questions on the region
- Greece quiz: Macedonia at Advanced level
- Hard wine quiz: 12 sommelier questions
- Loire quiz: 15 Level 1 sommelier questions
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Bordeaux
9- Bordeaux basics: rivers, grapes and climate
- Bordeaux for the Certified Sommelier exam: the study guide
- Bordeaux for the Level 1 sommelier exam: a study guide
- Bordeaux quiz: 20 questions for sommelier students
- Petrus: what it is, why it costs so much, and how to serve it
- Saint-Estèphe: the wines and the châteaux to know
- The 1855 Bordeaux classification: full list
- White Bordeaux: the grapes, the styles and where to find them
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Champagne
9- Champagne for the Certified Sommelier exam: the study guide
- Champagne for the Level 1 sommelier exam: a study guide
- Champagne Grand Cru: the 17 villages, and what the label means
- Champagne label codes: what NM, RM, CM and the other initials mean
- Champagne vs sparkling wine: what's the difference?
- How much Champagne do you need?
- How to pronounce Champagne names: Moët, Clicquot, Krug and more
- Learning Champagne as a sommelier: what to know at every level
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White grapes
9- Gewürztraminer: the grape, the wine and what to eat with it
- Is Chardonnay sweet or dry? Styles, aromas, regions
- Moscato: a friendly guide to the sweet one
- Pinot Grigio: what it tastes like, region by region
- Riesling: the grape, dry vs sweet, and how to read the label
- Sauvignon Blanc vs Pinot Grigio: which is for you?
- Sauvignon Blanc: the grape, regions and aromas
- Seven white grapes to know, and how to say them
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Books
6- 3 wine books for beginners, and how to choose yours
- 5 must-read books for sommeliers
- Excel for sommeliers: a master wine list
- Message in the Bottle by Tim Gaiser: what's inside, and who it's for
- My sommelier and wine books on Amazon, and which one is for you
- Sommelier certification books: what to read for each exam