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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.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
3 min read
When people say “sommelier pin”, they mean one of two things. The first is the lapel pin the Court of Master Sommeliers gives you when you pass one of its exams. You can't buy it; you earn it. The second is the grape pin that sommeliers and wine lovers wear by choice. You can buy that one, and anyone can wear it.
The Court of Master Sommeliers pins
The Court has four levels. Pass one, and you receive the certificate and the lapel pin for that level.
- Introductory Sommelier: a course and a multiple-choice theory exam, plus a short service test in Europe. You need 60% to pass.
- Certified Sommelier: three exams: theory, a blind tasting of two wines, and practical service.
- Advanced Sommelier: the same three exams, at a much higher level.
- Master Sommelier: the Diploma. Theory is tested by oral questioning, then a blind tasting of six wines and practical service, with 75% needed in each part. Since 1969, fewer than 300 people have earned the title.
Want to see each level's pin? The Court shows them in its Journal: the Court's four levels. Getting ready for the first one? Try my Level 1 Sommelier Practice Test.
Can you buy a Court pin?
No. A Court pin says you passed that level's exam. Wearing one you didn't earn tells guests something that isn't true, and in this job, the guest's trust is everything.
The grape pin anyone can wear
The grape cluster has long been the symbol of the sommelier, and grape pins are worn in dining rooms all over the world. A grape pin doesn't stand for an exam or a rank. It says you care about wine. Many sommeliers wear one during service, students wear one while they study, and wine lovers wear one to tastings.
If you buy one, check four things:
- Size: about 30 mm across. Bigger looks like a brooch.
- Finish: antique or matte. A polished pin flashes under dining-room lights and pulls the guest's eye away from the bottle.
- Back: a butterfly clutch that holds on a jacket through a long service.
- Box: worth having if it is a gift.
My SOMM DIGI Sommelier Grape Pin Set has two vintage-finish grape pins, one antique silver and one gold-black, in a velvet-lined gift box. For more on choosing and wearing a pin, see my guide site, Sommelier Pins.
Questions people ask
Do sommeliers have to wear a pin?
No. No rule says you must. A Court pin shows a qualification you earned; a grape pin is a personal choice.
What is the difference between a sommelier pin and a badge?
People use both words. Strictly, a badge is given to you: a name badge by your employer, a certification badge by an awarding body like the Court. A grape pin is one you choose yourself.
Which sommelier pin is the most prestigious?
The Master Sommelier pin. Fewer than 300 people have earned it since the first Master Sommelier exam in 1969.
Where can I buy a sommelier pin?
Grape pins are sold online, on Amazon and elsewhere. Court of Master Sommeliers pins are not for sale: you receive yours when you pass.
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