Study and careerExams & certifications
WSET vs CMS: what's the difference, and which should you choose?
The Court of Master Sommeliers examines sommeliers, service included. WSET teaches wine to everyone else, and to sommeliers too. I've done both: here is how they compare.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
4 min read
The short answer: the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) trains and examines sommeliers: theory, service and, from the second level, blind tasting. WSET (the Wine & Spirit Education Trust) teaches wine, spirits and sake to anyone, in the trade or not, and examines theory and written tasting, with no service exam. If you work on a restaurant floor, or want to, choose the Court. For almost everything else, start with WSET.
Even the Court says so. On its Introductory page, the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe recommends WSET's courses to people in the trade or interested in wine who don't need their service skills examined.
I've done both. My first Court course was the Introductory in Napa in 2012. I passed WSET Level 3 with Merit in February 2013, then went back to the Court for the Certified and the Advanced, which I passed in 2019. Where I stand: I work with the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, whose online Learning Portal SOMM DIGI builds.
Side by side
| Compare | Court of Master Sommeliers | WSET |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Sommeliers and hospitality professionals; the Americas' Introductory is also open to wine lovers | Anyone: the wine trade, hospitality, students and wine lovers |
| Levels | Introductory, Certified, Advanced, Master Sommelier Diploma | Levels 1, 2 and 3, then the Level 4 Diploma |
| Entry | Each level needs the one before; no skipping | None for Levels 1 and 2; Level 2 recommended before Level 3; Level 3 required for the Diploma |
| Theory | Multiple choice and short answer; oral at Master level | Multiple choice; short written answers at Level 3; open-response papers at the Diploma |
| Tasting | Blind, from the Certified: written at Certified, spoken at Advanced and Master | Written, with WSET's Systematic Approach to Tasting, examined from Level 3 |
| Service | Examined at every level in Europe; from the Certified in the Americas | Not examined |
| Who teaches | The Courts' own courses, taught by Master Sommeliers | Approved course providers worldwide, in class or online |
| Top title | Master Sommelier (MS) | DipWSET, which WSET calls good preparation for the Master of Wine |
- Who it's for
- Court of Master SommeliersSommeliers and hospitality professionals; the Americas' Introductory is also open to wine lovers
- WSETAnyone: the wine trade, hospitality, students and wine lovers
- Levels
- Court of Master SommeliersIntroductory, Certified, Advanced, Master Sommelier Diploma
- WSETLevels 1, 2 and 3, then the Level 4 Diploma
- Entry
- Court of Master SommeliersEach level needs the one before; no skipping
- WSETNone for Levels 1 and 2; Level 2 recommended before Level 3; Level 3 required for the Diploma
- Theory
- Court of Master SommeliersMultiple choice and short answer; oral at Master level
- WSETMultiple choice; short written answers at Level 3; open-response papers at the Diploma
- Tasting
- Court of Master SommeliersBlind, from the Certified: written at Certified, spoken at Advanced and Master
- WSETWritten, with WSET's Systematic Approach to Tasting, examined from Level 3
- Service
- Court of Master SommeliersExamined at every level in Europe; from the Certified in the Americas
- WSETNot examined
- Who teaches
- Court of Master SommeliersThe Courts' own courses, taught by Master Sommeliers
- WSETApproved course providers worldwide, in class or online
- Top title
- Court of Master SommeliersMaster Sommelier (MS)
- WSETDipWSET, which WSET calls good preparation for the Master of Wine
The real difference: service and deduction
Two things set the Court apart. First, service: you are examined on the floor, opening and pouring, recommending and selling, with an examiner playing your guest. Second, deductive tasting: at the Advanced and Master levels, you describe six wines out loud and name, where you can, the grape, the country, the district and the vintage.
WSET's tasting asks something different: describe the wine precisely, in a fixed vocabulary, then judge its quality and readiness to drink. For me, it is the better school for understanding why a wine tastes as it does. My guide to the WSET Level 3 tasting grid shows how it works.
Which one should you choose?
- You work on a restaurant floor, or want to: the Court. Service is what you do every night, and only the Court examines it.
- You work in retail, import, distribution, marketing or wine writing, or you simply love wine: WSET. Its courses are built for you, and you can study online.
- You're new and not sure yet: WSET Level 2 or the Court's Introductory. The Court recommends some service experience before its Introductory.
- You want the full picture: do both. WSET gives you the why; the Court gives you the floor.
How the levels line up
They don't, officially. There is no equivalence between the two ladders, and the exams test different skills. WSET Level 3 has no service exam; the Certified Sommelier has no long written answers. Treat them as two different tools, not two rungs of the same ladder.
What they cost
As of October 2026: the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe charges £695 for the Introductory and £325 for the Certified in the UK. At WSET School London, WSET's own school, Level 2 is £630 and Level 3 £995 (£465 and £755 online). Elsewhere, prices vary by course provider and country. The full list, with the Americas, is in what sommelier certification costs.
Whichever you choose, the study habit is the same: a little every day. SOMM DIGI AI has 3,000+ exam-prep questions for both paths.
Questions people ask
Is WSET or CMS better for a sommelier?
The Court of Master Sommeliers, because it examines service and deductive tasting, the two skills of the job. WSET is a strong base of theory and tasting, and the two work well together.
Is WSET Level 3 equal to Certified Sommelier?
No. There is no official equivalence: the Certified examines service and blind tasting in person; Level 3 examines theory and written tasting.
Can I do both WSET and CMS?
Yes. Nothing stops you, and they complement each other. I took the Court's Introductory, then WSET Level 3, then the Court's Certified and Advanced.
Which is harder, WSET or CMS?
They are hard in different ways. The Court's tasting and service exams happen live, in front of examiners. WSET's are written, and the Diploma asks for long, analytical answers.
Do I need WSET before the Court of Master Sommeliers?
No. The Court's ladder starts with its own Introductory, and WSET is not required. Some candidates find WSET Level 2 or 3 a helpful base for the theory.
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