🍷 Master of Wine

Master of Wine (MW) is a very hard title for a wine expert, awarded by the Institute of Masters of Wine in London. It is considered one of the most demanding qualifications in the wine world. Only a few achieve it: there are a few hundred Masters of Wine in the world.

To become a Master of Wine, a person first studies and works in the industry for years. Then they sit exams. These include a written part, in which they must reason about viticulture, winemaking, the wine trade and the wines of the world, a practical part with blind tasting, and a research paper on a chosen topic. Many candidates fail and try again.

Masters of Wine work in wine companies, shops and magazines, teach and write books. The title is not the same as sommelier: a sommelier works with wine in a restaurant, while Master of Wine is a broad expert qualification.

A Master of Wine is linked to wine in general and to wine critics, who also write about wine but do not necessarily hold the title. Alcohol is for adults.