The so called Master of Wine are without a doubt the top prescribers within the world of wine.
The Institute of the Master of Wine was created in London in 1955 to promote “professional excellence and knowledge of the art, science and business of wine”.
It may seem paradoxical that the institute and the most important and pretigious title were created in a country whose wine production is fairly minimal, but it is also true that the United Kingdom is one of the world’s largest wine importers.
What you need to do to become a MW
In order to qualify for Master of Wine first we need to pass the 4 levels of the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) or be in possession of a high level degree in oenology. Once thisis dealt with, the applicant needs the endorsement of two Master of Wine that will mentor the candidate along the way.
From thereon, two courses of great difficulty in order to learn about viticulture, oenology and wines from throughout the world.
If successful, you are probably ready for an extremely hard exam in London, the last steppin stone before attempting the final stage of the program, the Research Paper, a wine-related work from any area of of the sciences, art , humanities or any other discipline. Then and only then one can be granted the much coveted “MW”.
MW candidates invest five years on average to obtain the title and become part of the upper rank of the world of wine.
The tasks of a MW
The level of expertise archieved by a Master of Wine is quite impressive, they are extremely accurate wine tasting, they communicate well and have a vast knowledge on every grape variety, wine regions, climatology, wine style, last tendencies and mostly each and every other aspect related to wine. They can do well as winemakers or writers but they primarily focus on consulting and advisory services to wine producers.
MW Vs. Sommelier
Although it is not a fair comparison, we can see a few differences. Basically the background of a sommelier is normally a restaurant and the range of articles to take care of is not limited only to wine. But even though this level of virtuosity seems almost like science fiction, the goal is still the same: relax and enjoy your wine.
