Advanced Sommelier Certificate
€1.290
About this course
Court of Master Sommeliers/ International Sommelier Studies – The most prestigious professional qualification
About the course
The Court of Master Sommelier is the most prestigious professional qualification that anyone can achieve internationally for the service of wines, spirits and other alcoholic beverages whether in the Tourism, Hospitality / Hotel or Catering market.
The successful completion of the exams is a necessary requirement for the Certification and the Certification itself is a prerequisite for achieving the higher most inter-professional global title of ‘Master Sommelier’.
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World-wide, the term Sommelier is synonymous with the Court of Master Sommeliers Certification. In 1969 the first formal Master Sommelier examination in Great Britain was held. By 1977 the Court of Master Sommeliers was recognised as the leading international examination body. In Greece the programmes provided are: LEVEL I / Introductory Sommelier Course, LEVEL II / Certified Sommelier Exam, & Level III / Advanced Sommelier Course and exams.
Πρόγραμμα Μαθημάτων και Διδακτέα Ύλη
CMS Advanced Sommelier Certificate
Learning Goals
The Advanced Sommelier course will:
- discuss, recommend and serve aperitifs, spirits and liqueurs, displaying a sound knowledge of the products.
- select, prepare and position glassware necessary for the service of drinks in the lounge, restaurant, function room or private suite.
- present, offer, prepare (decanting where necessary) and serve wines, demonstrating a high degree of efficiency and proficiency.
- discuss menu content and wine lists, recommending wines to accompany food, displaying a sound knowledge of the products, their vintages and characteristics.
- handle queries and complaints with skill and diplomacy.
- demonstrate a sound knowledge of Beverage Management including an ability to train beverage servers.
- demonstrate an ability to sell.
- orally describe the characteristics of wines.
- analyse classic styles of wine, identifying where appropriate, grape varieties, country and district of origin, vintage and quality level.
Enrollment Process
- To enroll to the Advanced Sommelier course there is a waiting list, and you first must receive an invitation from the CMS. In order to enroll please contact the CMS directly.
- The registration is completed once you pay the full amount of tuition fees, through the e-shop, or by making a bank deposit and complete the Registration Form.
- After the payment you will receive the Registration Form which must be filled out and returned to the Admissions Officers. Your enrollment is automatically completed once Admissions has received a fully completed Registration From.
- To enroll you have to be at least 18 years old.
- Successful completion of the Certified Sommelier Qualification is a mandatory prerequisite for participation in the MS Advanced Certificate.
- It is necessary to have a valid email address, as all information about your studies is electronically documented.
- Receiving your Certificate from Court of Master Sommelier:
Following the successful completion of the course and receiving a passing grade, your Certificate will be issued. You will receive your Certificate the last day of your studies, along with the label pin.
In the even that you misplace or damage the original Certificate, a duplicate copy will be issued after the payment of the appropriate fee. - Once the registration deadline has passed no late registrations will be accepted.
Cancellation Terms & Policy
- The program tuition is paid in full prior to the commencement of the course and applies only to the specific selected course. Tuition fees are non-transferrable to future courses.
- The registration can be cancelled up to two (2) months before the course date. However, a minimum administrative charge and the bank transfer charges will be deducted.
- For fees paid by credit card, a handling fee of 3.5% of the paid course fee will be restrained.
- Cancellation in less than two months before the course date will incur a 50% loss of the whole tuition fees amount.
- Cancellation in less than a month and/ or after the start of the program will incur the loss of the whole tuition fees amount.
- Any withdrawals are not refundable (course and/ or exam/s).
- In the occasion due to force majeure, that the Greek Government applies restrictions and or lockdown to educational organizations and lessons are interrupted, as happened with the COVID-19 pandemic, registrations will be automatically transferred to the next available CMS Athens course, with no extra charge.
- In the occasion that you are not able to attend the course due to coronavirus restrictions (lockdown) that may apply in your country of residence/origin, WSPC will automatically transferred your registration to the next available CMS Athens course, with no extra charge.
- Liability: For accidents and other damages we can only inherit liabilities within the scope of the legal liability. We do not inherit liabilities for accidents and other damages on the way to and from the course venues. At tending excursions and visiting programmes etc. are at your own risk. Furthermore WSPC is not liable for lost clothing, valuables, etc.
- WSPC maintains the right to cancel a course due to insufficient student enrollment. In such an event enrolled students will either be transferred to the next available course or will be refunded.
Methods of Payment:
- Bank Deposit
1.Bank: ALPHA BANK
Eden Mare Branch (155).
Currency: Euro.
Account/ Company Name: WSPC LTD.
Account No.: 118-00-2330-000482
BIC No: CRBAGRAAXXX
IBAN: GR33 0140 1180 1180 0233 0000 482
2.Bank: PIRAEUS BANK
Sygrou Branch.
Currency: Euro.
Account/ Company Name: Wine & Spirit Professional Centre LTD/ Educational Organization.
Account No.: 6727-113141-025
BIC No: PIRBGRAA
IBAN: GR73 0171 7270 0067 2711 3141 025
3.Bank: EUROBANK
Currency: Euro
Account/ Company Name: Wine & Spirit Professional Centre LTD/ Educational Organization.
Account No.: 0026.0019.54.0201143015
BIC No: ERBKGRAA
IBAN: GR06 0260 0190 0005 4020 1143 015When depositing the fees, candidates are required to complete their full name & details. In the case of the deposits made by Firms, the full company name & address must be shown.
- Credit card: Visa & MasterCard
Main principles
The following expectations are designed to improve the quality of the WSPC classroom experience. We therefore ask our students to honor the following principles aimed at building a positive and productive learning environment based on mutual respect while in class.
Do not miss classes
Students that attend classes regularly are more likely to pass their exams – and with better grades. In case of absence, it is a student’s responsibility to catch up with notes, assignments and /or wines tasted in class that day.
Do not be late
Arriving on time to class is an act of respect for your fellow students and instructors. If, despite your best efforts, you arrive late, make sure you enter the classroom discreetly and pick the first available seat.
Come to class well prepared
Preparation before class is essential for a better understanding of the curricula. Students that turn in assignments on time build up their knowledge and increase the possibility of scoring higher at exams. Assignments not turned in within the deadline will not be accepted.
Turn your mobile off while in class
This is also a sign of respect. In case you are expecting an urgent call, you are kindly requested to inform your instructor at the beginning of the class and keep your mobile on silent mode. Upon call reception, please exit the class as discreetly as possible.
Please note that the use of portable electronic devices (mobile, laptop, MP3 player etc) while in class is not allowed, as can be distracting to faculty and students, may infringe upon privacy or copyright, and can have a negative effect on classroom discussions. The bottles of every wine flight tasted remain in display after class, so students may take photos of the labels for their convenience.
Avoid side conversations
This is common courtesy towards your classmates and instructors. Talking to each other may be distracting and counterproductive.
Avoid dominating discussion
Participation in class is important and queries enhance comprehension of the curricula. The time dedicated to Q&As is based on the instructor’s discretion. It is important that students respect the time set for queries during class, avoid talking out of turn and give others a fair opportunity to participate.
THE ABOVE PRINCIPLES ALSO APPLY DURING THE EXAMINATIONS
Important information about examinations
The Advanced Sommelier Examination comprises of:
- 24 multiple-choice questions and 60 short answer questions in 1 hour,
- practical tasting of 6 wines tasted blind in 25 minutes, and
- 45-minute Practical Service test
The pass mark is 60%. All three sections must be passed together.
The examination language is English.
Re-sit
Candidates should contact CMS and request a re-sit. Candidates who have passed are not permitted to retake the Advanced Exams to improve their grade.
Examination conditions and regulations
- Upon registration for an examination, candidates are deemed to acknowledge and agree to the following specific conditions:
- at the start of the examination all candidates must supply the invigilator with proof of identity in the form of photographic ID, a valid passport or valid driver’s license
- Candidates must have their own: pencil type HB2, eraser, sharpener
- Candidates must have their own individual water bottle
- the examination is to be completed in the time specified
- no reference is to be made to any material, in whatever form, other than the examination question paper and answer sheet
- once the invigilator has declared that examination conditions are in place, no communication of any kind between candidates is permitted until they have left the examination room or the invigilator has announced the end of the examination
- during the examination candidates are only permitted to have the following items on their desk: tasting glasses, spittoon, pencils, erasers, and drinking water
- it is prohibited for candidates to take any photographs of the examination room or examination materials
- for tasting examinations candidates should not wear perfume, aftershave lotion or any other strong scent
- the use of electronic devices of any kind is prohibited
- mobile phones must not be on the examination desk, they must be switched off and placed out of sight
- the use of dictionaries of any kind is prohibited
- the use of audible ‘alarms’ on any clock or watch is prohibited
- candidates may not leave the room until the first 15 minutes of the examination time have elapsed
- candidates who arrive late may be allowed to enter the room at the discretion of the invigilator and only if other candidates are not compromised. Under normal circumstances we would not expect any candidate to be allowed to start the examination if they arrive more than 30 minutes after the published start time
- candidates who arrive after the published start time will NOT be allowed to sit the examination if any other candidate has already left the examination
- candidates may not leave, and then return to, the examination room once the examination has started unless they can be accompanied by an invigilator at all times while they are out of the examination room
- candidates who complete the examination/assessment early may leave the examination room up until the last 10 minutes, providing they do not disturb other candidates; no re-admission is permitted
- invigilators have no authority to comment upon, interpret, or express an opinion on any examination question
- any candidate who is suspected of misconduct will be advised to leave the examination room immediately and their examination paper will be submitted to the Examination Panel to determine its validity
- no examination question papers are to be removed from the examination room; candidates who fail to submit the question paper with their answer sheet will be deemed guilty of misconduct
- it is prohibited for candidates to reveal the content of examination papers to others, or reproduce it in any way.
- Candidates agree to abide by the invigilator’s instructions. Failure to do so may render a candidate’s results invalid.
- CMS reserves the right to permanently exclude candidates found guilty of misconduct from CMS qualifications.
- Examination papers submitted for marking become the property of WSET Awards and will not be returned to candidates.
Receiving your Certificate from Court of Masters Sommelier:
Following the successful completion of the course and receiving a passing grade, your Certificate will be issued. You will receive your Certificate the last day of your studies, along with the label pin.
In the even that you misplace or damage the original Certificate, a duplicate copy will be issued after the payment of the appropriate fee.
Where does the course take place?
The course is held in Santorini, Greece.
How can I prepare for the course?
In order to prepare for the course please contact the CMS directly. To attend the Advanced Sommelier course there is a waiting list, and you first must receive an invitation from the CMS.
Is VAT included in the tuition fees?
WSPC is a certified educational body of the Greek Ministry of Education. No VAT is being applied to the certified educational organizations.
What does the tuition fees include?
Access to all study materials of the course, the textbook, your registration to CMS Europe, the first attempt to the Introductory & Certified exam fees, your Certificate(s), the wines and/ or spirit samples needed (we are not accepting free samples) and all the organizational logistics of the program.
Are the expenses of accommodation included in the fees?
All accommodation and travel expenses, in any location, burden exclusively the students.
Are CMS courses available in other languages e.g. Greek?
No, CMS courses are available only in English.
Can I be absent?
No. Your presence is required on the day of the exams.
Can I sit directly for the Advanced Examination?
No, firstly you should successfully complete the Introductory examination.
Can I resit if I fail or if I don’t attend the examination?
To attend the Advanced Sommelier course there is a waiting list, and you first must receive an invitation from the CMS.
How can I get my Certificate?
Following the successful completion of the course and receiving a passing grade, your Certificate will be issued. You will receive your Certificate the last day of your studies, along with the label pin.
Can I pay with installments?
Yes. Through our e-shop (link) you can use your credit card and pay in installments.
What will happen if the classes are interrupted due to force majeure, as happened with the COVID-19 pandemic?
In the occasion that the Greek Government imposes restrictions and or lockdown to educational organizations and in-person classes are interrupted, registrations will be automatically transferred to the next available CMS Athens course, with no extra charge.
Ανδρέας Ματθίδης DipWSET, Q-Grader
Vice Head of WSPC Education - Principal of WSPC Spirits School
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Certificate
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Studying at WSPC has been an enriching journey through the world of wine. The engaging curriculum, the dedicated WSPC team with the extensive knowledge & expertise in their field have been fostered my wine knowledge growth creating a unique learning experience. I am truly grateful for the depth of knowledge and skills acquired.
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Studying at WSPC may be one of the most beneficial experiences I have had as a student. From the very first day students have highly experienced tutors by their side and the whole staff assists them with any inquiry. WSPC is undoubtedly the right choice to gain in depth knowledge of the world of wine and beverages.
To study wine, you need to feel inspired. I have studied all four levels of WSET at WSPC. During that time, my tutors Efstathios Saltas at Levels 1 and 2, Gregory Michailos at Level 3 and Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, at Level 4, were truly inspirational and reminded me that wine is above all, an exciting journey!
It was an outstanding experience that I would recommend to anyone who would like to elevate their wine knowledge, critical thinking, and tasting skills to take part! Having guidance from Konstantinos Lazarakis MW together with the support of the whole WSPC team made the journey even more enjoyable!
The course through to the acquisition of Diploma degree was a proactive journey to all the terroirs of the world where wine is produced. The secret tales that were revealed to us, from Konstantinos and Andreas, over the tastings of numerous wines from around the globe created a magical atmosphere, that will be remembered for a long time.
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My experience at WSPC was very interesting, especially the Santorini block which enabled us to travel to the island under such special circumstances. Konstantinos Lazarakis is a charismatic teacher who transmits his knowledge with humour and enthusiasm, which makes learning a bright experience.
The high level of seminars, the well-structured educational material, and the participation of renowned professionals with high working experience raised the level of teaching. The knowledge I was exposed too, was practically applied, and helped both my professional and personal development.
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