Wine & Spirit Education

Court of Master Sommeliers Americas

Use the awarding body’s resource library and current course information for its sommelier pathway. Read the requirements for the exact examination and region you intend to pursue.

Public resources; courses and examinations paid

Wine & Spirit Education Trust

Compare separate qualifications in wine, spirits, sake and beer. Select the subject and level that suit your role; WSET and the Court of Master Sommeliers have different structures and assessment aims.

Qualification information public; courses paid

GuildSomm International

Structured online study supports regional knowledge, production, tasting and service. Pair independent study with tasting practice and the current requirements of any qualification you pursue.

Course catalogue public; course access through membership

Society of Wine Educators

Explore wine and spirits study, including CSW, CSS, CWE and CSE pathways, webinars and study tools. Confirm current requirements directly with the organization.

Mixed public, membership and paid study

Wine Scholar Guild

Regional specialization and tasting study provide a route into deeper subject knowledge. Review the current country, regional and tasting programmes rather than assuming every course has the same prerequisites.

Mixed free resources and paid programmes

Institute of Masters of Wine

An advanced professional study route with its own entry and progression requirements. The Master of Wine and Master Sommelier designations are distinct; neither is a substitute name for the other.

Information public; study programme paid

Wine For Dummies

Michelle Grant, Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Ed McCarthy. An approachable starting point for regions, styles, tasting and choosing wine.

Purchase or library access

8th edition, July 2025

The Wine Bible

Karen MacNeil. A broad reference for developing regional understanding and connecting wine with its production and cultural context.

Purchase or library access

3rd edition, 2022

Wine Grapes

Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz. Use for grape identities, relationships and synonyms; supplement time-sensitive regional facts with current primary sources.

Purchase or library access

Hardback 2012; publisher-listed ebook 2013

The Oxford Companion to Wine

Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson with Tara Q. Thomas. An alphabetical reference for terminology, production, people and places.

Purchase or library access

5th edition, 2023

The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia

Tom Stevenson, edited by Orsi Szentkiralyi. A geographically organized reference retained from Michael’s original selection. Confirm current law and producer information separately.

Purchase or library access; linked source confirms edition

6th edition, 2020

What to Drink with What You Eat

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, photographs by Michael Sofronski. Explore pairing ideas across wine and other beverages, then test them against the actual dish and guest preference.

Purchase or library access

Original hardcover 2006; linked ebook 2009

Windows on the World Complete Wine Course

Kevin Zraly. A guided approach to wine study retained from the original guide. Use the author’s current site for book and course information; do not treat older vintage guidance as current market advice.

Purchase or library access; courses separately priced

Author reference; edition should be checked when ordering

Perfect Pairings

Evan Goldstein, with recipes by Joyce Goldstein. A practical food and wine pairing reference; use its ideas as a basis for tasting and explanation.

Purchase or library access

2006

Setting the Table

Danny Meyer.

Purchase or library access

What Could Possibly Go Right?

Danny Meyer.

Purchase or library access

Unreasonable Hospitality

Will Guidara.

Purchase or library access

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Field Guide

Will Guidara.

Purchase or library access

Bourgogne Wine Board

The regional body’s English-language resource for appellations, Climats, grape varieties, production and service. Use it to verify Bourgogne-specific explanations.

Public resources; some professional areas may require access

Comité Champagne

The official Champagne resource for the region, production, styles and tasting. Consult the relevant current material before teaching appellation-specific facts.

Public resources

Australian Wine Discovered

Wine Australia’s regional, variety and topic-based learning resources. Use the current guides and educator materials for Australian wine study.

Free resources; check individual asset terms before reuse

TTB American Viticultural Areas

The United States regulator’s reference for AVA definitions, established areas and boundary resources. Use current regulatory material when accuracy depends on law or boundaries.

Public reference

International Organisation of Vine & Wine

Technical documents, standards and sector data support deeper research. Identify the document’s date and scope; OIV material is not a substitute for the law governing a particular market.

Public technical resources

Scotch Whisky Association

Use the category trade association for Scotch whisky background and category information. Distinguish category definitions from a producer’s individual style.

Public resources

Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac

The Cognac appellation’s official resource for place, production, tasting and professional learning. Verify age-category and production claims against current official information.

Public resources; some professional areas require access

Wine Enthusiast

Editorial features and ratings support continuing reading. The current site replaces the older winemag.com address in the original guide. Distinguish reviews and recommendations from regulatory definitions.

Mixed editorial and commercial content

Wine Spectator

Wine journalism, tasting coverage and editorial learning. Attribute a critic’s assessment to that source and distinguish scores from your own tasting observations.

Mixed public and subscription access

Wine Folly

Visual explanations, regional material and courses can make unfamiliar concepts easier to approach. Follow through with primary sources for technical or regulatory claims.

Mixed public, membership and paid resources

Wine.com

A retailer useful for producer and product exploration. Confirm bottle, vintage, availability and any quoted review; a retail listing is not an independent technical authority.

Retail website; purchases optional

Vivino

Label search, ratings and personal tasting records can help organize experience. Confirm the exact producer, cuvée and vintage; a community score is a preference signal, not a universal quality finding.

Free core features; premium options

Delectable

Bottle scanning and tasting notes support discovery and a record of wines tasted. Verify label identification and distinguish individual opinions from established production facts.

App and website; confirm current features in your market

CellarTracker

Collection management, tasting notes and community reference. Follow the current app information rather than assuming legacy app features or professional-review access are unchanged.

Mixed free and paid features; some professional content separately subscribed

Quizlet

A practice tool for your own verified flashcards and retrieval exercises. Public sets vary in authorship and accuracy; confirm answers before treating a set as training material.

Mixed free and paid access

SOMM

Follows four sommeliers preparing for the Master Sommelier examination. A view into preparation and pressure, rather than an official current examination syllabus.

Licensed viewing; availability and subscription vary

SOMM Into the Bottle

Uses bottles and wine stories to explore the subject. Study the perspectives presented, then verify technical or current claims through the relevant reference body.

Licensed viewing; availability and subscription vary

SOMM 3

Explores tasting and wine perspectives. Use it to prompt discussion rather than to establish a standardized tasting result or qualification requirement.

Licensed viewing; availability and subscription vary

A Year in Burgundy

A documentary following winegrowing families through a year in Bourgogne. Treat it as regional and producer context from the period filmed.

Licensed viewing; availability and subscription vary

A Year in Champagne

A documentary exploring Champagne houses and production through Martine Saunier’s perspective. Pair viewing with current Comité Champagne material.

Licensed viewing; availability and subscription vary

Uncorked the 2015 Documentary Series

The Esquire Network series follows sommelier candidates. It is distinct from the 2020 fictional film of the same name; use an authorized catalogue rather than assuming a YouTube upload is licensed.

Licensed catalogue; regional availability varies

WineAlign Think You Know Wine

An archived blind-tasting video series. Listen for evidence, reasoning and how conclusions change; a televised tasting is not a replacement for a current qualification’s assessment method.

Public video catalogue; individual access may vary

SOMM TV

The licensed platform provides wine and food films and related viewing. Follow its current catalogue; streaming rights change by territory and over time.

Subscription or licensed access