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Is the Court of Master Sommeliers the best sommelier course?
There is no single best course, only the right one for your job. What the Court does that others don't, where WSET, ASI and others suit people better, and how I would choose.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
4 min read
The short answer: if you serve wine on a restaurant floor, or want to, the Court of Master Sommeliers is the programme built around that job: it examines service, as well as theory and blind tasting, and Master Sommeliers teach and examine it. If you don't need service examined, the Court itself points you to WSET. So the best course is the one that tests what your work asks of you.
Where I stand: I passed the Court's Introductory in Napa in 2012 and its Advanced in 2019, and I also hold WSET Level 3, the CSW and the French Wine Scholar. Today I work with the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, whose online Learning Portal SOMM DIGI builds. Read what follows with that in mind; every fact is from the programmes' own pages.
What makes the Court different
- It was made for sommeliers. The first Master Sommelier exam was held in London in 1969, and the Court was established in 1977 to raise standards of beverage service.
- Service is examined. In Europe, even the Introductory ends with a short practical service test; in the Americas, service is examined from the Certified. WSET, the CSW and the French Wine Scholar don't examine service.
- Master Sommeliers teach it. In Europe, the Court says its Introductory and Advanced lectures are presented by Master Sommeliers, and in the Americas' service exam a Master Sommelier plays the guest.
- One clear ladder: Introductory, Certified, Advanced and the Master Sommelier Diploma. You can't skip a level. You need 60% in each part up to the Advanced, and 75% for the Diploma.
- Two Courts, one title. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe also covers Africa, Oceania and Asia; the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas runs its own courses. See how the two compare.
Where other courses suit people better
| Programme | Built for | Service exam | A good fit if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court of Master Sommeliers | Sommeliers and hospitality professionals | Yes | You work, or want to work, on a restaurant floor |
| WSET | Anyone: the wine trade, hospitality and wine lovers | No | You want structured theory and tasting, online or in class, or spirits and sake too |
| ASI (through national associations) | Sommeliers, via each country's association | Yes, from Certification 2 | Your country's sommelier association is active and runs the exams |
| CSW (Society of Wine Educators) | Self-study of wine theory | No; no tasting either | You want a theory credential you can study for alone |
| French Wine Scholar (Wine Scholar Guild) | Deep study of French wine | No; no tasting | You work with French wine, or love it |
| Master of Wine | The whole wine trade, research-based | No | You are already senior in the trade and want a research-based route |
- Court of Master Sommeliers
- Built forSommeliers and hospitality professionals
- Service examYes
- A good fit if…You work, or want to work, on a restaurant floor
- WSET
- Built forAnyone: the wine trade, hospitality and wine lovers
- Service examNo
- A good fit if…You want structured theory and tasting, online or in class, or spirits and sake too
- ASI (through national associations)
- Built forSommeliers, via each country's association
- Service examYes, from Certification 2
- A good fit if…Your country's sommelier association is active and runs the exams
- CSW (Society of Wine Educators)
- Built forSelf-study of wine theory
- Service examNo; no tasting either
- A good fit if…You want a theory credential you can study for alone
- French Wine Scholar (Wine Scholar Guild)
- Built forDeep study of French wine
- Service examNo; no tasting
- A good fit if…You work with French wine, or love it
- Master of Wine
- Built forThe whole wine trade, research-based
- Service examNo
- A good fit if…You are already senior in the trade and want a research-based route
More detail on each: WSET vs CMS, ASI vs CMS, how to pass the CSW and how to pass the French Wine Scholar.
The honest downsides of the Court
- It expects service experience. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe strongly recommends some, because service is examined. Without a restaurant job, the practical parts are hard to prepare.
- Most exams are in person, on fixed dates, so travel can add to the cost.
- All parts together. In Europe, the Certified and the Advanced are only passed when theory, tasting and service are all passed together.
- It is narrow by design. It trains you for the dining room. If your future is in buying, marketing or teaching, a broader programme may serve you better.
My view
I have done both, and I don't see them as rivals: they test different things. Having gone through the Court to the Advanced, I can vouch for how demanding it is, and how rewarding. For a working sommelier, I would choose the Court, and add WSET if you want more theory. For everyone else, start with WSET.
How to choose, in four questions
- Where do you work? On the floor: the Court. Anywhere else in wine: WSET first.
- How do you learn? With a tutor and classmates: a classroom course. Alone, at your own pace: WSET online, the CSW or the French Wine Scholar.
- What can you get to? Check where and when each programme runs near you.
- What is your budget? Compare the real fees in how much sommelier certification costs.
Whichever you choose, the theory is the most to learn. SOMM DIGI AI has 3,000+ exam-prep questions, built for the Court and WSET paths.
Questions people ask
Is the Court of Master Sommeliers better than WSET?
They do different jobs. The Court examines service, theory and blind tasting for sommeliers; WSET teaches and examines theory and tasting for anyone in or around wine, with no service exam.
Who teaches the Court of Master Sommeliers courses?
Master Sommeliers. In Europe, the Court says its Introductory and Advanced lectures are presented by Master Sommeliers.
Do I need restaurant experience for the Court?
The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe strongly recommends some experience, because service is examined. It suggests WSET to people who don't need service skills examined.
When was the Court of Master Sommeliers founded?
The first Master Sommelier exam was held in London in 1969, and the Court was established in 1977.
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