About the Exam

About the FWS Exam

Candidates who follow this in-depth curriculum on the wines of France and pass the exam, earn the French Wine Scholar® (FWS) post-nominal.

The exam is given in multiple-choice format. There are 100 questions covering all of the wine regions of France. Passing score is 75.

Candidates scoring 85-90 pass with HONORS. Candidates scoring 91-100 pass with HIGHEST HONORS.

Preparing for the exam:

In order to prepare properly for the FWS exam, you must read and study the FWS manual carefully. At first, it may seem a daunting body of knowledge to tackle…but we would like to give you a few tips.

What facts are important?

  • Pay close attention to superlatives (biggest, smallest, highest, lowest, newest, oldest, youngest).  Note the facts associated with words such as “first” and “last”.  They make for good exam questions.
  • Learn the French wine terms and their English equivalents.
  • Pay close attention to the passages citing “exceptions to the rule” throughout the text. They also make for good exam questions.
  • Know your soils, geography, mountains and rivers.
  • Know your grapes and their synonyms.
  • Become conversant in France’s AOCs and the primary grape(s) grown within their confines.
  • If any particular AOC is responsible for the bulk of the production in any given region, you should know all the particulars about it (minimum alcohol, maximum yield, blending formula etc.)  But, no, you do not need to know this type of specific detail about lesser AOCs.
  • Know your history and the key individuals who have figured prominently in the development of wine culture of any given region.
  • Study the specifics of wine production for white, rosé, red, sparkling, late-harvest, and vin doux naturel. Know the specifics of carbonic maceration.
  • Know your sparkling wine label nomenclature (especially as it pertains to champagne) and the terms used to qualify the reductive and oxidative aging of vin doux naturel.
  • Study your maps. You need to know where the wine regions and their AOCs are located.

The exam is comprehensive. It will cover all the wine regions of France. This means you must study everything…Corsica too! But, the food and wine pairing texts are for your personal edification. There are no exam questions on this material.

Scheduling your exam:

  • Online exam candidates must have a computer (tablet not compatible), a good internet connection, a webcam and a microphone with speakers for proctoring purposes.
  • Candidate has one year from registration date to take the exam. When ready, the candidate may contact Andrea McEwan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  to schedule the exam.

    Important notice: You can cancel or reschedule your exam at any point before your scheduled exam time by logging in to your ProctorU account and using the rescheduling link.
    If not cancelled or rescheduled prior to the exam start time and you are not showing up for your exam or more than 15 minutes late, a $75 re-scheduling fee payable to WSG will be applied.

    Don't feel ready? Know that you have the possibility to extend your enrollment for another year from HERE

FWS EXAM FAQ : CLICK HERE

Industry Testimonials

  • "Indispensable for any wine trade professional who works with French wine.  Bravo!”    
    Martin Sinkoff
    VP and Director of Marketing, Frederick Wildman And Sons
  • "The French Wine Scholar manual has once again proven why the Wine Scholar Guild is one of the best wine education programs in the world."
    Nicholas Poletto
    Director of Education at Kobrand Corporation
  • "I only wish I had this book when I began studying French wine!"
    Peter Marks, MW
    VP of Education at Constellation Academy of Wine
  • "Anyone wanting to learn about French wines needs to take this program; there is no better program out there"
    Kevin Cleary
    Owner/Director at Vermont Wine School
  • "I cannot think of a better way to dive in deep on the wines of France to prepare for the Advanced & Master Sommelier exams, WSET Diploma or MW"
    David Glancy MS, CWE, FWS
    Founder of San Francisco Wine School
  • "The level of detail and quality of the materials make this program a must-do for any serious student of wine"
    Peter Neptune, MS, CWE, FWS
    Founder of The Neptune School of Wine
  • "My most sincere appreciation goes to the WSG team for their great work to make French wines so much fun and easy to learn"
    Xavier Barlier
    Sr. VP, Marketing & Communication at Maisons Marques & Domaines
  • "The French Wine Scholar Program is the industry's most comprehensive, in-depth course on the wines of France"
    Jay Youmans, MW
    Founder of Capital Wine School
  • "To anyone for whom knowledge of the subject of French wine is important, I would give the French Wine Scholar Study Manual my most complete commendation."
    Peter Weygandt
    Founder & owner at Weygandt-Metzler Importing
  • "Looking for informative, current and easy to understand materials to support your wine studies?  WSG is the answer."
    Christophe Tassan MOF
    Maitre Sommelier UDSf and MOF Sommellerie
  • "I truly enjoyed studying and preparing the French Wine Scholar course. I found a lot of new facts and fascinating detail about French wine regions we do not cover in
    Juan Lo Bello
    Wine Educator at Wein-Werkstatt

 

Disclaimer: WSG offers wine study courses that are targeted to both beginners and those more experienced in the wine industry. While WSG has received many accolades, awards, and testimonials, WSG is not an accredited institution or school. WSG does not guarantee or warrant that any employer or school will recognize WSG wine study courses. While WSG knows that it is a well-recognized institution within the multi-national wine community, it cannot guarantee anyone success in their profession or vocation.

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