Three Wine Industry Professionals Earn Top Marks on Wine Scholar Guild Examinations

The Wine Scholar Guild launched the official testing and certification programs for French Wine Scholar and Master-Level candidates at its 2009 October conference at the French Embassy in Washington D.C.

A total of 38 individuals sat for their French Wine Scholar post-nominal in a certification program that is fully endorsed by the National French Wine Office: 15 passed, 10 with a score of 80 or above which qualifies them to teach the FWS program to trade.

Master-Level exams were available for Rhône and Provence and were vetted and endorsed by Inter- Rhône and the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence respectively. Thirteen people passed the Rhône Master-Level exam, ten with a score of 80 or higher. Ten individuals passed the Provence Master-Level exam; eight with a score of 80 or higher. Scoring above an 80 on a Master-Level exam enables those individuals to teach the Master-Level program to trade.

Top Scorers:

• French Wine Scholar Exam: Christine Page, FWS, Owner, Renaissance Retail Shop, Indiana, with a score of 93.
• Rhône Master Level Exam: Julie Dalton, FWS, Sommelier at Ranazul, Maryland with a score of 94
• Provence Master Level Exam: Ellen Kirsh, Independent Wine Educator, Wine Matters, District of Columbia, with a score of 95

All three individuals receive a complimentary conference registration to the next Wine Scholar Guild conference.