Congratulations to Jin Zhang, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors!
About Jin:
I got bitten by the wine bug on a study aboard trip in Oaxaca, Mexico. I met a group of fellow culinary school students and bonded quickly over the fantastic local cuisine and wine from Baja. Mexican wine may have been an unexpected inspiration, but the setting and company amplified the experience, and I came back eager to learn more about wine. As a culinary professional, wine training has sharpened by palate and challenged me to come up with wine pairings.
I have been certified as a Hospitality/Beverage Specialist by the Society of Wine Educators (February 2019) and passed my level I exam from the Court of Master Sommeliers (April 2019). The FWS program helped me focus on French wine as well as grasping more than just the most common regions such as Burgundy and Bordeaux.
I am currently studying for Certified Specialist of Wine exam as well as Level II Court of Master Sommeliers exam. Having recently participated in the FWS program, I feel better prepared for the French wine portion of exam material.
Understanding France as a wine region lays a strong foundation for all future wine studies. It is also the region featured most often on restaurant wine lists. Having advanced-level knowledge of French wine will make me stand out in future wine-related career opportunities.
