Congratulations to Yunkyung Lee, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors!
About Yunkyung:
I have worked as a Sommelier and Restaurant Manager in Korea and Singapore. Participated in a national Sommelier competition 3 times and took the 1st prize in the year of 2007, 2nd prize in 2008 and the 1st prize again in 2009. As a result, in 2009, I participated in the 1st Asia-Oceania Sommelier competition as the representative of Korea. Since 2010 I’ve been teaching wine and I have started to write my own wine book.
In 2005, I started my first wine study in the Korean branch of ASI (L’Association de la Sommellerie Internationale), which hosts the “World’s Best Sommelier competition” every 3 years and the 3 different continental competitions (America, Asia-Oceania, Europe) every 3 years. After the one year course I received the certification of “Master Sommelier & Consultant” with a scholarship as the 1st prize award in the license examination. Then, I enrolled in the WSET programs and received certifications with distinction in level 1/2/3 of wine and level 1 of sake. And recently I’ve received certifications with Highest Honor in FWS and SWS before IWS.
Through the IWS program I was able to learn much more about Italian wines which has been a goal of mine for a long time. The IWS program added to my wine knowledge far beyond the basic level. I intend to continue my studies of Italian wines at an advanced level.
I now intend to start studying for the Diploma of Wine and level 3 of sake with WSET in London. My first motivation for enrolling to the IWS program was to strengthen my knowledge of wine before starting my wine diploma studies with WSET in London.
Even though I already finished FWS and SWS successfully, IWS was not easy to study because of its long complicated history of Italia and its wines, surprisingly various grapes and numerous wine growing areas. But it was worth it in that I learned how Italian wines developed their unique characters with various grapes in different natural conditions; how they present themselves using exclusive local grapes plus common grapes shared with some other European wines; as well as the historical background.
My successful completion of the IWS program has given me the courage to pursue more advanced wine studies.
As stated above, my first motivation for enrolling in the IWS program was to strengthen my knowledge of wine before starting my wine diploma studies with WSET in London. I found many wine professionals who received the title of “Master of Wine” and/or “Master Sommelier” in the IWS program. The IWS program delivered much more than I had expected.
I particularly appreciated the section about Italian wine history, including how different people started and developed various styles of wine. Before participating in IWS program, I had known only little about that information from books. It has given me the ambition to study more and the confidence to teach my students with my greater knowledge.
