Congratulations to Matthew Wheeler, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors!
About Matthew:
My wine journey probably started over 30 years ago as part of a City and Guilds catering course in Watford, England. How wine study has changed since then! All my professional life I have worked in the hospitality sector in one form or another. I decided to enrol in a Sommelier programme 11 years ago after closing my own business and have not stopped studying since; completing WSET levels 2 and 3 before finally receiving a merit in the WSET Diploma programme. As with most people, the pandemia and subsequent quarantine meant more hours spent at home, it was the perfect chance to dive back into studying.
The Spanish Wine Scholar was for me a breath of fresh air, classic regions are covered in depth as to be expected but a similar emphasis was made for the smaller and lesser known regions right down to information on all the Vinos de Pago and Vinos de Tierra. It is this attention to the small details Spain’s wine production that gives the overall sense of completeness, filling in all the gaps I felt were missing in my knowledge. The manual itself will be a great reference source for years to come. I look forward with great anticipation for Wine Scholar guild to release regional Master Levels for Spain. In the meantime, wine study never finishes, I am hoping to start the French Wine Scholar programme soon.
