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European Wine Academy

Premier Sommelier Program

(120 lessons – Cost: €2250

Master elite wine expertise, luxury service, and advanced beverage pairing in this intensive online program for experienced professionals.

Elevate Your Expertise as a World-Class Sommelier

The Premier Sommelier Program is a 100% online, advanced certificate featuring 120 lessons, designed for experienced professionals and building on the foundational knowledge of our Sommelier Certificate and Diploma in Sommeliery, Hospitality & Restaurant Management. This tiered program, crafted by the European Wine Academy, equips you with elite wine knowledge, luxury service skills, and advanced pairing expertise to lead in high-end hospitality settings (Jackson, 2020; Robinson, 2015).

What You Will Learn in This Program

This 120-lesson curriculum, building on lower-tier courses, equips you with advanced sommelier skills:

  • Comprehensive Wine Expertise: Master global wine regions, terroir, and advanced production methods (Robinson, 2015).
  • Advanced Tasting Skills: Perfect blind tasting techniques and fault identification for wines and beverages (Noble et al., 1987).
  • Luxury Service Standards: Develop high-level service skills for fine dining, events, and private clients (King, 2017).
  • Complex Pairing Strategies: Create sophisticated food, wine, and beverage pairings to enhance dining experiences.
  • Non-Alcoholic Beverages: Gain expertise in pairing and presenting water, tea, and coffee in luxury settings.

Hands-On, Practical Training

Engage in real-world applications to build professional expertise:

  • Assignments: Complete advanced tasting analyses, pairing exercises, and service planning tasks.
  • Final Examination: Pass a multiple-choice test, a Zoom oral exam, and a role-play exercise simulating restaurant guest service, demonstrating wine knowledge and professional skills.

Flexible Online Learning for Your Schedule

  • Duration: Self-paced with no time limit (120 lessons; approximately 300 study hours).
  • Weekly Commitment: About 3 to 4 hours per week, adaptable to your professional schedule.
  • Delivery: Fully online with interactive lessons, virtual tastings, and downloadable resources.

Who Is This Program For?

Ideal candidates include:

  • Experienced hospitality professionals seeking advanced sommelier credentials.
  • Sommeliers building on foundational and diploma-level training.
  • Restaurant staff aiming to lead in luxury dining or private client settings.
  • Wine professionals transitioning to leadership roles in the wine trade.

Unlock Your Career Potential

Upon completion, you will be ready to:

  • Lead as a world-class sommelier in fine dining restaurants or luxury hotels.
  • Excel in high-level service for events and private clients.
  • Pursue leadership roles in the wine trade or beverage programs.
  • Gain recognition from top-tier hospitality and wine industry employers.

Why Choose Our Premier Sommelier Program?

  • Academic Excellence: Grounded in leading wine science and hospitality research (Jackson, 2020; Robinson, 2015; King, 2017).
  • Professional Relevance: Skills tailored for leadership in luxury hospitality settings.
  • Tiered Progression: Builds on EWA’s foundational and diploma courses for comprehensive expertise.
  • Global Recognition: A prestigious credential for elite roles in hospitality and wine industries worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What prerequisites are needed?

Completion of EWA’s Sommelier Certificate or equivalent experience is recommended.

How long does it take to complete?

Self-paced, typically 6-9 months with 3 to 4 hours weekly, totaling around 300 hours.

What career paths can I pursue?

Graduates can lead as sommeliers, beverage directors, or professionals in the wine trade.

Ready to Become a World-Class Sommelier?

Enroll today to master elite wine expertise and luxury service skills.

Excerpts from lessons

‘Hospitality managers are responsible for ensuring exceptional customer service and guest satisfaction. They address customer complaints, resolve issues, and strive to create a positive experience for guests. This duty requires excellent communication skills and the ability to handle difficult situations with professionalism and tact. Hospitality managers often implement feedback mechanisms….’

A broad spectrum of temperatures can accommodate wine storage, but generally, cooler conditions slow down the chemical reactions that drive wine maturation—potentially leading to greater complexity over time. It’s important to avoid sharp fluctuations in temperature, with a stable average between 10–15 °C (50–59 °F) considered ideal.

By early 2024, Eric Asimov’s piece, “The Twilight of the American Sommelier,” paints a sobering picture in contrast to the vibrant era once described by Sinskey. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the restaurant sector, reshaping its financial foundations. Asimov highlights that even establishments renowned for their wine programs have faced budgetary pressures—leading to the elimination of sommelier roles as part of broader cost-cutting measures.

 

A sommelier should present the wine or wines ordered to the host before they are opened to ensure that there has been no misunderstanding (and so that the host can especially check that the vintage corresponds to expectations). This is a good time for the host to check that the bottle feels at the right serving temperature. The bottle should be opened in view of the host, and, if a wine is to be decanted (and that is an option that any….

Over the past 15 years, the growing reach of social media has significantly expanded the social influence of sommeliers. A generation ago, a sommelier was simply a wine steward. Today, a sommelier can be an online celebrity with tens of thousands of fans. As a result, the world’s most famous sommeliers have nearly the same clout and cachet as the world’s most famous celebrity chefs. These sommeliers can influence which wine regions are the next to burst onto the scene, or which grape varieties are “on trend” during a particular year.