What You Are Expected to Know
What You Are Expected to Know
Section titled “What You Are Expected to Know”
Every candidate walks into the Introductory level with a private worry: “How much do I actually need to know?” The honest answer is that the Court is not testing the depth a wine-list author needs. It is testing breadth, orientation, and a professional baseline. You are expected to have a working mental map of the wine world and enough vocabulary and service sense to function on a floor. Miles of detail can wait; a reliable frame cannot.
The three subjects, and what “knowing” means for each
Section titled “The three subjects, and what “knowing” means for each”The Introductory level draws from theory, tasting, and service, but the standard for each is different, and candidates who miss that spend their study time in the wrong place.
- Theory here means the shape of things, not the fine print. You should know where the classic regions are, what grapes they favor, and the styles that result. Being able to say that Sancerre is Loire Sauvignon Blanc — high acid, citrus, often a flinty note — matters more than reciting a village hierarchy.
- Tasting means describing structure in shared language. You are not expected to nail a wine blind. You are expected to move past “smooth” and “I like it” toward acid, tannin, body, fruit condition, and finish.
- Service means a calm, correct baseline: presenting a bottle, opening it cleanly, pouring without drama, and speaking to a guest like a professional rather than a hobbyist.
A realistic scope of theory
Section titled “A realistic scope of theory”Think in outlines. For the Old World, be comfortable with the anchor regions of France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany. For the New World, know the broad strokes of the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. For each, aim to answer three questions without notes:
| Question | Example (Chablis) |
|---|---|
| Where is it and what is the climate? | Northern Burgundy, cool climate |
| What grape and style? | Chardonnay, unoaked, high acid, mineral |
| Where would it work at a table? | Oysters, shellfish, lean fish, fresh chevre |
If you can do that for the classic regions, you are operating at the level the Introductory course assumes.
The floor knowledge behind the theory
Section titled “The floor knowledge behind the theory”Beyond regions, the Court expects fluency in the everyday mechanics of beverage service: reading a label to find producer, region, and vintage; understanding the basic categories of still, sparkling, and fortified wine; knowing correct glassware and rough serving temperatures; and grasping responsible-service fundamentals. These rarely feel glamorous, but they separate a candidate who studies wine from one who is ready to work with it.
Turning “should know” into “can show”
Section titled “Turning “should know” into “can show””Reading a list of expectations does nothing until you can perform against it. Try this self-audit this week: pick five classic regions, and for each, speak the three answers above aloud in under a minute. Then pour one wine and describe its structure without adjectives of preference. Where you stall is your real syllabus.