I’m finishing up this post while on a plane to Portland, Oregon. Tomorrow, I’ll help adjudicate the annual Master Sommelier Diploma theory examination for dozens of candidates from the U.S., Canada, and beyond. It’s an oral examination comprising over 75 difficult questions about wine, spirits, and more. For some students, especially those who didn’t spend a lot of time at college-level academia, it can be the most difficult aspect of the three-part MS exam curriculum. With that, I’ve put together some suggested strategies for studying for wine theory exams at any level. However, some of the strategies are useful for learning practically anything.
Suggested Strategies for Wine Theory Study
Strategy #1: Give yourself permission NOT to know everything
It’s impossible for anyone to know everything there is about wine. To even momentarily entertain that thought is a hallucination. So, take a deep breath and realize that you will never know everything about wine. But also realize that with a lot of work, you can know a hell of a lot—and more than enough to pass the exam.
Strategy #2: Visual memory is not enough
Looking at flash cards and notes alone will not do the trick when preparing for an oral exam. That’s because visual memory and stress do not mix. Use multi-sensory strategies when studying, so you can access information in an exam when you will almost certainly be under stress. For example, practice asking yourself and answering them. Or have others read questions to you.
Strategy #3: Geography matters
Be able to go to any wine place on the globe and quickly find major geographical features such as rivers, lakes, oceans, and mountain ranges. Further, know how these help shape their respective climates and ultimately how that impacts wine quality. Remember that there are two things that influence wine style as much or more than anything—bodies of water and elevation.
Strategy #4: The golden rule
If you can’t explain it to someone, you don’t really know it. A major goal of your studies should be teaching whatever it is you’re learning. The litmus test is being able to explain it to a non-industry person. That includes winemaking terms and wine laws. If you had to explain the VDP classification to your Aunt Bernina after dinner, could you do it? Could you explain the biodynamic treatments to your buddies? If you can’t, you don’t really know the information. Reading may be learning, but explaining and teaching is knowing.
Strategy #5: Clear the mechanism
One of the most valuable things you can do for a theory exam—or any exam for that matter—is to install a “reset” button in your head. That simply means you can either close your eyes momentarily or look to a certain location in space in order to completely empty your mind so you can reset and start again. I can’t place enough emphasis on the value of installing a reset button. It’s a make-or-break strategy, and one of the most valuable tools any adult can have.
Strategy #6: Study for shorter periods of time
Students often plan their theory schedules around hours studied. Instead, consider using shorter 45-minute modules. Anything longer and maintaining focus can be a challenge. If in doubt, study for less time and cover less material, but make it count.
Strategy #7: Theory categories as pull-down menus
The good news is that M.S. theory only has so many categories of information. I call these categories “pull-down” menus. They include the following: geography in the form of countries, regions, and appellations (even vineyards if appropriate); grape varieties; wine laws and classifications; winemaking and grape growing terms; important history, major producers, and vintages. That’s about it. So, take comfort in being able to easily categorize wine information into one of these pull-down menus. It will help you cross associate similar or same terms and concepts in different languages.
Strategy #8: Maps are your friends
Use maps in your studies. Pointing to a location on a map should initiate a sequence of information internally, starting with general factoids and ending up with alcohol by volume numbers, yields if relevant, and any other important minutia. And again, be able to explain it.
Strategy #9: There’s no crying in baseball and there’s no cramming in wine theory study
If you think you can wait until a couple of months before an exam to “fit” the theory in, think again. While there may not be that many pull-down theory menus as mentioned above, the variations in said menus are staggering when you consider the number of countries that produce wine which are fair game for an exam. Start early and study often. Also, come up with a study plan early on and stick to it. Remember to review your plan every couple of weeks to see if it’s working. Adjust as needed.
Strategy #10: Warm up your brain
Treat your study sessions like a physical work out. Begin any session by reviewing things you already know. Avoid starting a session by trying to memorize all the premier cru villages in Burgundy or the strains of saccharomyces yeast in Sherry flor. Instead, warm your brain up for at least 15 minutes by reviewing what you’ve recently studied. Then get into the more difficult info that you’re in the process of learning. Remember 45 minutes for a session. Take frequent breaks and do something completely unrelated for about 15 minutes in between. I know students who took up juggling and practiced during their study breaks. It’s actually a good strategy because of the eye-hand coordination required in addition to using a different part of the brain vs. the one used for reading and memorizing.
Strategy #11: Chunk it down: use the rule of three
Our brains like the number three because it’s an easy number of things to remember easily. Connect bits of information about a wine in three’s; then chain together several three’s of information.
Strategy #12: Your study environment is important
Try to study in the morning when your brain is fresh and hopefully rested. Find a relatively quiet place away from constant interruptions. Put your phone in a distant location where you can’t hear it, much less see it. At the very least, resist the temptation to look at it every five minutes. I know it may seem hard to believe, but the world can live without you for 45 minutes. Strange, but true.
A last bit of advice
Aside from all the previous, the most important thing I can tell you from personal experience is this: constantly make the distinction between “reviewing” what you already know vs. “learning” something new. If you don’t, your brain will be tempted to massively generalize how much information there is and will continually be in crisis mode because there is so much to know.
Study well, my friends.
Learn everything you need to about wine.
Get the complete tasting guide.
