In November 2007, I sat for the Society of Wine Educators’ (SWE) Certified Wine Educator (CWE) credential, which supercedes its Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) credential, I already possessed. The CWE exam consists of a multiple-choice exam, essay, varietal/wine identification and fault identification, the latter two being blind tastings. I successfully completed the theory (multiple-choice and essay) and faulty identification sections at that time. However, I had woefully failed the varietal/wine identification. In fact, I only identified 1 of the 8 wine samples, which while the results were not revealed, I am fairly certain was the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (yes, it’s hard not to id this wine).
I have spent the past year preparing on and off for a retake of the varietal identification, with the last several weeks in particular earnest of the October 16 exam. Last Thursday morning at the crack of dawn, I sleepily dragged myself out of bed, into some clothes and out the door to catch a 7:05 AM train to Washington, D.C. where the exam was being administered.
I arrived at the exam site with minimal time to spare, adding to my anxiety and stress, but I managed to calm myself down for the exam itself. As is the protocol, we were presented with four white and four red wine samples along with a list of ten wines (2 red herrings). Within 30 minutes, we were to nose and taste all of the samples and correctly identify each glass with one of the wines on the list. One needed to be successful with 6 of the 8 samples to pass.
My studying really paid off, permitting me to identify most of the wines and some quite easily. For example, a ruby colored wine exhibiting orange/brick highlights is likely Chianti, especially if the aromas and flavors are that of bitter cherries. One white wine was perplexing as I found musty/damp earth aromas, which I would have normally attributed to Chenin Blanc. Yet, there was no Chenin Blanc on the list. I eventually selected a Morey/white Burgundy wine, thinking that the aromas might be from age. I briefly considered the white Bordeaux on the list linking the aromas to the Semillon that would have been included in the blend. But, I didn’t find the acidity I expected from the Sauvignon Blanc and was very hesitant to change my answers.
From the set of reds, I was more confident with my selections, but did wonder if my choice of an Australian Shiraz was correct. It seemed like it could be a rich and fruity Zinfandel, but the high tannins threw me off guard. Moreover, I didn’t pay enough attention to the alcohol, which was quite high (16% abv, we were later told). Thus, I ultimately misidentified this wine, which was an error I had made during a previous study session (you would think I would have ingrained them in my palatal memory, but clearly that was not the case).
In any event, I did successfully identify 6 of the 8 wines, which while not a slamdunk, was certainly good news as it guanteed me not only of a pass for this section, but as the completion of the third and final element required for the credential. I will not receive formal notificate from SWE for at least a few weeks, but as I did see the official score, I know that I passed.
Thus, I am now able to add the CWE credential as my third post-nominal, joining my Ed.D. (doctorate degree) and DWS (Diploma of Wine & Spirits). I plan to drop the CSW from my business card, lest I need to begin using the second side to fit everything.
Most importantly, I am relieved and proud to have completed this set of wine credentials over the past three years. While I may pursue the Master of Wine someday (I figure I’ll revisit the idea in 2-3 years’ time), for now, I am done with formal education and can instead focus on building my business.