Members of this secret society decide fates

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 06. 24. 11:33

There are fewer of them worldwide than the number of people who have been in space, and their number is much more modest than that of Nobel laureates. Their qualification is harder to obtain than to obtain a degree from the world’s most prestigious university, as only 7-10 percent of applicants succeed, while Harvard University students receive their diplomas at a rate of 95 percent. Their single word can increase the price of wines tenfold. Despite all this, only a few people know about the Jedi Knights of wine, the holders of the so-called Master of Wine title. Who are they? How did they get into the narrowest circle of wine expert elite? And what distinguishes them from sommeliers?

It is a cliché, yet true, that wine is one of the most important drinks of human civilization – its drops reflect the history of human culture and the fulfillment of thought, but at the same time it is also an important religious symbol. For a long time, it symbolized power and prestige, but now it is accessible to everyone and an almost unavoidable drink from a gastronomic point of view. It is no wonder that a whole range of professionals deal with it, from viticulturists and winemakers to wine technologists, various representatives of the field of gastronomy and wine judges to sommeliers.

Professional excellence: Different roles, common passion

According to popular belief, sommeliers have the most direct relationship with wines, as they know what drink can be associated with a particular occasion, dish or taste, they know the origin and characteristics of the chosen wine, and they also have precise knowledge of how to serve each variety correctly. More than one of them, as a gastronomic influencer, helps consumers and those interested in wines to acquire information and make the right choice.

But there is a small group of scholars who have a closer relationship with wine, which dates back some 8,000 years, than sommeliers. After a complex three- to five-year learning process and a series of rigorous exams, members of this group can earn the title of Master of Wine and join the professional elite of only 420 people, who are also known as the doctors of the wine world.

The world’s most prestigious wine title can be earned at a single institution, the Institute of Masters of Wine in London, and only 7-10 percent of applicants are able to meet the strict requirements, as it requires exceptional knowledge, mental strength, perseverance, and, of course, passion.

A prerequisite for participation in the MoW Academy is that students obtain a Level 4 Advanced Certificate from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, also based in London, one of the world’s most renowned wine education providers. This training and the individual degrees can take up to two to three years to complete.