Wine Credentials

A few days ago I was looking at my website statistics and two thoughts came to mind. The first was, why are my Blogger statistics and my Google Analytics statistics so different? They are both run by Google so it is only reasonable to assume that they measure the same data. I wishfully trust the Blogger statistics as they show about 900 visitors per month over the past three months, whereas Google claims that I've had only about 300 visitors per month over the same time. I'm not going to discuss this thought, but if you would like to continue reading about this conundrum, go check out Steve Heimoff's post on a very similar question from January. However, while looking at these statistics I noticed that many my most popular posts were about my experience with the Society of Wine Educator's certification program that I went through. I then realized that I had not posted about my results. And with the interesting conversation over on Twitter a few weeks ago with Lenn Thompson, Joe Roberts, Steve Paulo and Joe Herrig, I thought I should report on my results and discuss other wine certification options. Unfortunately for me, but fortunately for you, Mr. Roberts posted an excellent vlog about wine certifications over at 1WineDude.com. So here, I attempt to put into written word, without plagiarizing, what the amateur-gone-pro has done via multimedia.

As Joe Roberts said in his video, there are only three widely recognized wine certifications programs. These are, in no particular order, the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) and the Society of Wine Educators (SWE). Each has a different purpose, audience and variety of levels. If you are thinking about obtaining one or more of these credentials, think about why you want a certification. Do you need a certification for a job? Are you an enthusiastic consumer that just wants to have a structured environment in which to further your wine knowledge? Are you looking for instant credibility for your winery or wine blog?

I'll be honest and admit what most other bloggers won't and say that part (not most) of my desire to obtain a certification was to have a bit of credibility for my new wine blog (yes, the one you are currently reading). However, most of my motivation involved my two paying jobs. I work in the wine industry as a part-time staff member of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board. I thought having a some type of credential would help me in my work with Colorado's winemakers and grape growers. Turns out not many of them are familiar with or a care about highfalutin wine certifications. However, my other job is as an adjunct instructor at my alma mater (and current school for my Ph.D. work), the University of Denver (DU). I currently teach a sequence of environmental science courses but secretly (or maybe not so secretly) desire to teach a Geography of Wine course. Degrees and credentials are important in the field of education and a wine-related certification may go a long way to convince the powers that be to let me create a wine course. Thus, the obvious choice of certification would be offered by the aptly named Society of Wine Educators. For this reason, I decided to embark on the journey to become a Certified Wine Educator (CWE).

The first stop on this journey was to become a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW). This certification is based on the results of a 100-question multiple-choice exam and "recognizes a high standard of academic wine knowledge and the mastery of key elements within the world of wine and vine as determined by a team of wine industry educators." As I explained in previous posts, I purchased the 214-page SWE CSW Study Guide, access to the online SWE wine academy and browsed through my collection of wine books on loan from the DU library. I studied for about six weeks before I was scheduled to take the exam here in Denver. After the exam, I waited another six weeks for the results and was proud that I passed with a score of 91/100. While I would not call the exam easy, I would say that the 75% passing level could be achieved by most people with a moderate amount of wine knowledge and lack of test anxiety.

The next level of wine certification from SWE is the CWE. From what I can tell, this entails a much greater level of knowledge and ability. While a shorter multiple-choice exam is still part of the process, an essay question, a varietal wine identification tasting, a wine components and imbalances tasting, a wine presentation skills demonstration AND proof of responsible alcohol service certification (such as TiPS) are required. This level of assessment "recognizes a fluid ability to draw comparisons and recognize contrast within and between the various wine regions, grape varieties and wine styles of the world from both a theoretical and practical standpoint." When you see CWE next to someone's name, you should expect to meet a person with excellent knowledge about wine and the ability to educate others about it. One my 2011 goals is to complete the CWE certification (along with hoping they offer an exam in Denver!).

For those of you in the service part of the industry, the Court of Master Sommeliers might be more appropriate. The ultimate credential offered by this organization might be the most well-known wine credential in the United States. The focus of this program is not only on academic knowledge but also on professional wine service. Yet, before one becomes a Master Sommelier three other levels must be achieved. The first, the Introductory Sommelier Course and Exam, is "given over a two day period with candidates receiving intensive review, instruction and training by a team of Master Sommeliers on wines and spirits knowledge, proper wine service, and blind tasting." This program is concluded with a 70-question multiple-question theory exam with only a 60% score needed for passing. The second level exam consists of a blind tasting of two wines, a written theory examination, and a practical service examination. Again, the required score to pass this level, and obtain the Certified Sommelier designation, is 60%. If a candidate has passed both the Introductory and Certified Sommelier exams, and has at least five years of wine service experience, he or she may apply for the Advanced Sommelier Course. Three days of intensive lectures by Master Sommeliers are followed by a two-day exam in which candidates must present practical wine service, a written theory exam and a blind tasting of six wines. Candidates pass this level with a minimum score of 60% on each of these three sections. At this point, candidates may be invited to take the Master Sommelier exam. This final assessment is similar to the Advanced exam except that the theory section is oral and the passing grade is 75% on all three sections. Once this is achieved, the title of Master Sommelier is bestowed. Only 180 individuals in the world can lay claim to this title.


Perhaps most prestigious credential in the world is given by the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) based in the U.K. However, the unofficial feeder program for those wishing to become a Master of Wine (MW) is the WSET, also U.K.-based. Again, the WSET has a variety of levels of qualification. The entry level, 1-day Foundation Certificate provides basic wine knowledge. A total of 70% correct on the 30-question multiple-choice exam is required to achieve this level. The level 2 Intermediate Certificate in Wine and Spirits provides vocational training and is assessed with a 50-question mutliple-choice exam, with a mark of 55% considered passing. The third level, Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits, is a more detailed program that requires a 55% grade on a 50-question multiple-choice exam, two essay questions and a blind tasting of two wines. The fourth level, Diploma in Wine and Spirits, is the WSET's flagship qualification and is considered a stepping stone to the MW credential. This program is divided into 6 units and participants must pass each unit with a minimum score of 55%. After obtaining this distinction one should have "expert knowledge of the principal wines and spirits of the world combined with commercial factors and a thorough system for the professional evaluation of wines." After earning the WSET Diploma, the IMW offers the MW program that "promotes a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding wine at the highest level" that only 288 others have achieved.

Finally, groups like the International Wine Guild, the International Sommelier Guild and even Wine Spectator and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate are offering their own wine certification programs. While these programs provide a structured learning environment that may suit your needs, they are in a different league than credentials from the big four mentioned above. Like with all things, a savvy consumer will consider bang for the buck, so if you are interested in earning a wine credential, do yourself a favor and do some research. Go to each organization's website. Ask people with credentials what they think. If you're going to be spending your hard-earned money and valuable time on these post-nominals, find the program that is best for you.

What grape did you say?

The wine world revolves around a few well-known grape varieties. Most people know the grapes cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay. When one thinks of the world's most famous wine regions, they usually produce one or more of these grapes. Colorado is no different. Merlot, riesling, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay are Colorado's most widely planted grapes, closely followed by syrah and cabernet franc. While many excellent wines are produced from these traditional vinifera cultivars, Colorado also produces interesting wines from lesser-known grapes. Two that I have enjoyed this past week used some of these lesser-known grape varieties.

Among these lesser-known varieties include Vitis vinifera and French-American hybrids. While most people know the names of the top few grape cultivars, there are hundreds of other varieties of the traditional winemaking grape species. Usually limited to the regions in which they are native, these grapes often yield  unique and high-quality wines but remain difficult to sell due to their hard to pronounce names. On the other hand, hybrid grape varieties have a bastardized reputation. Vinifera cultivars have been crossbred with other grapes species that have traits which allow them to be cultivated in cold or other marginal grape-growing regions. While they often have a poor reputation, Cornell University and other viticultural research institutions have experimented with and released cultivars that lack the negative enological characteristics and highlight the positive viticultural traits that make these grapes interesting options for wineries.

Lemberger, the vinifera grape cultivar also known as Blaufränkisch in Austria, has found a home in Colorado. The German name (Lemberger) for this grape is derived from its importation from Lemberg, in what was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire but is now Slovenia. While it is the second-most planted red grape in Austria today, Lemberger is also found in small amounts in Germany, Washington State and New York State, in addition to Colorado.

Even less common than elusive vinifera grapes, hybrids have been bred by viticulturalists to combine the pleasing flavors of Vitis vinifera with the climate-hardy and disease-resistant native American and Asiatic grape species. Hybrids such as Baco Noir, Marechal Foch and Vidal Blanc have been a part of the northeastern U.S. wine industry for decades. Foch is a inter-specific hybrid containing Vitis vinifera, Vitis raparia and Vitis rupestris heritages, that is starting to find its place in Colorado. Foch was developed in Alsace, France by Ferdinand Foch. Another hybrid found in Colorado, Corot Noir (formerly NY70) was developed by Bruce Reisch at Cornell University. While consumers may be hesitant to buy wines with lesser-known grapes, some wineries have gotten past this preconception by giving these wines fanciful names.

Carlson Vineyards of Palisade, CO opened their doors in 1988. Situated in the Grand Valley AVA, Carlson Vineyards holds the fourth-oldest winery license in the state. Carlson has fun giving their wines names inspired by local themes – like Tyrannosaurus Red and Prairie Dog Blush. The T-Red Lemberger refers to the discovery of dinosaur bones in the Grand Valley in the early 1900s. While people may not know what Lemberger is, they can easily recognize the short-armed dinosaur raising his glass on the colorful label.

Jack Rabbit Hill is another winery making use of non-traditional grapes. Located just west of the West Elks AVA on Redlands Mesa at 6200 feet above sea level, Jack Rabbit Hill makes organic and biodynamic wines from their 70-acre farm. All of their estate wines are Demeter-certified biodynamic and organic, and their non-estate wines are single-vineyard bottlings made from certified organic grapes. While most of their wines are varietally labeled, their amalgamation of estate vinifera and hybrid grapes is simply called Barn Red. The name evokes images rolling farmland and red barns with fresh and pure ingredients

2009 Carlson Vineyards Tyrannosaurus Red, Grand Valley, Colorado

This unique wine is crafted from 100% Colorado-grown Lemberger from the Grand Valley AVA. This quaffable red is almost Beaujolais-like with very fruity and bubblegum-like aromas. Showing a light-bodied fruitiness, with light tannins and a slight pepperiness, this wine is an interesting, easy-drinking wine that that should be added to your summer drinking list. 14.4% abv Gift from family $13. Good (tasted 3/5/11)

2008 Jack Rabbit Hill Barn Red, Colorado Red Wine



This blend of malbec, marechal foch, petit verdot, cabernet franc and NY70 (corot noir) uses two French-American hybrids; Marechal Foch and Corot Noir. Grown on Jack Rabbit Hill, at approximately 6200 ft of elevation, near the small town of Hotchkiss, this collection of grapes leads to an inky purple wine that yield interesting aromas that include dark fruit and a slight pepperiness. On the palate, the wine is lighter than one would guess based on the color. It is earthy, but with black and blue fruit flavors combined with smooth tannins and a long finish. All I can say is yum! 13.5% abv Purchased $16. Good/Very Good (tasted 3/8/11)

The true wine dichotomy

In his recent New York Times column, and subsequent blog post, Eric Asimov boiled the choices for describing wine down to two words: sweet and savory. Asimov declares that many tasting notes "only succeed in making wines incomprehensible" and suggests using one of those two words to describe all wines. While he is being overly simplistic in his descriptive efficiency, he is also has the dichotomy wrong. If wine descriptions are to be reduced to two choices, a better dichotomy for the consumer is whether the wine is worthy of buying or not.

As people experience sweetness and savoriness in different ways, and if two broad categories are able to "explain more about the essence of any bottle than the most florid, detailed analogies ever could," what better categories are there than saying a wine is worth your hard earned money? After all, that really is the reason for all the descriptive words, badges and scores thrown around by every critic, writer, journalist, blogger and wine guru these days.

Many consumers have a mental rubric into which they input all those data just to compute the binary purchase decision (to buy or not to buy?). Why don't all tasting notes tell consumers whether they should buy a wine or not? The answer may or may not surprise you. It is because wine is a complex and dynamic product. I don't mean so complex that consumers can't understand it, but complex in the sense that tastes, preferences and circumstances are varied and change over time. They change as both a person's palate and wine's characteristics evolve. If wine description is stripped to its simplest elements as Asimov attempts to do, then the discourse and individual choice that it evokes will be lost.

Backstage Pass

Barrel tasting is an exciting experience for wine lovers. It is a behind the scenes look at the winemaker's craft. Barrel tasting is like a backstage pass that allows you to look at the set list before the band takes the stage. But what if the lead singer asked you what you thought? How cool would it be to have a say in the outcome of the performance? Unfortunately, bands and winemakers don't often seek advice from their customers. However, at Boulder Creek Winery, wine club members actually get a say in what goes into the bottle! I've highlighted the process behind this unique opportunity in an article on Palate Press.

North on Hwy 29

The center of the North American wine world revolves around the valley that surrounds the town of Napa. Some of the world's most expensive, critically acclaimed, and what I can only assume delicious wines are grown and produced in the towns and hills of this viticultural paradise. While every wine region in the U.S. is chasing after California, every wine region in California is seeking the prestige of Napa Valley.  While the wines of Napa tend to be high in quality, and equally priced, other North Coast wine regions offer exceptional quality and value when compared to the Hellenic Napa Valley. Nevertheless, wines from Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley and Anderson Valley struggle to meet the expectations of their big brother.

Despite being even less heralded than those other wine regions, two big name wine producers have found inspiration a few miles north on Hwy 29 from the Napa Valley. Lake County is home to five American Viticultural Areas in addition to the broad North Coast AVA designation. Three of these, including the Red Hills Lake County AVA, border Clear Lake. Clear Lake is California's largest freshwater lake and has been dated to be almost 500,000 years old. On the southern shore of Soda Bay is one of the more prominent landforms, Mt. Konocti. Just south of the dormant volcano, deposits of previous eruptions yield both red gravelly and sandy loam volcanic soils.

The current benchmark producer of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has to be Schrader Cellars. Fred and Carol Schrader are the proprietors of the darling of Wine Spectator. They employ celebrity winemaker Thomas Rivers-Brown, proprietor of Pinot Noir powerhouse Rivers-Marie, to craft 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines from two of Napa's most famous vineyards, the Beckstoffer To-Kalon and Georges III vineyards. With these high-pedigree grapes, they craft six single-clone and "ultimate-blend clone" wines.  Prior to 2010, no American winery had ever received the exalted100-point distinction. Despite this history, Schrader received two 100-point ratings for two of its 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons. In addition, the other four 100% Cabernet Sauvignons from 2007 received scores above 96 points. With the publicity of these scores and those bestowed on Schrader by other critics, prices and demand have skyrocketed. Luckily for the mere mortal wine lovers, Schrader started the Double Diamond program in 2002. Again, teaming up with Beckstoffer Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are sourced from the Amber Knolls Vineyard in the Red Hills Lake County AVA just north of Napa Valley on Hwy 29. The Double Diamonds (Amber Knolls Vineyard and Napa Valley Bomber X) are Schrader's consumer-friendly, entry-level offering.

Perhaps the most renowned international winemaking consultant, Stéphane Derenoncourt works with wineries in 10 countries, most of which are centered around the French town of Saint-Émilion. In 2009, Derenoncourt released his first California wine. His eponymous wines are made in partnership with Montesquieu Wine Group and are focused on vineyards in the Napa Valley. However, the red soils of the Beckstoffer Red Hills Vineyard in the Red Hills Lake County AVA appealed to his ultimate commitment to terroir and led him to make a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from this unlikely region. While Derenoncourt's Napa wines approach the prices commanded by Napa's top wineries, the Red Hills Cabernet is much more affordable even though may be difficult for wine lovers to buy due to production volume.

I spent the past few nights exploring the Red Hills Lake County offerings from some of Napa's most sought after producers. While I most definitely count myself among the mere mortals, these two wines offer a glimpse of what winemaking royalty has to offer. I will definitely keep my eyes open for other wines from Lake County.

2006 Derenoncourt California, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills Lake County AVA, Red Hills Vineyard

The packaging doesn't get much prettier than this beautifully simple linen label. The wine was poured into a duck decanter and sipped over several hours. Dark red color. Nice aromatic nose though not overly fruity and hints of cedar. With silky and smooth tannins along with flavors of cassis, dark raspberries, pencil shavings along with crisp acidity and good minerality you will not confuse this with an overblown Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is exceptionally balanced and elegant. Even though the label says 15.7% abv, I hardly noticed any heat. I am looking forward to the 2007s being released next month! 15.7% abv Purchased $40. Very Good/Excellent (tasted 2/15/11)

2008 Double Diamond, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills Lake Country AVA, Amber Knolls Vineyard

I was disappointed to pull out a composite cork from the bottle, but the juice is what is important. I poured half of the bottle into a decanter and corked the rest and put it into the fridge for the next night. Dark opaque purple in color. The moderately powerful aromas of cassis, blackberries and cigar box fill the glass. Once the wine passes my lips, a bit of disappointment sets in. Plums, blackberries, tobacco and smoke flavors are followed by a slightly vegetal and ashey back palate. It seems a bit disjointed and unbalanced; not unenjoyable but not meeting my expectations considering the pedigree of the name on the label.  14.5% abv Purchased $45. Good (tasted 2/17/11)

Unique terroir

While most people are not cognizant of the fact that there is a high-quality wine industry present in Colorado, those who are will be quick to point out that it is centered on the western side of the state in and around the town of Palisade in the Grand Valley. A majority of the approximately 100 wineries located around the state have their vineyards or buy grapes from growers in the Grand Valley. Despite Palisade being the locus for vineyards, the Front Range (in and around Denver), is actually where about half of the state's licensed wineries call home. Why so far away from "wine country?," most people ask. The population of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area is approximately 146,000, whereas the population of the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area is over 20 times larger with about 3,110,000 people. The consumer market is larger along the Front Range, so wineries find it easier to market their products when closer to a larger audience.

Unfortunately, the climate of the Front Range is not conducive to growing Vitis vinifera. However, while several growers are experimenting with French-American hybrids, one winery has produced traditional vinifera wines from a small vineyard in north Denver. J. A. Balistreri Vineyards buys most of their grapes from western Colorado, but occasionally bottles limited-release wines from grapes harvested near the winery in Denver. Julie Balistreri told me that they did not get any Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the Denver Vineyard in 2009 or 2010, but when they do, as in 2008, they have fun making a barrel or two of unique wine.

Most Balistreri wines that I have tried (and I have not tried all of their offerings) tend to be big, bold and fruit forward reds and whites fermented on their skins. The wines are single-vineyard designated and bottled and labeled one barrel at a time. Each individual barrel number is hand-stamped on the back of each bottle. This approach provides an interesting way to experience terroir and barrel variations.

2008 J. A. Balistreri Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Barrel 193, Denver Vineyard, Colorado

This Cabernet Sauvignon differs in style from many of Balistreri's reds. It is an opaque dark red color and stains the glass as you swirl it. It is not especially fruit forward, yet dark fruits, mainly cassis and dark strawberries, are noticeable. Old-world aromas of earth, leather and truffles are also present. This mouth-filling wine has medium-plus tannins combined with dark chocolate, black cherries, smoke and tobacco on the palate. The finish is a nice, medium length. The 15% alcohol is not noticeable. Overall, this is a nice, balanced Cabernet that is not overly concentrated and very traditionally styled. It is not going to change your life, yet it is a fun curiosity with an interesting narrative. 15% abv Sample $24. Good (tasted 2/09/11)

Is Antonio Galloni's Bitch in pre-production?

With the Robert Parker's announcement this past weekend that Antonio Galloni will take his place reviewing California wines for The Wine Advocate, I thought that this video from two years ago has some renewed relevance. Enjoy.


Robert Parker's Bitch from Josh Hermsmeyer on Vimeo. Check him out at Pinotblogger.

Written, Directed and Produced by:
Tina Caputo
for Vineyard & Winery Management.

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