The Sommelier Prep Course: An Introduction to the Wines, Beers, and Spirits of the World

First and foremost, do not forget that this is a textbook...that being said, it reads quite nicely and keeps interest in the material. The author does a successful job of inserting some humor throughout to prevent monotony and straight regurgitation of material. Additionally, the author does a great job of repeating important themes and key terms throughout the book, so as to cement the information in the reader's mind. The only negative I could draw was with the weakness of the review questions at the end of each section; they were quite minimal in nature and seemed a bit too easy. Overall, this book presents a solid foundation and is a great choice for those seeking to become a certified Sommelier, or simply have an above-average interest in wine.

I've been cooking professionally for a while now and wine has been one of those things I've known I should learn more about, but just haven't gotten around to doing. While I won't say this book has made me a master sommelier, I will say I now have a pretty decent foundation on the subject of wine. It's actually pretty cool. The book nicely summarizes the history of wine, how to taste wine (which is super cool because it's all based on deduction), a brief chapter on food and beverage pairings, the more popular regions in the world where wine is produced, and even talks about beer and spirits. I just really appreciate how much less intimidated I am towards wine now. This book held my interest very well and I found it fun to read.

it helps to have the actual book when doing the Introductory Sommelier course. We both passed and this was a big help.

Although this is intended as a text for those preparing for the Court of Master Sommelier’s Introductory Sommelier exam, it is an excellent book for anyone wanting to know more about wine. The author (who was an instructor at a culinary school) has produced a text that is clearly written and easy to understand. The end-of-chapter question are also helpful. The only negative is that it is from 2010, so some information may be out of date, but the vast majority remains current.

I'll make this short and sweet - although I've "been into" wines for years, I decided that it was time to become certified. This book is an excellent start and very well written. It's written at a level that anyone with an interest could understand without going into the sometimes dizzying details that can be found in other serious wine books. This is a true textbook; its layout, structure, and quizzes at the end of each chapter are helpful and educational. I would recommend this for anyone - whether a novice who's just beginning to learn about wines, someone who is starting to work in the wine industry (restaurant, winery, etc.), or even someone who's far more experienced but who may be looking to go to the next level in wines and need a regular, go-to book for reference.

I recently started at a wine bar and although I have a good deal of experience serving wine, the learning curve at a spot focused on wine was a bit steep. Several of our team are using this text as part of an ongoing study group. We may seek our certifications but one thing is for sure, it really brings the concepts and essential down to earth and within a reasonable grasp. Great resource! Thank you.

Loved this book and learned a lot to help me prep for my Level 1 Somm test. It explained things in an easy to understand way (much easier to understand than the course material I obtained in my class). Glad I got this book and will keep it as a handy reference.

This is a really great book for those who are planning on testing for certification in the Court of Master Sommeliers. If you're taking your Level 1 Exam, this is a great resource. For Level 2, this book provides an excellent outline. It offers more breadth than depth, but is very easy to read and well done. Along with the World Atlas of Wine and The Wine Bible, this book will prepare you for Certification exam.

Excellent book to understand all things wine

Covers basics!

Great basics and a useful guide to understanding the world of wine.

Compré este libro para preparar mi Certified Examination para la Court of Master Sommeliers y a medio camino me di cuenta de que era insuficiente para el nivel que se requería por lo que tuve que obtener otras fuentes para ampliar mi información, pero es un excelente libro de referencia pues cubre absolutamente todo lo necesario y da muy buena noción de lo que se requiere estudiar. Hay algunas cosas desactualizadas como las clasificaciones de calidad francesas y tiene unos pocos errores como considerar a Ribera del Duero una DOCa. Pero en verdad es un excelente material y lo recomiendo ampliamente. Por cierto. Pasé mi examen de certified :)

Did the job preparing me for my Introductory course with the Court of Master Sommeleiers