Fewer than 500 people have passed the Master of Wine exam since its inception in 1953. Those that have achieved the title are considered to have a deep understanding of wine, and on top of that, be experts in communicating their knowledge. The test is known to be one of the most challenging, not only in the wine world, but in comparison to qualifiers in other industries as well.
SevenFifty Daily spoke with three of the newest Masters of Wine, who passed the test in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and were recently officially welcomed into the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW). Here, they share their tips for balancing study and daily life, their most reliable learning tools, and the best advice they received ahead of the exams.
Pasi Ketolainen, MW; Finland (passed in 2020)
Pasi Ketolainen is a wine trade professional who has served in several commercial and brand management positions since 2001, including as a founding partner and board member of one the largest wine-focused importers in Finland. After his MBA studies, in 2019 he began working for importer Viinitie as the commercial director, and he’s served as a partner since 2021. Ketolainen has held several investor and advisory roles in other start-ups, mainly in the health and education sectors.
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Can you describe your study plan and how you fit it into your schedule?
I studied mainly from 2005 to 2008. This was quite a busy time, as we had our first house built in 2004, and our two oldest kids were born in 2005 and 2007, plus the company in which I was a founding member started in summer 2006. I am very grateful for the support of my wife and family which made the studies possible.
At the time we were six students from Finland (three finally graduated), which made it possible to have weekly tasting training. We were heavily supported by the trade, which provided and occasionally organized the weekly tasting based on earlier MW exam tasks.
For the theory part, I studied individually, mainly in the early mornings before work. I prepared for examinations with one other student by practicing time management and responses to earlier year exam questions. I was also very lucky to have very supportive and active mentors (Patricia Sefanowicz, MW, Ulf Sjödin, MW, and Juliet Bruce Jones, MW) from IMW, which was a great help in all stages of studies.
I participated in all official international education seminars, but did not visit London for any other purpose except exams. Many work-related winery visits and active information gathering from the wineries helped me to widen my understanding of topics. Communication with the other MW students, especially with other Scandinavians, was also very helpful.
After taking several years away from the exam process, in 2018 I decided to finish my dissertation after graduating from the MBA program at the University of Northampton with an academic achievement award. I wrote my research paper while working in my current position, and it was finally approved after some correction rounds in February 2020.
What resources or technological aids would you suggest for people to have during the MW study process?
The world and the program have changed so much since my studies, so I am not sure if the current students should really pay much attention to practices I followed. Nevertheless, it is crucial to resolutely plan the study process and implement the plan made by eliminating irrelevant disturbances.
A holistic view and mood boards of relevant topics, academic interest, and a curiosity to understand all and possibly completely different views of relevant topics is crucial. Gathering examples of practices and evidence to support those is very important. I would also encourage actively searching for exceptions and evaluating the different views to respond—especially to the question why more than how.
The internet and different databases are so full of information, often interest biased, so it is extremely crucial to critically evaluate the relevance of the content. Some of the most useful educational events I found were the panel conversations of several professionals highlighting the different views of discussed topics. Many such events were organized by IMW and those were always very professional and educational.
What was the best piece of exam prep advice you got from a mentor or friend?
I practiced the theory exam responses with another Finnish MW student, reviewing past year examples. We used only 15 minutes to create a plan, starting and summarizing the finishing paragraph for past exam questions. Then we used a sharp 40 minutes to evaluate each other’s work, debate the essay plans made, and make notes of the topics we considered to be in need of more knowledge. These sessions normally included four to eight topics and were extremely helpful to broaden my view and detect any lack of knowledge.
Also, there was great practical debate and preparation support from other Finnish MW students for tasting, and the success of passing the tasting part was high among the Finns.
What did you find most challenging about the exam?
As I had a background in endurance sports and an army education, the physical and psychological pressures did not feel overwhelming. Biology was not high in my interest, therefore learning all the viruses and pests related to viticulture was tough, but during studies I got very interested in the chemistry of winemaking due to an excellent book by David Bird, MW.
As I had stopped my voluntary studies of English in high school, my major concern was language and fluency of writing, which I decided to do in English and not have translated from Finnish.
What did you do to help keep the process enjoyable and let off steam?
Collaboration and support with other students was extremely important. The baby, kids, and loving family played a massive role in releasing the pressure and taking my thoughts towards more important things in life. I had a broad circle of friends and understanding work colleagues, who allowed me to take the time I needed for studies. Sports have always been an important part of my life, so good physical condition also helped me to stay tuned and motivated for reaching the goal. Healthy and tasty gastronomic adventures and occasional family travels to discover the beauty of the world also brought useful appreciation and happiness.
I might have a rather spartan, resolutive attitude and belief of humans not being aware of their full potential, but I don’t remember the study times being very demanding. Or maybe the memories grow sweeter with time.
Sophie Parker-Thomson, MW; New Zealand (passed in 2021)
Sophie Parker-Thomson is a lawyer by training, but lived and breathed wine through her family’s winery and hospitality businesses. She made a return to the wine industry 13 years ago and achieved the Master of Wine qualification in February 2021. She resides in Marlborough, New Zealand, where she is the general manager and co-owner of the small-batch, fine wine venture Blank Canvas, which she owns with her husband, Matt Thomson. Together they’ve been creating wines from exceptional single-vineyard sites in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, and Central Otago since 2013. Consulting work takes Parker-Thomson and Thomson to Europe multiple times a year, which gives a genuinely global perspective to their winemaking.
Can you describe your study plan and how you fit it into your schedule?
Having a young child throughout my MW studies meant I had to learn to be flexible and adaptable with my study routine and grab any moment I could, typically around daycare or school hours and plenty in the evenings and weekends. I’d generally focus on theory during the day and in the evenings practice blind tasting. In the few months leading up to the exams, the weekends were dedicated to marathon mock tasting exams that my husband Matt would set up for myself and the few other MW and WSET Diploma students in Marlborough. On and off, our tasting group was about three to four in number—small, but better than nothing!
What resources or technological aids would you suggest for people to have during the MW study process?
For me, people are the best resource. The most important thing is having a supportive partner and it’s a huge bonus if they have an interest in wine, too. Another fundamental is to have a good tasting group (no matter how big or small) where mutual respect is emphasized—they don’t necessarily need to be an MW student, but they need to be reliable and you need to feel comfortable dissecting wines together, thrashing out why you stuffed up as much as why you got it right!
The Oxford Companion to Wine and The World Atlas of Wine are two key reference books every student of wine should own.
What was the best piece of exam prep advice you got from a mentor or friend?
From David Gleave, MW, for the practical exam: just relax and enjoy the wines.
What did you find most challenging about the exam?
Probably the psychological aspect of needing to perform at such a high level every day for five days. The Stage 2 exams are really equivalent to an ultra-endurance race so you need to build yourself up to the intensity and stamina required over a matter of months, trying not to peak too early.
What did you do to help keep the process enjoyable and let off steam?
Ensuring I prioritized time for family, friends, and fitness. The gym was an important place for letting off steam! Keeping fit physically helped me remain focused and enthused about spending long periods of time at the desk.
Justin Martindale, MW; Scotland (2022 vintage)
Justin Martindale is an educator, consultant, and wine judge based in Edinburgh. He joined the wine trade with Majestic in 2008, following a stint as a classical musician after studying music at Leeds University. In 2013, Martindale established Lothian Wine School in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he now works as the head tutor teaching WSET courses, masterclasses, and bespoke private events, as well as running a consultancy business and judging at international wine competitions.
Can you describe your study plan and how you fit it into your schedule?
I was lucky to be self-employed as I was able to create time to study around my work commitments. I took a month off before the theory exam to make sure I had all the examples and technical details learned before sitting. Given the breadth of knowledge required to pass, I had to get a bit creative with my schedule to ensure I’d get over the line—for example, I made voice recordings of some of the key texts so I could listen to them while out for a run or driving to try and minimize those otherwise dead times of my day. I even had rootstock examples printed out and stuck around the kitchen sink for washing-up time!
What resources or technological aids would you suggest for people to have during the MW study process?
Often the best resources were my fellow students who were able to help me develop a global perspective on international markets. Podcasts were invaluable to develop knowledge that went beyond textbooks as well as gathering examples, and there are some great Facebook forums that give really good exposure to real-life issues faced in the vineyards and wineries around the world.
What was the best piece of exam prep advice you got from a mentor or friend?
I’ve soaked up lots of great advice over the course of the program, but one immediately jumps to mind: Emma Symington, MW, once said in a seminar that you truly have no idea how you did in the exam until you receive your results. I almost gave up hope because I was convinced I’d failed the first tasting paper when I left the room on day one, and without that advice echoing in my ears I may well have given up hope for the other papers that week.
What did you find most challenging about the exam?
There’s an attritional element to the exam week that is quite difficult. Performing at the standard required to pass for four consecutive days is challenging. It’s really important to be kind to yourself that week and make sure you’re resting properly and ready for the next day’s exams. I’m pretty sure I was in bed by 9 pm every day!
What did you do to help keep the process enjoyable and let off steam?
I think setting boundaries for yourself is really crucial. There’s a danger that the MW program becomes all-encompassing if you allow it. The MW program was very important to me, but so were lots of other things in my life, so I had a study plan that enabled me to get where I needed to be to pass, but that didn’t encroach on family time and social events. You’ll probably never feel ready for the MW exam, so it will eat as much of your time as you allow it to!
These interviews have been edited and condensed.
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Jill Barth is a wine writer and journalist and a Fellowship award winner of the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. Her work has been published by Forbes.com, USA Today, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, France-Amérique, and others. She holds the Provence Master Level from the Wine Scholar Guild. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @jillbarth.
