Thirty-four individuals hailing from sixteen states and three countries undertook the final segments of the demanding Master Sommelier Diploma examination on September 5 and 6, 2023. When the results were announced at Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas, only two of these dedicated candidates successfully surpassed the stringent qualifications. As trade professionals know, this achievement is revered as one of the highest accolades attainable in the beverage service industry. According to the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas, there are 273 individuals worldwide who have received the title of Master Sommelier since its establishment in 1969.
SevenFifty Daily sat down with the two new Master Sommeliers just after the exam to glean their study strategies, their guidance for future test takers, and how they raised a glass to this significant achievement.
Mark Guillaudeu, MS; Phoenix
An entry-level position at Glen’s Garden Market turned into a management role assisting with the beverage program, sparking Mark Guillaudeu’s desire to sell the great wines of the world. After holding several sommelier roles in D.C., Guillaudeu moved to California, where he managed the wine and cocktail programs at Commis in Oakland for five years and taught at the San Francisco Wine School. In June 2022, Guillaudeu earned the title of Best Sommelier USA, and he became a semi-finalist at the ASI Best Sommelier of the World competition earlier this year. Since March, Guillaudeu has been a sommelier at the Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix.
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What was the most difficult part of the test prep?
The theoretical exam for me was the hardest to wrap my head around. You have 100 questions in which to demonstrate your knowledge of the entire world of fermented beverages from Scotch to Sancerre to sake. By the time I passed, I had over 25,000 flashcards in my attempt to have knowledge without gaps.
Did you have any unique methods to practice and develop skills for the exam?
Uncommon, but by no means unique, I cannot overstate the importance of tracking your data. I used a variation of a Leitner box as well as a spreadsheet tracking various wines to help tailor my blind flights and my comparative tastings to shore up my weaknesses. You must have concrete performance data to design maximally productive exercises. The cost of these exams and the wines to prepare for them is steep, so ensuring that each flight and drill you run is the most apt to your needs at that moment is key. I believe this applies equally to those who organize tasting groups tracking the group’s performance as it does to individuals tracking their own.
What would you say were the key moves that helped you pass the MS exam?
Psychology is key, as are reps. You must be comfortable and confident going to meet the wines on the table—having seen them enough that it’s more like recognizing old friends at a party. I did seven to nine blind flights a week for months, often doing two full flights in a day. In my final two weeks, I focused on sleep, sleep quality, and breathwork.
Did anyone give you helpful tips or advice during your preparation process?
I love this part of the Pirkei Avot: “Ben Zoma said ‘Who is wise? He who learns from every man, as it is said: From all who taught me I have gained understanding.’” I was very fortunate in the Bay Area to taste with many Master Sommeliers over the years, but the greatest resource was the students with whom it was my joy to work and my privilege to teach. They pushed me to find answers to questions I had never even imagined. I think I learned more from them than I ever taught.
Now that you have passed, what are your plans as a newly minted Master Sommelier?
My partner and I head to Sicily (a competition victory trip from the Sicilian Wine Maestro event this June), where we’ll enjoy a few days around the island visiting vineyards and wineries, but have also added a little time to just be. Afterward, I look forward most to teaching and examining with the Court—now able to mentor and teach not just within my market but around the country. I had been pursuing the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine in parallel for many years but left when the two exams ended up being scheduled for the same week in 2022. Next year I aim to re-enter the Master of Wine program and am excited to reconnect with that community of wine lovers and students around the world.
Are there any particular resources that you found especially useful during your studies?
For wine and beverage, there is no better single resource than the GuildSomm website. My next best resources were the Oxford Companion to Wine and the World Atlas of Wine, both edited by Jancis Robinson.
That said, it was the non-wine reading that really made the difference for me in my final years of preparation: Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep, James Nestor’s Breath, and Anders Ericsson’s Peak were essential. Bob Rotella’s How Champions Think is something I read just about every year ahead of my big event, whether it be an exam or a competition.
Preparing for service, I spent a little over a year studying the Alexander Technique which completely changed how I moved through the dining room and approached being at a table. For those able, I cannot recommend it strongly enough.
How did it feel when you were finally declared a Master Sommelier? What thoughts crossed your mind at that moment?
The first and most lasting feeling was one of relief—that I could leave the room with good news for my partner. She is also sitting the Master’s exam (we met studying for our advanced exam almost six years ago) so we’re not out of it yet—but we’re closer: a couple that grinds together, shines together.
How did you celebrate after passing the exam and what drinks did you enjoy to commemorate it?
Danielle Vogel (my first boss back in the day at Glen’s Garden Market) gave me a bottle that I decided to save until I passed my Master’s exam. Feeling optimistic, I brought it with me. The night after the exam (but before the results) I drank it with my exam roommate, feeling that regardless of the outcome there was no better moment and no one better to share it with. One of my professors at William & Mary had said he wanted it to be known that people at William & Mary drank rye because the founding fathers who studied there drank rye. I grew up in Virginia but made my career in San Francisco: nothing seemed more appropriate than a pour of SpiritWorks Rye from Sonoma before my most untroubled sleep in years.
Jonathan Eichholz, MS; New York City
Jonathan Eichholz got into the wine industry by way of cheese while working a summer internship at Murray’s Cheese. Though he majored in neuroscience and history at Colby College, food was his true passion, which led him into hospitality roles. After managing the beverage programs at several Washington, D.C. spots, he headed to New York City to become a sommelier at Michelin-starred restaurant Aquavit in 2017, moving over to The Modern in 2019. That same year, Eichholz won the Best Young Sommelier in America competition and went on to place second in the Best Young Sommelier in the World. Since May 2022, Eichholz has worked at GuildSomm as an educator.
What was the most difficult part of the test prep?
When preparing for this exam, after investing countless hours studying, you eventually reach a point of true mastery over beverages. However, what sets this exam apart is the need to master yourself. Ultimately, we all find our unique path to success, and those taking this test will discover their own.
Did you have any unique methods to practice and develop skills for the exam?
For tasting: This was my third attempt at the tasting exam, and I approached it differently this time by using data analysis. I compiled data from previous tastings and created decision trees a week before the exam, which gave me confidence in myself.
For theory and service: Study diligently, delve into the intricacies of beverages, focus on understanding why things work, and most importantly, enjoy the process! The Master Sommelier exam is and should be enjoyable. Remember the wise words of Houston legend Matt Crawford [an advanced sommelier and the director of operations for Rocket Farm Restaurants]: “The Master Sommelier exam is a listening exam.” Learn to listen not just to the questions but also to your guests, peers, and mentors.
What would you say were the key moves that helped you pass the MS exam?
Enjoy every step of the journey! Success comes with a smile. Consider this: You’re investing time in something you’re passionate about, which is pretty cool. Once a year, you get to showcase your hard-earned expertise. What’s more thrilling than sharing your knowledge, creating unforgettable guest experiences, and logically analyzing delicious wines?
Did anyone give you helpful tips or advice during your preparation process?
I owe my journey to the support of mentors, peers, family, friends, and the entire industry. You’re never alone in this. To borrow a quote from my favorite artist, Phil Guston, “When you’re in the studio painting, there are a lot of people in there with you—your teachers, friends, painters from history, critics … and one by one if you’re really painting, they walk out. And if you’re really painting, you walk out.” In the exam room, I’d glance left and right before starting to remind myself that I wasn’t alone.
Now that you have passed, what are your plans as a newly certified Master Sommelier?
I finally got a full eight hours of sleep after a month! As a new Master Sommelier, I’m thrilled about teaching my first intro course and getting involved in global mentorship. Personally, I’ll take a short break from wine to enjoy life. Professionally, there are exciting projects at GuildSomm in the pipeline that I can’t wait to be a part of in the coming months.
Are there any particular resources that you found especially useful during your studies?
In the community, when we work together and study together, we all find success in exams and in life. The pandemic was a difficult time in the industry, but it allowed even more of the preparation process to go online. I was fortunate to learn from and with folks around the country.
How did it feel when you were finally declared a Master Sommelier? What thoughts crossed your mind at that moment?
It’s surreal and strange, and it’ll take a few weeks to sink in. The biggest realization is that you wake up the next morning and you’re still yourself. You entered the exam as an MS, demonstrated it, and left as one. You don’t become an MS during the exam.
How did you celebrate after passing the exam and what drinks did you enjoy to commemorate it?
The overwhelming support and congratulatory messages are truly heartwarming, and that’s all the celebration I need. I have a back-vintage bottle of wine from 7-Eleven, the venerable Chateau Diana white, a tongue-in-cheek gift from my former roommate when I passed theory in 2021. It’s time to open it and see how it tastes. After all, wine is about having fun, making memories, and finding happiness in every sip.
Dispatch
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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.
