Seven New Sommeliers Join the Court of Master Sommeliers

There are now 234 master sommeliers in the world. This week, the Court of Master Sommeliers announced a new class of master sommeliers — a distinction held by very few wine professionals due to the rigorous and in-depth exam required before induction into the organization. Of the 63 people (from 14 states and Canada) that took the exam this year, seven passed:

Brahm Callahan, Grill 23 & Bar (Boston, MA)
William Costello, The Mandarin Oriental (Las Vegas, NV)
Elyse Lambert, Maison Boulud (Montreal, QC, Canada)
Jack Mason, Marta (New York, NY)
Michael Meagher, Jackson Family Wines (Groton, MA)
Kevin Reilly, Cyrus (Healdsburg, CA)
June Rodil, Maguire Moorman Hospitality Group (Austin, TX)

Elyse Lambert is the first sommelier to earn the distinction in Montreal.

According to a release, "The Master Sommelier Diploma is the highest distinction a professional can attain in the beverage service industry. The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination consists of three sections: a verbal theory examination, a blind tasting of six wines in 25 minutes, and a practical service component which focuses on restaurant beverage service and salesmanship. Candidates must receive passing scores in each category in order to earn the highly coveted title of Master Sommelier."

The exam administered by the educational organization Court of Master Sommeliers was documented in the film Somm. It's an exam many wine professionals take multiple  times before passing after years of study and training. This is one of the court's largest graduating classes. Congratulations to the new members of the Court of Master Sommeliers.