Last month, five new Masters of Wine were announced. Emily Brighton MW, who passed the rigorous exams and became a Master of Wine at the start of 2024, reflects on the professional and personal impact of achieving this sought-after qualification.

PLUS – Natasha Hughes MW looks at how much the process costs, and how long it takes

It’s often pointed out that more people have been into space than have become an MW. There are only 425 MWs in the world, (roughly half of them still ‘active’ in the industry). With an overall pass rate hovering around 10 per cent, attaining the coveted initials after your name is clearly a momentous achievement.

But how do the lives of Masters of Wine actually change? I canvassed the views of 17 MWs, based in China, New Zealand, Germany, the UK, USA, Spain, Australia, Ireland and France to discover what it is that inspires wine professionals to pursue the qualification in the first place, given the enormous investment in time and money, and the small chance of success.

The main motivating factor is clear: the word ‘challenge’ appears in almost all responses. The allure of ‘climbing Mount Impossible,’ as one MW put it, sums up the type of person who is selected to embark on the study programme. MWs are also driven by the ‘breadth and depth of learning.’ This hunger for knowledge is fuelled by a passion for wine, which fortunately seems to help them endure the more harrowing aspects of the programme.

The most challenging of these are ‘the sacrifices’ required in juggling study commitments and ‘real life,’ particularly when working full time and/or raising a family – the year one MW passed she had devoted 30-40 hours per week to studying.

Prioritising this rigorous self-study to the exclusion of other activities for several years (even a decade for some), and ‘sticking with the programme despite failing some parts’ (very few pass all modules first time round), certainly requires tenacity and resilience.

Some MWs believe the formidable Stage 2 tasting exams, which often take ‘several attempts’, to be the main obstacle, honing one’s ability to quickly and accurately read all facets of twelve wines per paper, and then answer questions logically under time pressure.

For others, Stage 3 ‘took a particularly heavy toll’, principally due to having to develop a totally new skill set, to write an academic research paper to meet the exacting standards of the IMW. One respondent considered it, ‘one of the most painful and tedious experiences of my life.’

Professionally, MWs consider the main impact of the qualification to be that it opens doors.

‘It gives you a bit of kudos’ and ‘proves you can taste,’ as one respondent said. This fundamental level of recognition, whether it ‘opens a conversation with a winery more quickly and more easily,’ or grants ‘access to almost anyone in the world of wine,’ is hugely valuable.

Others report that the title gives them ‘credibility’. As the current youngest female MW, it has helped me get attention and respect, particularly in scenarios such as giving feedback to a room of male winemakers on their wines for the UK market: my opinion is valued and people want to hear what I have to say.

This echoes the views of other female MWs thriving in male-dominated environments: the title can give you self-assurance, or ‘more confidence in my own abilities,’ a respondent said.

A fellow 2024 MW notes that they get ‘more invitations to participate in industry activities such as debate panels and international judging’, demonstrating the wider opportunities beyond one’s immediate job role.

The degree of impact varies between markets and channels. Becoming one of the first MWs in a country can generate job offers or ‘an unexpected degree of fame’, but even in the UK and US, the countries with the most MWs, it helps: employers like to have an MW in their team.

If you are self-employed, the title demonstrates that you have the resilience and initiative to succeed in a highly competitive and difficult field; it implies you have some gravitas, and the competence to deliver, whether writing, speaking, educating, or consulting. ‘It has significantly increased my earning potential as a corporate speaker,’ one respondent said.

Responses overwhelmingly suggest the MW journey provides a uniquely enriching experience – ‘The process of attempting, failing and then passing the MW has helped me to get to know myself and my capabilities in a very deep way.’

It can be a source of self-knowledge, self-belief, and pride: ‘With arrogance and ego restrained…I feel I can probably do just about anything if I work very hard and make sacrifices.’

There is also access to a network of the most knowledgeable, dedicated wine professionals in the world, with abundant opportunity to make new connections and ‘close friends for life’ cited by several MWs.

An aspect some MWs find ‘particularly rewarding’, is the obligatory giving back to the Institute of Masters of Wine. Whether mentoring, marking, examining, or running seminars as part of the education programme, a role in the management of the Institute as a commercial organisation, or contributing to committees on areas such as sustainability and diversity and inclusion, this is vital to ensure the enduring relevance of the MW qualification.

The practicalities: How much does it cost to become an MW?

It’s almost impossible to give an average figure for how much the MW qualification costs in total, as it varies hugely depending on where you live and your access to wines, writes Natasha Hughes MW, a member of the IMW Education Committee for the past 10 years.

If you’re London-based, for example, you’ll have far more chance of tasting wines from all over the world than if you live in Maipo, say - or even Bordeaux, where it can be hard to find non-French wines. 

The base costs of taking the exams - and the various bursaries and scholarships available - are set out in detail on the IMW website.

The overall cost varies depending on how many times you have to retake the different stages: even the best candidates usually have to retake the Stage Two Theory and Practical exams at least once.

If you began your studies in 2024 and passed Stages One, Two and Three on the first attempt, the fees come to just under £16,000. With retakes of the Stage Two exams fees can easily go above £24,000.

Then you have to add the cost of buying wines for tasting, travel to and from seminars, and compulsory (and voluntary) course days. For most candidates this means an outlay of between £500 and £2000 a year on top of the fees.

How long it takes to get your MW is again dependent on your circumstances. There’s no average but it can be anything from three years (if you’re one of the very rare candidates who passes everything first time) to eight years and more.

But the most important thing to remember is that if you don’t pass, doing the course is never a waste of money. You’ll be pushed and challenged in ways you wouldn’t have believed possible, and that can only be a good thing. You learn a vast amount, you make a lifetime network of colleagues and friends, and you become part of a community, whether you get the coveted initials after your name or not.

Emily Brighton is Head of Technical at North South Wines, the UK's first B Corp accredited importer. A Law graduate passionate about wine, she earned the Derouet Jameson scholarship and an IWSC Emerging Talent Award nomination, and is the youngest female Master of Wine.

Image credit: iStock, piola666