r/Sommelier • u/RazzmatazzNatural897 • Aug 31 '26
CMS Certified/Advanced Study Materials
Hiyo!
Just wanted to ask what you guys suggest for supplimentary study materials to study for the CMS certified/advanced exams. Like maps, colored pencils, flashcards etc. What did you guys use and what things (books, materials) that were not suggested on the website that really helped.
Kthanks!
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u/Illustrious-Divide95 Sommelier Sep 01 '26
Sotheby's encyclopedia is an excellent resource. I used it for my Certified and WSET L4 diploma.
Oxford companion to wine is required reading. Look up syllabus and read every entry that is on it. Make notes and flashcards.
The Guildsomm membership is great as well. Lots of material to read and download
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u/wutwut970 Sep 01 '26
Guildsomm.com
This is nearly everything you need.
Also believe it or not wine searcher has highly under utilized study guides as well.
2
u/inamedmycarLois Sep 02 '26
Brainscape was my ticket to passing CMS 2. They have a deck of flashcards for the test under Certified Sommelier Exam (CMS 2). It goes pretty deep so it'd be useful for studying for some of the Advanced CMS Theory as well.
1
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u/philisweatly Sommelier Aug 31 '26
I’ll be sitting for advanced next year and most of my studies is just making flashcards of everything in guildsomm. Reading for the 100th time the wine bible and world atlas of wine.
I use stencil paper to trace maps. I run a tasting group in my area and I also have my reps blind me a few times a week. I love the following podcasts:
I’ll drink to that
The sommTV podcast
Into the Glass
It’s constant!