Become an AIS Sommelier

With more than 170 delegations in Italy, the Italian Association of Sommeliers seeks to train professional Sommeliers, using educational and editorial tools to deepen the knowledge and appreciation of wine and other alcoholic beverages.

In collaboration with AIS, ALCE has launched professional qualification Sommelier courses with qualified Italian tutors and a Japanese language interpreter, in Bologna, Italy.

The “professional qualification course for aspiring sommeliers”, is also available for enthusiasts and has a three level structure which can be attended all together or separately:

First level

Enter the fascinating world of wine with “Oenology” and “Wine-production” events, learning the “technique of tasting” as well as the “functions of the Sommelier” from service styles to the organization of wine-cellars, to the discerning selection of glasses in consideration of the ideal serving temperature.

Second level

Gain a deeper awareness of the undertakings of National and International Enography, the geography of wine of Italy and around the world for total immersion in sensory analysis.

Third level

Revolves around the “methodology of wine-food partnering” which includes the tasting of diverse types of wine paired with a multitude of dishes. The course concludes with the attainment of the Sommelier qualification.

After completion of the third level, there is a final examination over the course of two days wherein the keen Sommelier is required to demonstrate their technical and practical skills as well as their cultural awareness.The candidates who pass this final exam receive the “diploma of Sommelier”.

The following will be provided during the course:

Textbooks edited exclusively by A.I.S.
Notebooks with sensory analysis cards
A case with glasses and utensils

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The Programme And Content Of The 1° Level

THE WORLD OF THE SOMMELIER

The vine and the vineyard, the grape and wine, sparkling wines, sweet wines and fortified wines, Italian wine and their laws, beer, distilled beverages and liquors, the figure of the Sommelier and the service, the evolution of taste at the table. A synthesis of the world of Sommelier from viticulture to Oenology, ending with the service of wine. A fascinating trip to explore a wine-cellar and tasting sessions in restaurants, readings and tours of enogastronomy. A world which maintains strong ties with tradition, culture and society.

THE TASTING

Learning to taste means tasting the wine with attention, connecting the perception of sensations with history and its evolution, expressing a evaluation conditioned as little as possible by personal taste. This simple and straightforward text provides the tools to open up the world of wine, to understand common terminology, to converse using essential and effective language in a synthetic manner.

The Programme And Contents Of The 2° Level

ITALIAN WINE

A publication divided into two volumes lays out the oenological heritage of our country. The first volume describes the general characteristics of the most important grapevines and profiles each region in Italy, including the history of winegrowing, the environment, significant locations and gastronomy. The second volume goes deeper, exploring controlled designation of origin (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) and protected designation, with the inclusion of the IGT list of Controlled Origin, which points out its growing importance in the Italian oenological landscape.

Programme And Contents Of The 3° Level

FOOD AND WINE

If the exploration of the world of wine is fascinating then the pairing of wine with food is even more interesting, exciting and intriguing. The journey towards the perfect marriage of food and wine begins with the analysis of all the sensory characteristics that are perceived, followed by pairing techniques, according to the principles of concordance and contrast, which is accompanied by the compilation of a graphic card which translates food and wine to a sensory level of expression. It concludes with a judgement on the harmony of pairing.

With the termination of the entire educational course, a qualification exam is held, which, once passed, allows participants to obtain the title of Sommelier AIS.

The participation fee includes:

Exclusive textbooks edited by A.I.S
Tasting notebooks with various sensory analysis cards
A case of glasses and instruments
All lessons with sommelier
All lessons with qualified speakers and trained professionals
Wine tasting every lesson 2/3/4 DOP
All dishes included in the third level
Evaluation tests at the end of EVERY level
Use of classrooms equipped with multimedia devices
Educational visits to wine cellars
Residential accommodation in a single room with kitchenette (if the student does not have independent housing)
Free access to WI-FI at ALCE school throughout the duration of the course.
The possibility of participation in ALCE’s social programme along with international students
10% discount for participation (optional) in a crash course of Italian at ALCE (before, during, or after the sommelier course)
Final exam for vocational and professional qualifications
Yearly subscription to AIS
AIS Sommelier Diploma (provided that the student passes the final examination)