A student tastes white wines

ICE Launches Intensive Sommelier Training

The only program approved by the Master Court of Sommeliers, Americas.

In July, we announced a collaboration with the International Culinary Center (ICC) to incorporate the best elements of the historic school at our campuses in New York and Los Angeles as ICC plans to close at the end of the year. In October, we'll debut the first offering that's part of this agreement: Intensive Sommelier Training at ICE.

Wine enthusiasts of all levels can pursue this exclusive program approved by the Court of Master Sommeliers and led by Dean of Wine Studies Scott Carney, MS. Scott is on the Court of Master Sommeliers' Board of Directors and has taught the curriculum for nearly a decade. He will instruct alongside half a dozen fellow members, including Kyungmoon Kim, who's led beverage programs at Michelin-starred Jungsik and The Modern in New York City, and Mia Van de Water, who earned the highest score on the Court of Master Sommeliers' Advanced exam in 2014 and has represented the U.S. at international competitions.

Intensive Sommelier Training covers essential topics, including wine styles and winemaking, tasting and professional service techniques, wine menus and management, and the deductive tasting method. Embark on a virtual tour of the world’s great wine growing regions, immersing yourself in the geography, geology and history of more than two dozen regions while learning how to taste, analyze and evaluate more than 300 benchmark wines.

"You want to give people the confidence to trust their own palates, to find ways to describe things that are admittedly, in some ways, very individualistic," Scott explained in a recent webinar, elaborating on quantifiable elements such as sugar, acidity and tannins.

Wine students sniff and taste in class

"There are many people in the industry who want to surge ahead and be better at what they do and broader in their experience," he says of past and potential students. "It's open to everybody."

ICE students will be included in a larger cohort of candidates from the New York region for the three days of exams to take place onsite at the end of the course.

"The content and level of difficulty are geared specifically to get students through the level 2 exam," Scott said. "The certified exam is the gold ring. It will always be an in-person event with a focus on hospitality."

Afternoon classes begin on Oct. 1, meeting Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at our New York campus. An evening class is planned for Nov. 2, to meet Mondays through Wednesdays, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Learn more at the next virtual Open House.

Explore your wine goals with ICE.

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