Top Exam Scorers

Salvatore Sicilia, IWS

Pierre Freyermuth IWS
  • The course is really well presented, we had loads of great wines to taste and we covered every single Italian region, it almost felt we were on a vacation in Italy on each lesson.
  • Assistant Manager at Salt Yard Group
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Salvatore Sicilia, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Salvatore: My passion for wine started here in London working in the restaurant business but I guess it’s more a DNA sort of thing as my grandfather owned a vineyard and a tiny winery in...

Albert Sheen, Champagne ML

Pierre Freyermuth Champagne
  • The Champagne ML program will also be useful when I pursue my Master of Wine credential at some point.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Level 1, 2, 3
Congratulations to Albert Sheen for passing the Champagne Master Level exam with highest honors!About Albert: I was a casual wine drinker for many years. I had subscriptions to Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate, but I didn’t start taking my wine studies seriously until a few years ago. I started...

Bruce Smoller, Bordeaux ML

Pierre Freyermuth Bordeaux
  • Bordeaux is an especially fun curriculum to have learned about
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • FWS, IWS, Burgundy ML, Rhone Valley ML
Congratulations to Bruce Smoller for passing the Bordeaux Master Level exam with highest honors!About Bruce: I am simply an amateur with a passion for learning about wine. The genesis for the interest probably arose from my days of living relatively close to Napa Valley and making trips there to...

Malcolm Lamont, FWS

Andrea Mcewan FWS
  • I have great respect for the Wine Scholar Guild’s French Wine Scholar and hold it right up there as one of the top certification programs available.
  • Founder and Educator, Oenologize
  • Certified Sommelier, WSET Level 3, WSET Diploma, IWS Diploma
Congratulations to Malcolm Lamont, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Malcolm: I am a wine educator preparing to move to London, UK to seek opportunity as a full-time wine and spirits educator. It all started for me when I took my first wine course – Oenology...

Luciano Radmil, IWS

Pierre Freyermuth IWS
  • Regions like Umbría, Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia still pretty much unknown for most wine lovers around the world. Thanks to the IWS, that's not the case anymore.
  • Sommelier at Ballyfin Demesne Hotel
  • WSET levels 1, 2, 3
Congratulations to Luciano Radmil, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Luciano: I am a certified Sommelier, I work in a hotel. In 2012 I went to a wine tasting...and after that I never stopped, I''m always reading about wine, watching videos about wine etc......

David Larsson, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • I feel like French Wine Scholar has given me a comprehensive understanding of the different wine regions of France
  • Wine Enthusiast
Congratulations to David Larsson, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About David: I am a wine enthusiast living in Sweden and I have had a special interest in French wine for about 8 years. I have spent time in several French wine regions while on vacation. A few...

Mark Capra, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • I have been advised by colleagues in the industry, that the Wine Scholar Guild courses (FWS & IWS) will put me at a distinct advantage not only on the still wines but also on the fortified, the sparkling and wine production units of the WSET Diploma.
  • Account Manager at Gourvid Limited
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Mark Capra, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Mark: I have over a decade’s experience in finance. It was during a career break that took me to Latin America for almost a year that my passion for wine was ignited, eventually leading to a...

John Callow, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • I am excited to become an Approved Programme Provider for the Wine Scholar Guild in Manchester
  • Owner & Lead Educator at Northern Wine School (Manchester)
  • WSET Diploma, Sherry Wine Educator, Certified Sake Educator
Congratulations to John Callow, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About John: My passion and enthusiasm for wine started totally by accident! I ended up on the graduate retail scheme of a major wine store chain in the UK after university. They put me through the...

Tara Abernethy, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • These classes also brought amazing, new professional contacts into my life. I enjoy spending time with people who share similar interests and passions
  • Founder at Vin Elegance
Congratulations to Tara Abernethy, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Tara: I am a passionate wine enthusiast, especially of Old World wines. I created Vin Elegance, my company, in 2017 after extensive training in Bourgogne, France. My company specializes in...

Szilvia Herbak, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • The Wine Scholar Guild French Wine Scholar formation is the most challenging course I’ve undertaken. It was both hard and very comprehensive.
  • Sommelier, Wine Educator at SZH CONSULTANCY LTD
  • WSET Level 3, AIS (Italian Sommelier Association)
Congratulations to Szilvia Herbak, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Szilvia: I love the world of wine; what began as a hobby 3 years ago, has quickly become my passion. Now I am contemplating a complete career change! While tirelessly tasting and travelling...

Antoinette Landragin, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • The FWS program created a desire to explore more on the wine regions of the world, starting with France.
  • Vice-President at Cork & Fork Wine Store (Logan Circle, DC)
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Antoinette Landragin, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Antoinette: Wine runs in my blood! My father is a sixth-generation winemaker from Champagne and became a travelling winemaker at the time of my birth, where he made wine in Champagne,...

Emily Saker, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • I commence the WSET Diploma in London in February; I think the comprehensive French Wine Scholar studies will certainly give me a good grounding for this.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Emily Saker, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Emily: I’m from Norfolk in the UK; I studied French and German at University and spent 6 months living in Caen in northern France and 6 months in Munich. I really enjoyed my time in both...

Peggy Baudon, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • I absolutely love the way Wine Scholar Guild provides a cultural and historical context for learning about wine.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Level 2
Congratulations to Peggy Baudon, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Peggy: Like many, I became enamored with wine a bit later in life. I recently rejoined the restaurant industry and decided to take a wine class - WSET 2. I was hooked. After that was Italian...

Gagan Sharma, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • France is a technically challenging subject to attempt for any wine professional, with such depth and intensity in every aspect. FWS has simplified the subject and offered information in a technical yet logical format with insights in to the history that makes it fun, anecdotal, easy to remember, and interesting.
  • Director and Educator at Institute of Wine + Beverage Studies
  • WSET Diploma, Certified Sommelier,
Congratulations to Gagan Sharma, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Gagan: Gagan SHARMA is a Certified Sommelier (CMS), a WSET DipWSET and Wine Educator and has been a wine professional in India from the past decade. He has been a key wine educator,...

Annie Ip, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • This course has inspired me to continue to study!
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Annie Ip, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Annie: I am a wine enthusiast. My interest in wine started in 2015 while I was working in a wine trading company in Macau. I had opportunity to taste and explore wines from different countries....

Ricardo Luis Santiago, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • The quality and depth of the FWS program is unmatched, you learn about wine from all regions of France with emphasis in history, the sense of place and local food.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • Certified Specialist of Wine CSW, Certified Specialist in Spirits CSS, Spanish Wine Educator (The Wine Academy of Spain).
Congratulations to Ricardo Luis Santiago, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Ricardo: I am a wine enthusiast constantly searching to expand my knowledge about wine. I value any opportunity for tasting new wines and visiting wine producing regions. It is always...

Michael Barber, IWS

Pierre Freyermuth IWS
  • I feel that the IWS course will help to serve as a great foundation for future studies.
  • Wine Enthusiast
Congratulations to Michael Barber, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Michael: I’m definitely a wine enthusiast! I first got into California wine after visiting friends but grew to love old world wines, especially Italian wines as my family is originally from...

HF George Mak, IWS

Pierre Freyermuth IWS
  • IWS banished all my fear and misconceptions which many wine lovers in Hong Kong have when it comes to appreciating Italian wine.
  • Judge Member at Hong Kong Wine Judge Association
  • DipWSET, FWS, CSW
Congratulations to HF George Mak, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About George : First of all, it is my pleasure to be invited to do this interview. I am a registered nurse working in a nursing home, so wine has absolutely nothing to do with my actual career. I...

Rex Ting-chia Ting, IWS

Pierre Freyermuth IWS
  • Undoubtedly, the complex and knowledgeable IWS study fulfill my understanding of Italian wines. It provides me with a clear image and systemic context of Italy wine.
  • Editor & Wine Educator at iCheers Taiwan & Art Of Wine Taiwan
  • FWS, WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Rex Ting-chia Ting, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Ting-chia : As an editor of iCheers (the top 1 wine e-commerce platform in Taiwan), I am passionate to introduce the viticulture and wines around the world to the customers here....

Paul Ceccaldi, FWS

Pierre Freyermuth FWS
  • The FWS program is an excellent program that allows you to deepen your knowledge in a specific field.
  • Owner & Managing Director at ACTILANGUE - French Language School
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Paul Ceccaldi, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Paul: Wine has become my passion. I have been interested in it for more than twenty years. I learned a lot from myself through reading and traveling. I thought I would need a diploma to share...