This highly professional hospitality certification is designed for future industry professionals requiring in‐depth knowledge to operate at the highest levels. The SDP is the most comprehensive sommelier education program, providing all the vocational competencies needed for today’s ever-changing industry and preparing you to become a leader.
The SDP course spans 30 sessions, totaling 308 hours. With no time limitations in online learning, students can progress at their own pace while receiving tutoring and guidance from four dedicated educators.
As the only sommelier education institution that develops its complete standardized educational materials in over ten languages—including our proprietary textbooks—the SDP is not only the best tool for the trade but also a critical pathway into the ISGM system.
The program is an intensive 30-session course. Each session is structured into a Lecture, Tasting, Review, and Examination. The total course time is 308 hours. Successful completion requires a minimum of 70% in all examinations, with online students receiving guidance from five individual sommelier instructors.
Syllabus: (View Syllabus)
Note: You will receive ALL LEARNING MATERIALS—standardized and structured—as the ISG is the only sommelier educational institution that develops its own learning materials, published textbooks, and standardized curriculum regardless of geography or language.
The examination consists of a seven-part theory exam and a two-part practical exam. Our grading method is standardized and consistent for every student, ensuring full transparency. Please note that to successfully complete your SDP Sommelier program, you must attain no less than 70% in each examination.
Note: You will receive ALL LEARNING MATERIALS, standardized and structured, as the ISG is the only Sommelier educational body with its own learning materials, published books, and standardized curriculum. SDP examinations may be challenging; please review our policies for further details.
Examination Breakdown: (View Topics)
The examinations can be broken down to one called theory (which consist of four examination components) and secondly the practical (which consists of 3 additional examination components).
All 6 components of the examinations must be passed with a 70% in each; meaning this is not a combined average but rather the mastering of each component is essential. This is a multilayered exam process. The examinations are completely based on the curriculum, book, lectures, and videos, (you should prepare to allocate an average of about a minimum of 10 to 1-hour ratio of additional home studying to be successful) whether online or in class delivery.
Here is a precise overview of the examinations. The examinations are split into 3 consecutive days.
Theory 1 - Multiple Choice: It is based and determined by the number of curricular hours devoted to that topic and therefore although that may fluctuate every single year, one could never have a completely disproportionate allotment to a country that currently is 40th in production. However, please remember that as the fluctuation changes and the bottom producing players have increase market share, so will the readjustment of question proportionality be reflected in the exams.
The ISG’s approach to multiple choice is not unique and follows standard educational standards. Students are provided with 4 possible answers (a, b, c, or d) and only one of those answers is correct; there is no room for judgment. This is what we would call overview so that every subject can be addressed.
The examination consists of 300 questions with an allocation of 3 hours in total.
Theory 2 - Essays: This section consists of 10 essay topics. Students are required to produce these essays so that the ISG can evaluate the depth and breadth of the student’s knowledge. Each essay must be at least 1,100-1,200 words plus.
The student’s economy of expression and development is as critical as the quality of the information. Students are required to write in complete sentences (bullet-pointed lists are not acceptable). All essential terminology spelling and grammar will count up to 10% of the grade.
The essays will come from the following 10 subjects:
The examination has an allocation of 10 hours in total.
Theory 3 - Sommelier Management: 3 Essays are to be written within the scope of: the sommelier business, management of a food outlet at any size, investment and inventory with respect to the food outlet the question asks, sales and marketing, or social media and wine business impact.
Each of the 3 essays are to be written in proper full sentence and paragraph writing development format and bullet points are not acceptable. Each essay is to be no less than 1,100-1,200 words words in length. All essential terminology spelling and grammar will count up to 10% off the grade.
The examination has an allocation of 3 hours in total.
Theory 4 - Table d’hôte Food Menus: Given the importance of wine and food pairing to the sommelier profession, the ISG uses the menus in this section as an evaluative tool. Students are required to show that they are able to read a menu description, understand the primary structural and aromatic components of a dish, and then suggest two precise wines (name, producer, vintage), one being a traditional match while a second one being a different wine completely for each plate.
The examination has an allocation of 3 hours in total.
Practical 1 - Blind Tasting: 24 products arranged in 5 flights: sparkling wines, rosé & white wines, red wines, and a flight including spirits, sake, beer, cider, fortified wines, dessert wines, flavored wines, and faulty wines.
The examination has an allocation of 4 hours in total.
Practical 2 - Service: The goal is to see a student’s ability to serve wine and to communicate about wine, food, and service with guests. This includes proper service of sparkling wine and red wine decanting.
The examination has no specific time allocation, but typically most students average between 30-45 minutes from beginning to end.
Practical 3 - Cellar Management Practicum: The Cellar Management Practicum is a skill-building assignment which must be completed by all ISG sommelier students. The goal of the assignment is to introduce students to the practical managerial elements of the sommelier position and help them develop a skill set for the hospitality workplace.
The Practicum is divided into 7 sections and must be addressed prior to examination commencement.
Session 1: Course Introduction, Expectations, Examination Procedures, Discussion of Necessary Supporting Materials, Definition of Sommelier & Outline of Role, Principles of Wine Tasting, Principles of Food and Wine Pairing.
Session 2: Elements of Service, History of Service, Service and Sales Applications & Examples, Video of Service Techniques & Guild Expectations, Physical Practice of Service and Sales Techniques.
Session 3: Cellar Management & Investment Systems, Wine Management Practicum, Wine Education and Culture in the Place of Business, Local Liquor Licensing Laws, Responsible Beverage Service, Workshop – Using Tasting in Staff Education.
Session 4: History of Wine Viticulture.
Session 5: Vinification.
Session 6: France, Burgundy & Beaujolais.
Session 7: Bordeaux, Southwest.
Session 8: Alsace, Rhône, Vin de Pays.
Session 9: Loire, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, Jura, Savoie, Corsica, French Food and Wine Classical Pairings, French Wine Business.
Session 10: Italy, North Focus – Piedmont, Veneto.
Session 11: Italy Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Valle d’Aosta, Liguria, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna.
Session 12: Italy, Central and South Focus – Tuscany, Umbria, Latium, Marches, Abruzzo, Molise, Southern Italy and Islands, Italian Food and Wine Classical Pairings, Italian Wine Business, Wine Tasting.
Session 13: Iberian Penninsula – Spain.
Session 14: Iberian Penninsula – Portugal, Spain and Portugal Classical Food and Wine Pairings, Spain and Portugal Wine Business.
Session 15: Germany and German Wine Business.
Session 16: Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Lichtenstein, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland Classical Food and Wine Pairings, Wine Business.
Session 17: Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Rest of Former Yugoslavia Countries, Food and Wine Pairings, Wine Business.
Session 18: Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Former Eastern Bloc Countries, Classical Food and Wine Pairing, Wine Business.
Session 19: Greece, Turkey, Levant (Israel and Lebanon), Northern Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Malta), Asia Minor/Near East (Armenia, Georgia, etc.), China, UK, India, Mediterranean, Near East and Asian Food and Wine Pairing, Regional Wine Business Issues.
Session 20: Sparkling Wine – Champagne, Other Sparkling Wines, Food and Sparkling Wine Pairings, Sparkling Wine Business, Champagne & Sparkling Wine Tasting.
Session 21: Grape Based Distillates – Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, Brandy and Fine, Eaux-du-Vie, Grappa and Marc.
Session 22: Grain and Vegetable-Based Distillates – Single Malt & Irish Whisky, Blended Whiskeys & Bourbons, Other Grain Spirits, Liqueurs.
Session 23: North America – California, Wine Tasting.
Session 24: Oregon, Washington, New York, USA Food and Wine Pairing, Regional Wine Business Issues, Wine Tasting.
Session 25: Other US, Ontario, British Columbia, Mexico, Canada and Mexico Food and Wine Pairings, Regional Wine Business Issues.
Session 26: Southern Hemisphere – Australia, Australia Food and Wine Pairings, Australia Wine Business.
Session 27: New Zealand, South Africa, New Zealand and South Africa Food and Wine Pairings, New Zealand, South Africa Wine Business, Wine Tasting.
Session 28: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, South America Food and Wine Pairings, South America Wine Business, Wine Tasting.
Session 29: Fortified Wine – Port, Sherry, Madeira, New World Fortified Wine, Flavored Wines, Fortified Food and Wine Pairings, Fortified Wine Business.
Session 30: Alternate Forms of Fermentation – Beer, Cider, Mead, Sake, Baijiu and Korean Rice Wine, Coffee, Tea, and Glassware, CMP Workshop, Food Pairings, Alcohol Business, Beer, Cider, Mead Tasting, Sake and Rice Product Tasting.
