Where to Take a Sommelier Course in Paris?
Dreaming of turning your passion for wine into expertise?
Good news: Paris is an incredible playground, both for the curious who want to shine at parties and for future professionals determined to master the most demanding vintages.
We regularly receive people who ask us the same question: where to start?
The capital offers so many options that it's easy to get lost.
Some are brilliant.
Others… much less so.
So we decided to keep it simple, clear, and useful.
No jargon. No blather. Just concrete information.
👉 This guide will help you choose THE training that matches your goals.
Whether you want to earn a diploma or simply understand what you're drinking, you're in the right place.
But first: have you defined your goal?
Because absolutely everything depends on that.
Let's tackle the fundamentals. The ones too many future sommeliers overlook, but which make all the difference.
Learn the Fundamentals with a Sommelier or Wine Merchant
Enrolling in a WSET 2 without knowing how to recognize a Chardonnay is shooting yourself in the foot.
Certification courses assume you already speak the language of wine.
Otherwise? You'll sink in the first week.
Why start with a wine professional?
Because a wine merchant and a sommelier adapt to the person in front of them.
They don't just recite their training for the sake of passing a final exam.
With us, no endless slides: you touch, you taste, you understand and, most importantly, you ask your questions.
If you're interested, nothing could be simpler: just go here and specify your request.
But if you want to learn more before taking a course (with us or elsewhere), I advise you to consult the fundamentals below.
The Three Pillars of Cellar Learning
1. French wine regions
Bordeaux and its blends, Burgundy and its "climats," the Rhône and its full-bodied wines…
Without this foundation, it's impossible to progress.
So start by mastering the main regions, which are:
2. Major grape varieties
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon, Syrah…
You learn their aromatic markers, their preferred regions, their palate signatures.
One day, you'll smell a wine and say: "That's clearly Pinot Noir."
And you'll be right.
3. Sensory analysis
Identifying fruit, fermentation, aging… that's the core of the profession.
So you'll need to train your nose, your palate, your olfactory memory...
And that… is what makes you go from "I like it / I don't like it" to "I understand what I'm drinking."
When to Move on to Certification Programs?
After 6 to 12 months of practical learning, you have:
✔ the regions
✔ the grape varieties
✔ sensory analysis
✔ confidence
Then, yes: WSET, BP Sommelier, Complementary Mention…
You are ready.
And this avoids them throwing €3000 out the window for training started too early.
Major Sommelier Training Programs in Paris
| Training / Organization | Level / Title | Duration / Format | Price | Who it's for / Main objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oenovino – WSET Level 1 | Beginner | 1 day (≈ 8 h) | 250 € | Ideal for discovering wine basics, vocabulary, service, food & wine pairings. |
| Oenovino – WSET Level 2 (intensive) | Intermediate | 2 days (≈ 16 h) | 600 € | To deepen tasting skills, learn grape varieties/vineyards, analyze wine quality. |
| Oenovino – WSET Level 3 (advanced) | Advanced / semi-pro | 5 days (≈ 35 h) | 1 200 € | To master blind tasting, understand global terroirs, professionally advise on wine. |
| Le COAM – Certificate "Taste and evaluate wine professionally" (EVE®) | From beginner to experienced | ~ 40 h (or 30 h depending on formula) | 1 000 € | To acquire expertise in tasting — grape varieties, terroirs, quality, technical sheets, aging potential. |
| Le COAM – Certificate "Advise and Promote Wine" (sommelier option / CPVin) | Refinement / retraining | 42 h | 2 000 € | To aim for a professional role (restaurant, wine merchant, Horeca, distribution, etc.), to know how to advise and sell wine. |
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing Your Training
- What is my goal?
- How much time am I willing to invest?
- What total budget can I allocate?
- What is my current level?
- What learning style suits me best?
- Simple… but crucial questions.
Your Wine Adventure Starts Now
You now have all the keys to choose with confidence.
And if you're still hesitant?
Come see us :)
As a reminder, we are at 231 Rue La Fayette, in the 10th arrondissement.
You can also browse our articles to learn more about wine here.
Or browse our online shop here.
Sommellerie is learned from books, but mostly experienced in the glass.
