The Court of Master Sommeliers was established to promote excellence in hotel and restaurant beverage services. The first Master Sommeliers examination was held in the United Kingdom in 1969 and by 1977 the Court of Master Sommeliers was established as the premier examining body for sommeliers worldwide.

The intensive education and examination program guides aspiring Master Sommeliers through four increasingly rigorous levels of coursework and examinations, culminating in the highly prestigious Master Sommelier Diploma Examination

In Australia, the first Introductory Sommelier Certificate was held in Sydney in 2008. Since then over 1100 students have participated in our programs from throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. In 2019, the Court of Master Sommeliers Australia amalgamated with the Court of Master Sommeliers New Zealand to become the Court of Master Sommeliers Oceania.

In Australia, our alumni includes graduates from Introductory, Certified and Advanced levels, as well as 8 who have attained the highly coveted title of Master Sommelier. Currently, there are just 266 Master Sommeliers worldwide and Australia is recognised as a centre of excellence for sommeliers and hospitality professionals.