The Master Sommelier qualification is undoubtedly the highest accolade that one can achieve in the wine industry. For Carlos, attaining the qualification has involved a decade of extraordinary dedication, study and professional application.

A Master Sommelier candidate must take on three exams within three years: a verbal theory test, a blind tasting, and a practical service component. Before being invited to sit in the final exam, candidates are required to have already passed an Introductory exam, Certified exam, and Advanced Sommelier exam.

According to Carlos, "You need to work hard, be persistent and have patience. Most importantly, you need to love what you're doing and believe that you can accomplish anything."

"While the passion and persistence paid off, I've had to sacrifice a lot. Almost six years of avoiding my friends, relationships and family. Studying two or three hours a day, sometimes morning, afternoon and night. Weekends of back to back revision, sometimes 12 hours at a time."

Carlos with President & CFO Brian K Julyan MS, CEO Ronan Sayburn MS, and Education Chair Bryan Dawes MS. Image supplied.

Carlos receiving his Master Sommelier red and gold lapel pin. Image: Instagram.

Carlos's journey started in 2017 when he sat all three components, passing the practical service challenge, then succeeding in the blind tasting in 2018. In his final year of eligibility and ultimately the culmination of a lifetime of work, 2018/19 became solely dedicated to theory.

"The oral theory exam was the hardest. It's not enough to discern the tens of thousands of grape varieties that exist in the world. You must understand the history, geography, soil and climate that has led to every unique taste, style and vintage across all wine-making regions. And if that's not enough, you need to apply this knowledge in context, which is what I think sets this exam apart from other qualifications."

“I have bought and tasted about 200 wines throughout the last 12 months to make sure I understood the nuances of the different varieties.”

“I missed out on passing my first theory exam in 2017, so I had to change my plan of study. It was a comprehensive reassessment of the way that I approach life. I added sports and exercise into my program and a super healthy diet. I would have studied an average of 2 hours a day for six days a week since December 1st last year.”

“Every wine-producing country counts, you never know which one the judges might ask about. I studied and revisited every region over and over again. There are more than 20 wine-producing countries in the world. Italy has 408 DOCs; Burgundy has 640 climates premier cru. Bordeaux has 6000 different chateaus, and for many of them, you also need to know the second label and third labels.”

“There are changes in the world of wine every day: new vintages, new producers, new laws, new categories. I need to know the importance of climactic influences of each region. What makes them the way they are and why different altitude or soils are influencing flavours.”

Carlos in the Vue de monde cellar

Carlos and fellow MS, Dorian Guillon, in Vue de monde

Upon Carlos's return to Melbourne in September he will join fellow MS and Vue de monde Head Sommelier, Dorian Guillon.

The achievement of a second MS qualification within the Vue de monde team is part of the vision of creating the world-class team, according to founder Shannon Bennett. Only 256 Sommeliers have ever received the title and Vue Group is incredibly proud to have supported the education of two MS recipients.

"Carlos has a fierce passion that you don't come across often. Vue Group is incredibly proud of Carlos and what he has achieved. The MS track is no easy task, so we have tried to provide the tools he needs to succeed. Whether that's access to the cellar, rare books or time-off to study, we knew that investing in his education would benefit the team. We're over-the-moon at his result! We can't wait for Carlos to get back to Vue de monde with his new red and gold pin." says Vue Group Founder, Shannon Bennett.

Now the results are out, Carlos can breathe easy knowing life will return to a new normal.

"I've been blown away by the generosity of Shannon and the Vue de monde team with their time and support. No one succeeds on their own, and this achievement was no exception. The effort was a team success, and I couldn't have done it without them."