The sommelier school Millesime is supporting the Russian Wines Competition 2020

Millesime is a private sommelier school, independent of any wine distribution company. It was founded in 2010 and in 2016 obtained a state license to award its graduates with a professional diploma for continuing professional education.

The school’s mission is to promote wine culture in Russia and impart professional knowledge about the world of wine. The school’s programmes have been designed for professionals, amateurs and beginners, hence people with all levels of wine proficiency can study here.

The Millesime school has ten permanent lecturers, all professionals in the field. Some of them studied in Russia, although all of them have completed various international courses. Indeed, three of the lecturers are Italian Wine Ambassadors, WSET level 4 diploma holders and Weinakademikers.

The lecturers’ personalities are important and contribute a great deal to the school’s general educational approach. The lecturers’ international experience significantly defines the school’s international context: methodology, tasting approach, and course materials. The lecturers have also developed their own ideas; for example, the school has created a special tasting notebook for professionals and amateurs.

In 2019, Millesime received its accreditation by a prestigious WSET school. They are now beginning WSET Level 3 and WSET Level 2 Award in Wines courses.

The school offers a wide spectrum of programmes designed to satisfy the varying needs and wishes of the students:

• Professional course (The school’s main course. Graduates receive a diploma of continuing professional education.)
• First steps course (This course was designed for those interested in wine and seeking a guided introduction. Students learn the basics of tasting and the main wine regions over nine lectures.)
• Topical seminars and tastings
• Wineglish (This is one of the school’s exclusive and proprietary courses. It is an opportunity to learn about the theory of tasting in English. It also includes tasting and describing wine in a WSET SAT. This is a good option for those who work with English-speaking clients, take part in sommelier competitions (where the wine has to be described in English) and wish to continue their wine education abroad.)

The Millesime school’s top ranking on the Russian market means it can be considered typical and representative of national wine education.

Experts in the field and mass media agree on the school’s top ranking. Most importantly, it is officially certified by the state and can award a formal academic diploma of continuing education. The graduates can then apply for a position as wine merchant, sommelier, sales or purchasing manager, or F&B manager.

“We believe in Russian winemaking and have been closely monitoring its development, which is progressing in leaps and bounds. The Millesime school pays a great deal of attention to lectures on Russia, and over our last ten years’ work, we have witnessed the tremendous results our country has achieved. However, we also pay particular attention to tastings in these lectures, as these enable you to assess wine quality objectively and, perhaps more interesting, to understand how much the winemaker has "befriended" the terroir. Therefore, the idea of an independent Russian Wines Competition contest lies close to our heart and we fully support it. Tasting of Russian wines by independent experts on an international level is an excellent chance for our wines to determine success, failure and necessary development criteria,” commented Nikolay Chashchinov, founder of the Millesime sommelier school.

I would like to thank the founder of Millesime school Nikolay Chashchinov for his support.

Please find more information about the school at: Millesime.

Competition sponsor: Cote Rocheuse JSC.

LEONID FADEEV, Stage 2 MW Student, WSET/IWSC “The Future 50 Awards” winner, Weinakademiker, DipWSET, WorldSom Magister Sommelier.