Scholarships

SOMMFOUNDATION ANNUAL COMPETITION-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

SommFoundation awards the following scholarships for best performance:

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Walter Clore Scholarship:

This scholarship is awarded to the person with the highest score at each of the Court of Master Sommeliers Certified Exams throughout the year. Each winner receives a check for $500 and a bottle of Columbia Crest Walter Clore Reserve Cabernet, compliments of our sponsor, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. The check and wine will be sent out separately, approximately 4-6 weeks after the exam date. *** Wine will only be delivered to recipients in the US and Canada. We are not able to ship wine to other countries.

Chateau Ste. Michelle dates back to the early 1900s with a rich history in wine making. Today, Ste. Michelle combines Old Word wine making traditions with New World innovation. It is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art wineries, one for red and one for white. The whites are made at the Chateau in Woodinville, WA, while the reds are made at the Canoe Ridge Estate winery in Eastern Washington. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates have been an invaluable contributor to SommFoundation’s mission for many years. We are grateful for their support.

Rudd Foundation Scholarship (Rudd Round Table):

This scholarship is awarded to the person with the highest score at each of the Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced Exams throughout the year. Each winner receives an all-expense paid trip to Napa to attend the annual Rudd Round Table event in January and a scholarship check in the amount of $5000. Scholarship checks are awarded at the event.

The Rudd Round Table was established in 2019 by the Rudd Foundation and SommFoundation to help prepare elite candidates for the Court of Master Sommeliers Master’s Exam. The Rudd family and the Rudd Foundation have been steadfast supporters of the sommelier community for many decades. For more information on the Rudd Round Table, please visit our page here: https://www.sommfoundation.com/rudd-round-table/

TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition:

Each year, SommFoundation awards scholarships to the top three performers in the TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition. The competition includes a tasting exam, practical service exam, and a written theory exam. The competition is judged by Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine from around the globe. The winners are announced at the Grand Tasting and Awards Reception on the last day of TEXSOM. Awards are as follows: 1st place: $2,500, 2nd Place: $1,500, 3rd place: $1,000. Checks are mailed to the recipients after the competition.

TEXSOM was founded in 2005 on an idealistic vision to advance the industry and elevate standards in a constant quest for excellence. The event focuses on education, camaraderie and excellence. It is presented cooperatively by five main education and certification organizations: GuildSomm, SommFoundation, The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas, Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Society of Wine Educators. For more information on TEXSOM, please visit https://texsom.com/

Treasury Wine Estates Luxicon Tour:

Each fall, during the Treasury Wine Estates Luxicon Tour of seven cities across the US, participants will have the opportunity to compete for SommFoundation Scholarships of $1,200. The competition includes a blind tasting and written essay. Scholarships will be awarded to the top three scores at each of the seven events. Checks are mailed to the recipients after the event.

Please follow SommFoundation on social media for event postings as soon as they become available.