CMS Level 1 Flashcards

All the highest-yield concepts in the official Introductory Sommelier (CMS level 1) curriculum.

Laptop frame
 

The most powerful study tool for the CMS 1 exam.

Watch intro video

If your ambition is to whet your wine and beverage knowledge to a razor’s edge, and to master the ceremony of tasting, assessing, and serving in professional settings, our CMS Level 1 flashcards will get you there TWICE as fast!

These 1,540+ smart, adaptive flashcards cover all the concepts taught in the CMS Level 1 textbook and required reading, which you need to understand and remember in order to take on the Introductory Sommelier exam with confidence.

The ultimate CMS Level 1 flashcards, covering the official Introductory Sommelier test plan and study materials

Much of the challenge of the Introductory Sommelier certification lies in summiting the mountain of information required before you even step foot in the classroom for formal instruction. Because self-study is such an important component of the CMS Level 1 course, only the most efficient, effective, and convenient study tool will do.

With Brainscape’s Introductory Sommelier course, you get:

  • 1,540+ Flashcards with in-depth coverage of the most important grapes, the regions in which they’re grown, wine storage and service, and winemaking.
  • Fleshed-out details and explanations of wine laws, labeling terms, aging requirements, and classifications so that you have a thorough understanding of each topic covered.
  • Peace of mind, as we cover everything you need to know in the official CMS Level 1 Introductory Sommelier textbook and required reading.
  • Ongoing feedback, statistics, and visualization tools to help you track your progress.
  • In-sync studying across Brainscape’s website and all your iOS and Android devices.
  • Additional guides for your wine studies.

The fastest way to prep for the CMS Introductory Sommelier course

Brainscape’s CMS Level 1 flashcards give full instruction with an unfussy, straightforward approach to learning about the world’s wine regions, grape varietals, styles, labeling terms, laws, viticulture, service, and storage standards, and more.

Designed in strict accordance with the CMS Level 1 curriculum and learning resources, this collection of 1,540+ flashcards has distilled all the necessary information down into easy-to-digest facts. And delivered via our adaptive, scientifically-optimized learning platform, these will help you learn more efficiently, progress through the material faster, and retain the information for longer.

Additional free resources for CMS Level 1 Introductory Sommelier students:

  1. Read: What to expect from the Court of Master Sommeliers Level 1 Exam.
  2. Watch: Brainscape’s Wine YouTube channel to get advice from top sommeliers.
  3. Explore: Brainscape’s Wine Academy bursting with advice for wine students, enthusiasts, and budding sommeliers.
  4. Listen: Brainscape Wine Podcast
  5. Check out: Brainscape Wine on Instagram and Tiktok
  6. Get: Brainscape’s CMS Level 1 study planners and exam countdown sheets.

Brainscape helps you learn faster and remember for longer

The brain is hardwired to learn and remember information a certain way. The Brainscape™ flashcard app was born out of the question: what if we leveraged this hardwiring to help students learn more efficiently? Fueled by curiosity, our team of cognitive scientists from Columbia and Yale spent years developing a scientifically optimized learning platform to boost your learning.

Our"secret sauce" is a learning algorithm that delivers information to your brain in a way that optimizes its ability to retain that information. And it’s the spaced repetition of CMS Level 1 content at precisely the right interval for YOUR brain that makes Brainscape so effective for remembering the facts.

Now go crush that CMS Level 1 exam!

Decks in this class (40)

Viticulture
Learn about how grapes are grown, vineyard influences, topography, climate, and soil types.
76  cards
Vinification
Learn the steps to make red, white, and rosé wines from harvest to packaging.
53  cards
Tasting: How to Do it Deductively
How to evaluate a wine by sight, nose, and palate. Learn faults and what they smell like, and how to deduce what the wine is.
66  cards
Food + Wine Pairing
Learn the primary principles and methods on how to pair wine with food.
11  cards
EU Wine Law
Learn quality levels, wine law, and recent rule revisions to protected appellations.
29  cards
Burgundy
Learn the history, local geography + topography, major grapes + appellations, appellation hierarchy, and vinification methods for this iconic region.
102  cards
Bordeaux
Learn the history, local geography + topography, major grapes + appellations, appellation hierarchy, and vinification methods for this iconic region.
75  cards
Champagne
Learn the history, local geography + topography, major grapes, and vinification method + steps for this iconic region.
58  cards
Sparkling Wine Methods
Learn the different ways to make sparkling wine.
13  cards
Italian, Spanish, and Other French Sparkling Wines
Learn about specific sparkling wines, their grapes, and how they are made.
14  cards
Loire Valley
Learn the local geography, topography, and climate, along with major grapes and vinification methods for this iconic region.
47  cards
Alsace
Learn the local geography, topography, and climate, along with appellation hierarchy, major grapes and vinification methods for this iconic region.
28  cards
Rhône Valley
Learn the local geography, topography, and climate, along with appellation hierarchy, major grapes, and vinification methods for this iconic region.
44  cards
Italy Overview: Wine Law, Geography, DOC system, Labeling Terms
Learn quality levels, wine law, and labeling terminology.
28  cards
Northern Italy
Learn the regions of Northern Italy: their topography, climate, grapes, appellations, and wines.
65  cards
Central Italy
Learn the regions of Central Italy: their topography, climate, grapes, appellations, and wines.
18  cards
Southern Italy
Learn the regions of Southern Italy: their topography, climate, grapes, appellations, and wines.
21  cards
Germany Overview: GIs, Wine Law, Prädikats
Learn the major regions, Prädikat system, climate, and topography of Germany.
42  cards
Germany: Wine Regions
Learn the specifics about Germany's wine regions and the grapes grown there, the styles produced, and why they taste they way they do.
40  cards
Austria
Learn about Austrian wine law, important regions, classifications + hierarchy, and major grapes + styles.
36  cards
Spain
Learn about Spain's DO system, major growing regions + their grapes + styles, climate, and topography. Does not include Sherry.
55  cards
Portugal
Learn about Portugal's DOP system, major growing regions + their grapes + styles, climate, and topography. Does not include Port.
26  cards
U.S. Wine Laws + California
Learn U.S. winemaking history, its important figures, and appellation law, plus California's winemaking regions, grapes, and styles.
72  cards
Oregon, Washington, New York
Learn topography, climate, major grapes, regional wine laws, and important AVAs for these states.
29  cards
Chile + Argentina
Learn the history of viticulture in each country, plus each country's unique topography, major regions and grapes, and important subregions.
63  cards
South Africa
Learn South Africa's wine history, WO system, wine laws, climate, topography, and major grapes.
30  cards
Australia
Learn Australia's states, climates, GIs + major regions, grapes, and wine styles.
65  cards
New Zealand
Learn New Zealand's wine laws, major wine growing areas, grapes, and styles.
49  cards
Fortified Wine: Sherry
Learn the geography, topography, climate, major grapes, solera system, and maturation techniques of Sherry.
38  cards
Fortified Wine: Madeira
Learn Madeira's history, geography, topography, climate, major grapes, and maturation techniques.
22  cards
Fortified Wine: Port
Learn Port's history, geography, topography, climate, grapes, soil, and styles.
31  cards
Fortified Wine: Vin Doux Naturel
Learn where and how VDNs are made, and major grapes.
9  cards
Sweet Wines
Learn the ways and methods in which sweet wines are made, major countries/regions that make sweet wine, and their grapes.
28  cards
Beer
Learn how beer is made, and its ingredients, categories, and major styles.
24  cards
Sake
Learn how sake is made, plus its ingredients, quality grades, and styles.
31  cards
Cider
Learn where cider is made, how it's made, and its styles.
16  cards
Spirits: Whisk(e)y
Learn the major types of stills and their differences, process of distillation, the countries where whiskey is made, and the raw materials used.
32  cards
Spirits: Brandy
Learn about wine-based + fruit-based brandies, major AOPs for brandy, their base ingredients, and aging requirements.
19  cards
Spirits: Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Mezcal, Rum
Learn the origins, fermentation, distillation, and aging requirements for these clear spirits.
29  cards
Apéritifs + Digestifs
Learn when to serve these, what their bases are, and specific products based on their primary flavor.
15  cards

Satisfaction guaranteed.

Our smart, adaptive flashcards were written by Master Sommelier candidates who used them to pass the CMS Level 1 exam with flying colors. If they did it, so can you!

The smartest study system.

Brainscape's adaptive, web & mobile flashcards system will drill you on your weaknesses, using a pattern guaranteed to help you learn more in less time.

Easy to add your own flashcards.

Easily collaborate with friends and sync your flashcards to the Brainscape mobile app.

Free to start or $8/mo for full access.

Looking for something else?

Make flashcards