https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/food/2014-07-08/austin-sommeliers-ace-exam/

Austin Sommeliers Ace Exam!

By Virginia B. Wood, July 8, 2014, 1:00pm, On the Range

The Court of Master Sommeliers has new members as of last week when 13 candidates passed the Advanced Sommelier exam. The rigorous test was administered at the Four Seasons Resort in Irving, July 1-3. Of those 13 new Court members, five are from Texas and three are from Austin, the most from any one city in the country.

Austin's newest members of the Court of Master Sommeliers are Scott Ota of Arro, Cara Bertone of Negociants USA, and Brian Phillips of Eddie V's. Of the 53 candidates from 18 states and four countries who sat for the exam, Austin's Scott Ota received the highest score, earning him the prestigious Rudd Scholarship. The $5,000 scholarship will be used to defray the costs of coursework in preparation of the final Masters exam plus an invitation to take a seat at the Rudd Masters Roundtable in Napa Valley, California.

Having so many qualified sommeliers working in Austin certainly enhances the city's reputation as a serious wine town. Congratulations to them all!