Because of my ongoing preparation for the Certified Wine Educator (CWE) exam, I haven’t been posting on this blog as much as I would like. Earning this certification is my primary goal for 2011. So I’m really just beginning to gear up for the exam, and I will grind it out for as long as possible. Anyhow, since so many people have been 
discovering the Thirsty Reader through CSW-related googling, I’ve decided to post my own version of the CSW study guide, which can be downloaded below as a 55-page PDF document.
I need to acknowledge at the outset that some of the material in this document has been lifted verbatim from the actual CSW Study Guide. I created this document as a way of distilling 235 pages of information into some key bullet points that might be easier to digest. Therefore, I’m not claiming any originality in terms of thoughts, ideas, or authorship. Furthermore, nothing has been properly quoted or cited within. When I had originally developed this document back in August 2009, I had never intended to offer it publicly. Only later did it occur to me that it might help others.
It’s important to point out that — even as a condensed version of the CSW Study Guide — my stripped-down, bullet-point version still contains much more information than the CSW will ever cover (I wanted to make this document useful for the CWE as well). Although it was a rather tall order, I tried to minimize all typos, which included keeping all of the proper accent marks on all of the foreign words. I can say from an American perspective that the French language is a royal pain, and the German language is little better. Therefore, the file below is bound to contain a few typographical errors, although the facts themselves remain accurate.
If you download this document, my only request is that you share it with other folks by linking them back to this site. Email this link to a friend, or post this link on your Facebook or Digg accounts. Also, for similar resources regarding the CSW or CWE exams, please search “CSW” or “CWE” within this site. I offer some general tips and insight, and I’ll be posting up additional study aids as I create them (I’m currently working on a set of printable Italian wine flashcards). But for now…
Thanks Thirsty Reader! I found this searching for help for my husband who will be taking this exam in August. It looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing–we’ll do the same!!
Amazing, thanks so much! I plan on taking the CSW exam in October of this year, so this will be an excellent resource. I noticed that there is no “Wine Regions” section for the United States… does the CSW exam not cover California/Washington/New York/Oregon at the very least? Or did you simply not need help with this information when you put the study guide together for yourself?
Good luck in October! Yeah, I didn’t include domestic wines because I already had familiarity in that area. Keep in mind also, the CSW has an Old World focus in general.
Thanks so much for taking the time and energy to provide many readers with a condensed version. Taking the test this Saturday. Wish me luck!
Cheers,
Melanie
Muchas Gracias ThirstyReader, I really appreciated this manifest…”Outstanding Work”. I will be taking the test on June 1, 2010 in San Diego. If you are in San Diego…email me, so I can show you the “Wine Bar Venues”.
Thanks for this, it looks amazing! Taking the test in June here in Austin, and was making something similar until I discovered you’d already done it! Appreciate the share.
Excellent notes & thank you very much for posting them. I will be taking the exam in the next two weeks and have studied well, however your document will be a refresher & welcomed alternate perspective. Cheers!
David Foran, Sommelier (ISG)
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! You’re so awesome and your outline is judiciously crafted. I am taking this July. Where are you located?
I’m in the City of Napa. Good luck with the CSW exam!
Why the anonymity?
Well, my identity has actually been outed in recent months, but I’ve been keeping a low profile just as a restaurant critic. Seemed like the thing to do…
Mr. Paulo passed your link along, thank you so much for this info! Can’t spend the extra $$ on the guide or the membership so the share is so appreciated. The varietal viti info is brilliant as my own chart only consists of taste markers and classic regions. Is it weird that I’m looking forward to pouring over these notes? Anyhow, thanks!