Wine educator and founder of Taberna Wine Academy Tan Ying Hsien is now the first Singaporean Master of Wine
Question: Your MW journey took six years. What were the ups and downs?
The whole process is strenuous and exhausting – when I took the closed book examinations, it comprised 4 theory papers (there are now five) and 3 practical (tasting examinations) papers. When I embarked in 2009, the part I dreaded most was the theory. As time went on, it was the practical tastings that ended up being my biggest hurdle.
I chose a research topic close to my heart (the history of a Grand Cru vineyard in Burgundy) that gave me the opportunity to meet wonderful people and drink good wine. It was especially gratifying that the research paper passed on first submission (unlike the three attempts at the theory exam and four at the tasting exam) this year.
