Montréal, July 5th 2017:
Partnership announcement between ALFRED Sommelier and CEWECM-IMBA.
CEWECM-IMBA, the Centre of Excellence in Wine Education and Cellar Management of the International Montreal Butler Academy will be partnering this Fall with ALFRED Sommelier, an Expert Software System and cellar management company.
CEWECM-IMBA was created in 2017 by Richard Sagala Wine MBA, the owner of the International Montreal Butler Academy. Richard Sagala and M. Guy Doucet (left in the picture) Founder, CEO and owner of the ALFRED Sommelier company have decided to enter into partnership.
A word on the distinct wine program of the IMBA and our partnership:
In addition to their butler diploma, and after having having completed the Level 2 and Level 3 WSET* exams, IMBA students will learn to master the Alfred Sommelier cellar management software, a professional tool especially adapted to the high standards of the IMBA academy and their clients. Whether for investment purposes or simply for pleasure, the acquired cellar management techniques will suit all the needs of any future IMBA alumni employer.
Wine matters at the IMBA!
IMBA World class wine curriculum, taught in parallel with other essential butling techniques, will span the entire (thirteen weeks) duration of the IMBA session; IMBA students will have the unique opportunity to study and taste First growths and iconic wines such as: Lafite, Latour, Yquem etc., old vintages and rare grapes varieties.
Nowadays, it is expected that a butler should have acquired, in his formal training, a working understanding of fine wines, older vintages and those special bottles that will be found gracing the shelves of the curated wine cellars owned by their employers.
IMBA butlers will learn how to condition these special wines, serve them with elegance, and will be trained to plan functions and special events, work with chefs in creating menus for all occasions while suggesting appropriate wine and food pairings.
At IMBA no expenses is spared when it comes to quality; The total value of the wines IMBA students will study and taste will be greater than the total tuition cost of the IMBA program.
Prestige wines will be sourced from ALFRED virtual cellar. The actual total value of the ALFRED wine cellars under management is in excess of CDN one hundred and twenty five million dollars with a price per bottle varying between $100 and $25,000.
IMBA students will acquire the Diamond status from ALFRED and will benefit from the unique proprietary technology (algorithms) and technical and precise useful wine related data and peer to peer wine exchange market during their training and after; they will be offered continued support.
The CEWECM-IMBA wine program is a first in the Butler world and distinguishes the IMBA from all the other butler schools. It will add tremendous value to the IMBA diploma. For a serious prospective student of the art of butling, coming to Montreal on that basis alone is justified.
In Vino Veritas!
WSET* : the Wine and Spirit Education Trust from the UK is the worldwide industry standard in wine and spirit education. WSET certification is recognized in more than seventy countries around the world.