25 online lessons that will turn you into a knowledgeable wine drinker, help you choose the right bottle, and familiarise you with current issues in the world of wine over 5 hours and 50 minutes of beautiful footage filmed in London and Burgundy. Jancis shares knowledge gleaned over 45 years and talks to Jeremy Seysses and Diana Snowden Seysses of Domaine Dujac, Romain Taupenot of Domaine Taupenot-Merme and Stephen Browett of Farr Vintners.
More than 40,000 words of course notes, assembled by Jane Skilton MW, provide background information.
An independent wine education company running courses, tastings & corporate wine events in Edinburgh. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
Run regular wine tastings and wine courses in Greater Manchester, as well as private tastings for friends, family or work events. Offers WSET Levels 1-3 Awards in Wine, as well as WSET Levels 1 & 2 in Spirits and Level 1 in Sake, a Certified Sake Sommelier certificate, French and Spanish Wine Scholar accreditations, and wine Aroma Training Kits.
A wine school in St Petersburg, Russia. 'We run tastings, wine dinners and courses for people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. We organise and run bespoke corporate events. We also have programmes for people who want to start a career in the wine industry. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. In addition, we offer WSET Courses (Level 2 Intermediate in Russian and Level 3 Advanced in English).'
Winevox offers WSET Levels 2 and 3 to wine professionals in Bordeaux, taught by local MWs. They also provide courses such as English for the wine industry, Basics of Chinese and seminars on topics such as social media in wine, wine tourism, Asian wine markets by key speakers.
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in Cambridge. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they will also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in Manchester. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. Offers courses and exams for WSET levels 1-3. (Another franchise of the rapidly expanding Newcastle Wine School.)
Based in Bristol the WEWSA offers regular masterclasses as well as WSET courses at all levels, including the Level 4 Diploma. For venue details and further information contact Lys Hall.
An independent wine education company running courses, tastings & corporate wine events in Glasgow. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in West London. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Intermediate & Advanced levels and the WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits. Set up as a franchise by the same company as the Newcastle Wine School and run by the former WSET training person at First Quench.
Formerly the International Culinary Center. Has campuses in New York and Los Angeles. Offers the only sommelier training programme to be approved by the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas.
An independent wine education company running courses, tastings & corporate wine events in Bristol and Bath. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET and French Wine Scholar Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
An independent and rapidly expanding wine education company running courses and tastings in Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Leeds. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Foundation and Intermediate levels and the WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits.
Berry Bros& Rudd offer introductory courses to wine regions in the form of tutored tastings, as well as WSET qualifications, at their Hong Kong premises.
Long-established 10-week evening course held in 18th century NY townhouse on 29th at 3rd. With a certificate at the end for those who pass blind tasting. Also single-topic New School University Wine Classes held at the same venue.
Based in York, but operating on a national basis, with other training centres in Harrogate and Leeds, The Wine Academy is now one of the biggest wine education companies in the country, and was awarded the Wine Educator of 2011 by the WSET. In 2008 they opened a satellite wine school in Bordeaux at the request of a French Agricultural College to teach their mainly French and Chinese winemaking students about New World wines. The teaching staff are all WSET Certified Educators. The academy runs everything from WSET courses to corporate events to fun wine tastings and workshops.
Founded in 2011 and run by Christian Oggenfuss, DipWSET, French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Professional, American Wine Expert. The school offers professional wine certifications including the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Levels 1-4 and many consumer-based programs as well. Courses available in Napa Valley, Santa Barbabra, Colorado, Florida, Ohio, and online.
An independent wine education company running courses, tastings & corporate wine events in Nottingham & Derby. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
Leading Academy of Wines and Spirits (LAWS) is an independent wine education company based in Liverpool Organic Brewery offering WSET courses, levels 1, 2 and 3, as well as consumer and corporate wine tastings and events.
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in the City and East London. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Levels 1-3 Awards. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
Est. 2002 in Southern California, Neptune School of Wine offers WSET courses (including the Level 4 Diploma) as well as the French Wine Scholar program overseen by Master Sommelier Peter Neptune. Orange and San Diego counties.
Rose Murray Brown MW offers fun, relaxed wine courses, tastings, dinners and corporate events in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, St Andrews and Newcastle. Tastings to suit all knowledge levels. She also hosts regular tours to wine regions abroad.
A national organisation based in London, utilising internationally recognised Italian Sommelier Association (AIS) curriculum, providing internationally recognised and awarded education, consultation services, industry services, event creation and professional qualifications.
An independent wine education company running courses, tastings & corporate wine events in Hampstead/Belsize Park. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
VSF Wine Education (with VSF standing for Vin Sans Fin, or 'wine without end') is a London-based wine school running wine and spirits courses, tastings, corporate events, vineyard tours and networking events in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese throughout the year. As well as the more informal workshops, they also offer WSET courses in wines, sake, and spirits at Levels 1, 2 and 3.
Erica Dent – WSET/Riedel Educator of the Year winner – teaches WSET qualification courses Levels 1 to 4. Her company, EDW, is based in Winchester, UK, running WSET courses at all levels, including Diploma. WSET courses (Level 1 to 3) are now all online and they send wine samples as well as WSET materials.
EDW also runs bespoke in-house WSET training for hospitality businesses across the UK.
Run by acclaimed master sommelier Ronan Sayburn, the RS Wine Academy offers training for trade and public, WSET 2 and 3 courses, and masterclasses in anything from food and wine matching, how to taste wines, and more technical subjects such as wine faults. He also organises and runs bespoke corporate events.
Most courses are held at 67 Pall Mall, where Ronan is Head of Wine.
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in Leeds, York and Harrogate. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Levels 1-3 Awards. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
Run by David Glancy, Master Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator. The school provides professional wine studies including French Wine Scholar (FWS), Society of Wine Educators’ programs (SWE), California Wine Appellation Specialist (CWAS) and much more.
An independent wine education company running courses, tastings & corporate wine events in Greenwich & across South London. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
The original Académie du Vin Paris wine school was founded by Steven Spurrier in 1973 and gained worldwide renown when, on 24 May 1976, Steven organised the Judgement of Paris – a blind tasting between France and California that is widely regarded as being one of the seminal moments in the emergence of Napa Valley wines onto the world stage.
Steven has recently revived the Académie du Vin and, with Nancy Gilchrist MW as its course director, he is bringing it to 67 Pall Mall private wine club in central London. The first London edition of Académie du Vin @ 67 Pall Mall will offer two courses: the first a four-week course (at an introductory level to approximately WSET Level 2) and the second course a series of six masterclasses over six weeks. These masterclasses (approximately WSET Level 3 to 4) can be taken collectively or individually.
All the lecturers are Masters of Wine. They are: Richard Bampfield MW, Beverley Blanning MW, Nancy Gilchrist MW and Peter McCombie MW and they have been chosen not only for their breadth and depth of knowledge but also for their engaging delivery, so you can be sure these evening classes will be not only informative but also highly enjoyable.
For more details on course content and availability please contact events@67pallmall.co.uk or telephone 0203 794 2480 and mention Purple Pages.
Flavour-chemistry specialist Sietze Wijma (MSc Sensory Science) runs venue-based and online workshops to explain the origins of important flavour compounds and teach students to recognise them. His masterclasses cover red wine, white wine, beer and whisky.
His wine workshops include 11 samples of the same neutral wine, 10 of which have been 'doctored' with a specific aroma compound. Using blind-recognition exercises, students can learn to identify specific flavours in a single tasting session.
You can order the samples online or attend classes in London and The Netherlands.
The Bouilland Symposia, of 4-5 days' duration, take place three times a year in Burgundy. They are limited to a maximum of ten participants and are designed to educate both professionals and amateurs. Allen Meadows presides over a single village appellation Master Class, the Jasper Morris Symposium consists of an overview of Burgundy. There are winemaker dinners, visits to domaines and geological walks with Françoise Vannier-Petit. Tutored tastings and winemaker dinners are held at the home of Becky Wasserman-Hone, and Russell Hone. Lodging: in the village of Bouilland at the local hotel or in apartments.
General wine appreciation courses and masterclasses delivered in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns, some with structured assessments and completion certificates available.
The American counterpart of Britain's Association of Wine Educators (see above). Although there is no formal minimum qualification for its members, this is a good way of tracking down wine expertise in your area. The society also organises tours of wine regions.
An independent wine education company running courses, tastings & corporate wine events in Chelmsford & Colchester. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
London-based company giving WSET wine courses up to level 3, spirit courses up to level 2, and Beer Academy sommelier training. Also offers customised workshops and training.
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in Southampton and Winchester. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they will also offer WSET Courses. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
Offers WSET Awards for levels 1-4, as well as the WSET Level 1 and 3 Awards in Sake, led by two Masters of Wine. Also offers wine courses, masterclasses, and dinners.
Offers the Society of Wine Educators' CSW program (see below) and will soon run the French Wine Society's French Wine Scholar course (see International listings).
Est. 2010, the Vermont Wine School offers WSET, French Wine Scholar, and Italian Wine Scholar courses as well as less formal wine tastings and themed wine flights in their wine bar and retail store.
Run by Jane Hunt MW and Robert McNulty AIWS. An Approved Programme Provider for The Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET). Various locations across Italy offering classes in English.
A wine and sake education company approved by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and Sake Sommelier Association (SSA) to offer their courses in Germany. Also offers the Spanish Wine Scholar certification.
This week-long intensive course at the Chêne Bleu estate in Provence combines the WSET Level 2 Certificate with their own Food and Wine Pairing Certificate. Designed and tutored by Master of Wine Clive Barlow, it includes far more tasting (and far more top-notch wines) than other similar courses – about 100 wines in total. It's set in beautiful and luxurious surroundings but also allows students to get hands-on experience in the vineyard and winery.
Extreme Wine WSET Level 2: TBC
The next step up, Beyond Extreme, is a little more 'studious' and takes you to WSET Level 3, providing a systematic framework for tasting and evaluating wine. Dates for current have not yet been set. See website for details.
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in St Albans and Harpenden. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Level 1 & Level 2 Awards. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network.
Run an 8-part wine course in the boardroom of The Spectator offices. Each session is led by a different supplier to The Spectator Wine Club, including established merchants such as Berry Bros. & Rudd and Corney & Barrow.
Run by Raul Diaz, WSET-certified educator, and ex sommelier in Michelin-starred restaurants working with Michel Roux Jr and Gary Rhodes, and head of training at Jascots Wine Merchants. Offers WSET courses levels 1, 2 and 3, as well as consultancy services and wine events.
Run WSET Levels 1-3, along with three and five week wine appreciation courses, palate trainer classes and other one-off master classes (eg Champagne & Sparkling, Food & Wine Matching).
Founded in 2001 by Keith Wallace, The Wine School offers classes and certification courses for everything from wine basics to advanced diploma programs. You can also go to learn about beer, food pairing, cookery and spirits. Courses are apparently booked out well in advance.
Founded by three friends with a shared love for wine, Rack and Return is a wine school in Barcelona dedicated to teaching WSET Courses, masterclasses and high-quality wine tastings. Fintan Kerr, Michael Salverda and Martí Escoda, all WSET Diploma graduates or students, offer regular WSET Classes covering levels 1 to 3 with added opportunities to visit local wineries and really get a feel for what the wine industry is all about. As their motto aptly states: Drink The world!
This group of about 60 lecturers all over Britain with at least WSET Diploma or equivalent experience can be hired to lecture and conduct tastings, and many offer their own local courses.
A former WSET Wine Educator of the year, James Cluer MW offers accredited courses for Levels 1-4 across Canada and the US. Also offers masterclasses and wine tours to Europe and South Africa.
Founded by Jay Youmans MW, Capital Wine School run WSET programs Levels 1-3 as well as the Level 4 Diploma. In addition, they offer a number of other courses and classes from organizations such as the Society of Wine Educators, The French Wine Society and the Guild of Sommeliers.
Established in 1991, Utah's first, and longest established wine school. Provides wine education classes, 1-12 week courses, sommelier training and travel opportunities to wine regions.
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Paris, L'École du Vin caters for some 15,000 students a year. Courses and programs include WSET Levels 1, 2 & 3 which are offered in Paris, Lille, Lyon and Strasbourg.
Venerable St James’s Street merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd, in London SW1, was awarded Wine Educator of the Year award at the 2012 International Wine Challenge. Their Wine School courses are friendly, fun and informative; students benefit from the company’s 316 years of wine expertise and the experience of their knowledgeable teaching staff, including eight Masters of Wine. Offers training for the WSET level 2
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in Preston and Blackpool. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. (Another franchise of the rapidly expanding Newcastle Wine School.)
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in Sussex and Kent. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Levels 1-3 Awards. A member of the www.localwineschool.com network. See website for venue details.
Winner of IWC Wine Educator of the Year in 2011. They host Fun & Informal Wine Tasting Courses & Experience Days throughout the UK. Suitable for beginners and budding wine enthusiasts alike.
French Wine Adventures is based at Terroir Feely, an organic and biodynamic estate one hour from Bordeaux city and offers WSET Level 2 plus custom courses on wine and food pairing, French wine and winemaking and on organic and biodynamic wine growing, production and certification.
An independent wine education company running courses (including training for the WSET levels 1-3) and tastings in the Birmingham region. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. Office address follows; see website for venue details.
Our highly acclaimed team of tutors, who have all been teaching at the London Academy for many years, have all the qualifications and know-how to take care of your wine tasting journey.
The unparalleled expertise of our passionate small team allied to our friendly, informal style really does set us apart from the competition. All our courses and events are intended and designed to be enjoyable as well as informative. We specialise in wine courses and workshops, as well as bespoke wine events and also offer staff training.'
An independent wine education company running courses and tastings in Norwich. For people who enjoy wine and want to learn more in a relaxed and friendly style. Tastings to suit all levels of knowledge from beginner to advanced. As well as the more informal courses, they also offer WSET Levels 1-3 Awards. A member of the https://www.localwineschool.com network.
The Wine House is a wine school in Coimbra, centre of Portugal. Run by Sara Matos, offers WSET 1 and 2 courses, other wine-related courses, private tastings and a Wine Club with a personalised approach: Sara chooses the wines according to each subscriber's tastes!
An independent London wine merchant offering spirited, fun and informative tastings for all levels at its Tufnell Park, Leytonstone and Greenwich shops, in private venues and via Zoom. See www.theatreofwine.com for details.
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, California runs food and wine courses for enthusiasts as well as an Accelerated Wine & Beverage Certificate Program for trade professionals.
Linked with the Lycée Viticole de Beaune, the CFPPA runs a range of courses from an international postgraduate program to several short courses in English for amateurs and professionals.
The world's fastest-growing network of independent wine schools, teaching fun, accessible wine courses at all levels – ‘wine tasting for everyone’. We also offer professional courses and qualifications for those wishing to start or develop their wine careers.
An immersive wine and winemaking weekend in the beautiful surroundings of the Dartington Estate, near Totnes in Devon.
Under the tutelage of Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, you’ll learn about how your palate works, taste a wide range of different wines, and spend a full day walking the vines, crushing grapes between your toes, making juices, and disgorging bottles of sparkling wine.
The Dartington approach is very much a hands-on experiential learning style, and the chance to learn with a friendly group, over a weekend of fine food and wine makes for a very memorable experience.
The Wine School at WOW holds regular workshops and tastings designed for those curious about wine, wine connoisseurs and professionals. Designed to offer as much information as possible, in a digestible way, the Wine School is the perfect place to learn all about Portuguese wine, and also about wine in general in an international context. The Wine School at WOW has recently announced that is now certified to teach Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) courses, teaching levels I and II in Portuguese and English. In an effort to close the gap in knowledge of the Portuguese wine industry: The Wine School has created an extra module on Portuguese wines, which aims to explore Portuguese wines through the methodology of the WSET-accredited programme.
The NMIT recently was accredited to offer degrees and not just diplomas, and the Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking offers a three-year full-time degree, which can be studied part time. They also offer shorter diploma courses in viticulture, wine production, wine science, wine chemistry, cellar operations, international wine industry, and wine appreciation or bar work courses.
Offers both a Bachelors Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology, as well as a B.S. in Brewing and Fermentation and a Master’s Degree in Wine and Viticulture. The Centre for Viticulture and Oenology (CV&O) acts as a focus for New Zealand and global interdisciplinary research on wine, from soil to glass.
The Northwest Wine Academy is dedicated to developing wine professionals for the wine, food service, and hospitality industries by providing an educational program with certificates and diplomas. The Academy is a functioning winery providing students with applicable experience from the vineyard to the customer. It offers Associate of Applied Science degrees and Certificates in Wine Production and Food & Wine Marketing & Sales, and a Certificate in Food & Wine Pairing. It also is a certified Wine Scholar Guild, French & Italian Wine Scholar Guild provider, and hosts WSET courses through the Wine and Spirit Archive based in Portland.
Centre of viticultural and oenological research, particularly concerned with disease-resistant and winter-hardy vines. Offers an undergraduate degree in Viticulture and Enology, and Viticulture and Enology are offered as separate concentrations for M.S. and PhD students.
Sonoma State was the first university in the United States to offer an undergraduate degree in wine business (since 1998), a Wine MBA (since 2008), and most recently an Executive Wine MBA (an 18-month program based at the university’s campus), and a Global Executive Wine MBA (an 18-month low-residency program wherein students live in California, France, and Australia). In addition to the degree programs in wine business, the university offers a number of wine business seminars and certificate programs at its campus in California. The campus programs are supplemented by an online program in Wine Business Management serving students in over a dozen countries.
The International Wine Institute (ISV) located in Montpellier, South of France, is a private business school delivering courses on wine business, export, marketing, communication, wine tourism and e-commerce.
The ISV offers a Bachelor’s degree in Wine & Spirits Business & Marketing and a Master of Science in Wine & Spirits International Management, benefiting from the highest W&S diploma recognition in France.
The ISV courses are aimed at students, graduates or professionals with or without experience, intending to take various positions in management, marketing, communication and tourism in the W&S industry.
Undergraduate classes including ‘Australia in the Wine World’, ‘Vine to Wine’, and ‘Wine and Spirits: An Australian Perspective’ are offered through the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences.
One of Australia's foremost research and teaching institutes for grape-growers and winemakers, including distance learning opportunities. Offers Bachelor's degrees in Wine Science, Wine Business, and Viticulture.
A school that offers four distinct programmes, designed to fit students' needs and initial background:
MSc in Sustainable Wine Tourism & Gastronomy: 100% English taught. The first postgraduate-level programme of its kind in the world. Teaches sustainable practices in gastronomy, food tourism, and wine production and tourism, as well as entrepreneurship and marketing and an introduction to sommelry.
MSc in Wine Management: 100% English taught, created in 2012. Intended for students and graduates with no prior experience in the wine industry, intending to start a career in a managerial position in any sector of the wine industry
MBA in Wine & Spirits Business: 100% English taught. Ranked the second-best MBA taught in France (Le Moci 2021). 3 semesters of intensive teaching about wine and spirits, entrepreneurship, management, exporting and importing, and law. Includes field trips to Germany, London, New York, and various French wine regions.
Specialised Master Commerce International des Vins et Spiritueux (CIVS): Ranked 1st Master 'Luxury Management: Food and Beverage' in France (6th worldwide), Eduniversal, 2017. 100% French taught, created in 1988. Dedicated to students, graduates or professionals with or without prior experience, preferably in the wine industry, intending to take various positions in the wine trade. This programme is also proposed on a part-time basis (Paris)
The Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin runs very high-powered, full, residential academic courses in both the production and appreciation of wine. An ability to speak French is virtually a prerequisite.
The KEDGE Wine School offers the following options:
1. MVS in French: “Mastère Spécialisé en management des vins et spiritueux”, part-time, for Master’s students
2. MVS in English: MSc in Wine and Spirits Management, full time, for Bachelor’s international students. This new programme enables participants to obtain the WSET®Level 3 Award in Wines.
3. MSc in Wine and Hospitality Management: Full-time bachelor’s degree. A joint programme offered by the KEDGE Wine School and the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. Includes a greater emphasis on hospitality than the MVS in Wine and Spirits Management.
4. KEDGE Bachelor Wine Specialisations: KEDGE bachelor students in their 3rd year can specialise in Wine & Sustainability (offered at the Bordeaux Campus) or Wine Tourism & Tourism (offered at the Marseille and Toulon campuses)
Offers a variety of classes on wine production and regions, a Wine Specialist Certificate, and professional sommelier training for the industry (the latter in conjunction with the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers). Also offers accredited training for the WSET examination (in-person and online).
Johnson & Wales University offers both a Sommelier minor and Beverage Service Management concentration for matriculating students in Food Service Management as well as Food Entrepreneurship degree programs. They also offer a major in Food and Beverage Industry Management and an M.S. in International Beverage Management. An accredited provider of training courses for the WSET and SWE.
Their scientific and hands-on approach to winemaking and grape growing prepares students for careers in the dynamic wine-producing regions of the Pacific Northwest and the global wine industry. While studying at WSU, students apply knowledge learned in the classroom to gain practical experience through required internships in vineyards and wineries. These internships and other applied learning activities like field trips, student research, projects, and volunteer opportunities also provide students with critical networking opportunities where they make connections that translate to the job market.
The 2+2 program gives students a platform to create their unique learning experience. Two campuses provide students with the flexibility of beginning their journey on the Pullman or the Tri-Cities campus. A unique feature of this major: students from each campus will come together to spend their last two years in the Tri-Cities, home to the state-of-the-art Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center.
Pullman Campus
A traditional large campus experience
Enjoy Pac12 sports
Join the CAHNRS peer mentor program
Experience a traditional college town setting
Tri-Cities Campus
A small urban campus experience
Immerse yourself in wine country
Participate in cutting-edge research at both the Wine Science Center and the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center
Plumpton College is the UK centre of excellence for teaching, training and research in wine business and production. For over three decades, Plumpton has been supporting GB’s wine industry with a wide range of programmes, from Level 3 (‘A’ level equivalent) through apprenticeships, to university degrees in wine business and production, including the MSc in Viticulture and Oenology. In addition, Plumpton College offers bespoke training courses for businesses, a wide range of Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses, and, through the WineSkills project, short and intensive courses for wine professionals. Located in the heart of Sussex, Plumpton boasts outstanding teaching facilities, including a purpose-built wine centre with teaching rooms, labs, sensory evaluation room and research centre, as well as ten hectares of vineyards and a commercial winery, where students produce award-winning still and sparkling wines.
The big daddy of them all, the British wine trade's professional educational body now runs courses at a variety of levels for 85,000 students in over 70 different countries and 15 languages. Many non-professionals now take the courses too. The WSET Diploma exam is virtually a prerequisite for the Master of Wine course (see below). WSET is headquartered in an airy building near Borough Market/London Bridge station.
This is the highest academic calling for wine amateurs in every sense and wine professionals such as wine merchants (as opposed to winemakers and vine growers, who may prefer to take specific degrees in those subjects). Only a few hundred people, from all over the world, have qualified for those coveted initials since the Institute's beginnings in 1953. Courses and exams are held in the UK, US and Australia, with Germany in the pipeline. See here to read Richard Hemming's account of studying for this qualification, including details of examination questions.
'The Court of Master Sommeliers was established to encourage improved standards of beverage service in hotels and restaurants.
Education was then, and remains today the Court’s charter.
The first Master Sommeliers examination was held in the United Kingdom in 1969. By 1977 the Court Of Master Sommeliers was established as the premier examining body for Sommeliers worldwide.'
Flavour-chemistry specialist Sietze Wijma (MSc Sensory Science) runs venue-based and online workshops to explain the origins of important flavour compounds and teach students to recognise them. His masterclasses cover red wine, white wine, beer and whisky.
His wine workshops include 11 samples of the same neutral wine, 10 of which have been 'doctored' with a specific aroma compound. Using blind-recognition exercises, students can learn to identify specific flavours in a single tasting session.
You can order the samples online or attend classes in London and The Netherlands.
Provides online, interactive and modular English training for those who need to know how to talk about wine in the commercial, hospitality, entertainment and production sectors of the wine industry. More information can be found here.
Part-time and full-time (16 weeks) programmes that include WSET Levels 2, wine, spirits, French Wine Scholar and WSET Level 3 wines, digital marketing and sommelier skills.
The European Wine Academy (info@europeanwineacademy.org) is an international wine school (we started offering eLearning wine courses in 2004, possibly the first non-university to do so, also before WSET) offering wine courses and training in English, mainly via an eLearning platform, but also via Zoom webinars and f2f. We offer 29 courses covering four main directions:
· General wine knowledge (including a complete Module on Wine Tasting & Evaluation),
· Wine Business Management & Marketing (including Wine Tourism) and
· Viticulture, Oenology & Wine Production
all at two different academic levels: starters and for those with some wine knowledge and experience. Our courses are aimed at those seeking a serious wine education.
The three-day programme covers the basics of how soil functions, and how to assess and track soil health, and visits to agroforestry projects on and around the Dartington Estate. The course covers how to establish a vineyard with regenerative farming in mind, and techniques that can be practised in vineyards, to maximise soil organic matter and soil carbon, and to increase biodiversity while continuing to protect the crop from major diseases.
The evening discussions carry on over dinner, with the help of wines from producers exploring regenerative techniques.
The course also sets out to share tools and resources to help guide further exploration – podcasts, websites and books to read, and to encourage participants to form their own networks for further information exchange.
