Classes Offered
Courses Level Descriptions
ur wine courses are serious and challenging. They are designed for both members of the wine trade and consumers who want to greatly expand their knowledge of wine. Four levels of study are currently available, and the second level includes a wine course and spirits program.
Level One - Foundation Certificate in Wine
This entry-level course teaches the basics of wine in a format specially designed for those with no previous wine knowledge. Ideal for consumers or those new to wine, the Foundation course focuses on the main styles of wines available, tasting technique, wine and food pairing as well as wine etiquette. The class consists of two three-hour sessions and concludes with a short multiple-choice exam.
Level Two - Intermediate Certificate in Wine
The Intermediate Certificate is the ideal starting level for those with little knowledge of wine, or those who have depth of knowledge regarding particular types of wine but lack a true breadth of knowledge of all the world's wines. This program enables students to interpret wine and spirits labels, explain the fundamentals of wine-tasting, become familiar with the world's major wine regions and their principal wines, and share basic advice on wine selection and service. This course involves 16 hours of instruction. The exam is a one-hour multiple-choice exam. The Intermediate course and exam are also available in Spanish.
Spirits Certificate
The Spirits Certificate is designed to provide a thorough knowledge of spirits and liqueurs. The course covers the history, production and style of spirits of the world: Cognac, Armagnac and other brandies; Scotch, Bourbon and whiskeys; white spirits, including vodka, rum, tequila, gin; and liqueurs and other flavored spirits. Tasting is part of every session. A one-hour examination includes 50 multiple-choice questions and a theoretical tasting note of one spirit or liqueur.
Level Three - Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits
The Advanced Certificate is the appropriate course for those who already have a broad foundation of wine knowledge--including wine labeling laws, appellation systems, major wine-producing regions, and grape types--and are experienced in tasting technique. It covers the major wine regions of the world in more depth than the Intermediate Certificate, and includes more detailed study of viticulture and vinification. This course enables students to describe the characteristics of the principal wines and spirits of the world and to explain the key factors accounting for those characteristics. The course involves 37 hours of instruction. The exam includes multiple-choice and short-answer questions, as well a blind tasting of one wine. Advanced Certificate is required of applicants for the Diploma course.
Level Four - Diploma in Wines & Spirits
Diploma is a two-year program for highly-motivated consumers and wine and spirits professionals. It features heavy emphasis on viticulture and vinification; focuses special attention on production and consumption trends, wine marketing and other aspects of the global sale and consumption of wine; and covers the world's wine regions in considerable depth. Various tests throughout the course involve multiple-choice questions, essay exams, blind wine-tasting, and research papers. Diploma is the traditional preparatory course for those who wish to become Master of Wine students.
ur wine courses are serious and challenging. They are designed for both members of the wine trade and consumers who want to greatly expand their knowledge of wine. Four levels of study are currently available, and the second level includes a wine course and spirits program. The classes are a progression, beginning with Foundation, an introductory course to wine. Intermediate Certificate, Advanced Certificate and Diploma follow, and each of these levels covers the entire world of wine including viticulture, vinification, and appellation labeling laws, as well as wine-tasting technique.
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Level One - Foundation Certificate in Wine
This entry-level course teaches the basics of wine in a format specially designed for those with no previous wine knowledge. Ideal for consumers or those new to wine, the Foundation course focuses on the main styles of wines available, tasting technique, wine and food pairing as well as wine etiquette. The class consists of two three-hour sessions and concludes with a short multiple-choice exam.
Level Two - Intermediate Certificate in Wine
The Intermediate Certificate is the ideal starting level for those with little knowledge of wine, or those who have depth of knowledge regarding particular types of wine but lack a true breadth of knowledge of all the world's wines. This program enables students to interpret wine and spirits labels, explain the fundamentals of wine-tasting, become familiar with the world's major wine regions and their principal wines, and share basic advice on wine selection and service. This course involves 16 hours of instruction. The exam is a one-hour multiple-choice exam. The Intermediate course and exam are also available in Spanish.
Spirits Certificate
The Spirits Certificate is designed to provide a thorough knowledge of spirits and liqueurs. The course covers the history, production and style of spirits of the world: Cognac, Armagnac and other brandies; Scotch, Bourbon and whiskeys; white spirits, including vodka, rum, tequila, gin; and liqueurs and other flavored spirits. Tasting is part of every session. A one-hour examination includes 50 multiple-choice questions and a theoretical tasting note of one spirit or liqueur.
Level Three - Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits
The Advanced Certificate is the appropriate course for those who already have a broad foundation of wine knowledge--including wine labeling laws, appellation systems, major wine-producing regions, and grape types--and are experienced in tasting technique. It covers the major wine regions of the world in more depth than the Intermediate Certificate, and includes more detailed study of viticulture and vinification. This course enables students to describe the characteristics of the principal wines and spirits of the world and to explain the key factors accounting for those characteristics. The course involves 37 hours of instruction. The exam includes multiple-choice and short-answer questions, as well a blind tasting of one wine. Advanced Certificate is required of applicants for the Diploma course.
Level Four - Diploma in Wines & Spirits
Diploma is a two-year program for highly-motivated consumers and wine and spirits professionals. It features heavy emphasis on viticulture and vinification; focuses special attention on production and consumption trends, wine marketing and other aspects of the global sale and consumption of wine; and covers the world's wine regions in considerable depth. Various tests throughout the course involve multiple-choice questions, essay exams, blind wine-tasting, and research papers. Diploma is the traditional preparatory course for those who wish to become Master of Wine students.