Wine Education is not just about Sommelier Skills or Tasting Technique
I often hear from people who take WSET Level 2 that they are reluctant to go on to Level 3. They feel they are now adequate tasters and have enough information to navigate their way through the world of wine. This is a shame and people who avoid WSET Level 3 are...
It’s Never Been Easier to Achieve Wine Expert or Sommelier Certification
Wine education is undergoing a major overhaul. Technology including AI, is changing the way education is delivered. In the past, people had one of two choices: come to a scheduled in-person class or self-study. The change, hastened by COVID, offers anyone...
Overcoming Wine Course Inertia on the Journey to Sommelier Confidence
As wine and spirits educator I speak with hundreds of people every year who tell me of their interest in taking a professional wine course. Some are interested in a career as a sommelier or wine retailer, while others simply want to have the skills of a sommelier to...
How to Get a Job in Wine
So you've decided that you would like to work in the wine world, but, with little experience, you wonder if it is even possible. The short answer is, yes, it is. The way to do this, however, requires four keys: knowledge, confidence, networking and humility. Years ago...
Learning to Taste Wine
Wine educators often get the question, “how can I learn to taste wine.” In most cases the person asking is interested in developing the skill to evaluate what is in a wine glass and how wines differ. I quality and taste. For multiple reasons, over time this type of...
Now Is the Time to Start WSET Level 3 Wine
The last few years have seen an incredible rise in the number of people taking the WSET Level 2 Certificate in Wine. At the same time, many of these new students are reluctant to continue to Level 3. I hear things like the like Level 3 difficulty and time commitment...
Online Wine Courses or In Person Wine Courses: Why Not Both?
Over the past decade the demand for Online wine courses has dramatically increased. The COVID pandemic only accelerated both this demand, as well as the quality of online materials. The main issue has always been how to handle the tasting element, but at Grape...
How to Land a Job in a Challenging Wine Market
The statistics on US and global wine sales are at best mixed. It appears consumers are drinking less wine – although the wines they do drink are higher quality and higher prices. The new generations that have come of legal drinking age in the last 10 years –...
WSET Level 3 Wine Certificate in Wine: The Perfect Course for a Career in Wine
The Perfect Course for a Career in Wine
What to Give a Wine Lover – or a Wine Curious Person – for the Holidays
The holiday season is here and if you are wondering what to give the people in your life who are into wine or those people who are just lovers of food, wine and culture we have some ideas. A wine class is always a fun experience for someone who just wants to...
3 Things Needed to Become a Sommelier or Wine Expert
The question that I am most frequently asked is, “how do I become a sommelier?” or “how do I become a wine expert and get a wine job?” Although there is no silver bullet answer that I can give, there are three elements that anyone can work towards that will make...
Wine and YouTube
The proliferation of streaming services available to everyone has certainly expanded the way we can learn about wine. Just searching for a wine type, wine region, winemaker or brand will bring up a number of options. We can add on top of that searches for advice in...
Learning About Wine – Where to Start?
So, you’ve decided it’s time to learn more about wine, but where to start? 25 years ago, I was in your shoes and asked myself that very question. The answer – just dive in and take any wine course that looks interesting. Of course, as a provider of Wine &...
How to Become a Sommelier
A sommelier, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is, “a waiter in a restaurant who has charge of wines and their service.” That definition is pretty basic and in today’s wine world we can add quite a bit to it. A sommelier needs to be knowledgeable and...
The Best Online Resources for Learning About Wine
The combination of advances in digital technology and the COVID pandemic have increased the demand for online classes of every type – including wine. Grape Experience has responded by creating several ways to learn about wine Online. These options range from...
WSET Education & Exceptional Pinot Noir
Many people who take WSET courses go on to great wine career opportunites. Others use their WSET education to forge lifelong relationships that open the door to exciting wine and food travel, as well as unique cultural experiences. Two people who studied WSET Level 3...
Oak and its Impact on Fermented Beverages
Wine, beer, cider, spirits, sake, almost every type of fermented beverage can be aged or stored in oak barrels in order to enhance its flavor, complexity, and texture. This technique has been in practice for hundreds if not thousands of years, with different cultures...
New Year, New Wines
Great new wines to try in 2023 include Tyrrell’s and Mac Forbes
COVID Has Made Wine Education at Grape Experience Even Better
Two and a half years ago COVID 19 changed our world. Wine Education was particularly rocked by the virus that, at first, prevented classes from meeting in person. Although that shock to our education system was difficult, it has actually resulted in significant...
New Grapes, New Wines!
Chances are you’re familiar with the standard wine grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Grigio, and the rest. These staples have been used to create fantastic wines for hundreds and hundreds of years, many with their own legendary origin...
Jessica Sculley on Innovation and Education
In light of our exciting news regarding the merger between Grape Experience’s East Coast WSET operations and Commonwealth Wine School (CWS) in Cambridge, MA, we caught up with CWS founder and director Jessica Sculley. In this interview, we learn about Jessica’s...
Meet the Faculty: Matthew Gaughan
It’s official, Grape Experience is now offering in-person classes in both Boston and San Francisco (check out the website to see upcoming courses and enrollment deadlines). Since it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other face to face, we decided to catch up with a...
Australian Wine Today with Mark Davidson
The Land Down Under, Oz, Australia … however you refer to it, this is a continent/country with an incredibly varied winemaking history and culture, but one that too often gets pigeon-holed as solely producing big, high-alcohol wines. We sat down with Mark Davidson,...
Global Wine Academy Gives Wine Students an Advantage
Q&A with Jim Gore, DipWSET and Founder of the Global Wine Academy As one advances through the WSET courses, culminating in the Level 4 Diploma and opening the door for aspiring candidates to pursue the Master of Wine, the curriculum becomes less exact. At the...
California Kings: Why Cabernet Sauvignon Reigns in California
When it comes to California wine, the state has a wide selection of well-cultivated grapes. There is no doubt that one of the beautiful parts of the California wine industry is that there are world famous examples in this one state of just as many grapes as the entire...
WINE TOURS IN THE HEART OF SLOVENIA’S WINE COUNTRY
3 winegrowing regions, 28,000 wineries, 52 varieties of grapevine, 2 million people, one, incredible, wine tour Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or someone who enjoys the odd droplet with their meal, a visit to Slovenia may quickly transform you from the latter into...
Support the Glancy Wine Education Scholarship Fund (GWEF)
Grape Experience is a proud supporter of San Francisco Wine School’s Glancy Wine Education Scholarship Fund(GWEF), which provides scholarships to low income students looking to start or advance a career in wine or hospitality. Next month is the foundation’s 2019...
Traveling through Vineyards of Eastern France
There is no better way to learn about wines than to travel the vineyards where the grapes are grown. Photos in books and videos are great, but they are framed to give the best view and evoke a desired image. As a wine educator, being “on the ground” makes me see...
The Awesome New WSET Diploma in Wine starts August 3
Q&A with Grape Experience educator and DipWSET Matthew Gaughan on why the WSET Diploma is a must for wine trade professionals. What were you doing when you started the Diploma and where are you now? I started the Diploma in Manchester in the UK when I was working...
The New Level 2 Wine Certificate – What’s Changed
This fall WSET and Grape Experience will debut the new WSET Level 2 Certificate in Wine. It starts September 10 in San Francisco and September 18 in Boston. Registration information is at Wine Courses for Beginners The following interview details the great changes...
Why You Should Take a Wine Class this Spring or Summer
You’ve been thinking about taking a wine course for some time, but for whatever reason you’ve been putting it off. Well now is the best time of the year to take a wine class. Here’s why: It's spring, the time of year for outdoor parties, picnics and outings...
So You Want to Become A Wine Educator
People constantly ask me how they can become a wine educator (often hoping to teach WSET courses). My first response is to ask, “why do you want to teach?” The answers fall into five categories: I want to share what I know with others I think it is the logical thing...
New WSET Diploma in Wines Starts August 3
In January and February, all of Grape Experience educators – including myself – attended day-long workshops to learn about the new WSET Diploma in Wine that’s being introduced in August. There are some major changes to the current Diploma program in both teaching...
WSET New Spirits Classes
2019 will mark the start of several new WSET Spirits programs. The renowned education company has created a suite of Spirits only courses focused on today's drinks business and the trends shaping it. With three Levels (1-3) in Spirits there is a course for everyone....
Sauvignon Blanc & Oak
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular white wine varietals, especially since New Zealand producers started exporting their crisp fruit driven styles in the late 1980s. American Sauvignon Blancs are often labeled "Fume Blanc." This branding was started by Robert...
Marina Giordano’s Sake Journey
Grape Experience sake expert Marina Giordano’s passion for the Japanese beverage has led her to travel extensively in Japan, studying production in multiple regions with officials of the National Brewery Council. She is a WSET Certified Sake Educator and has earned...
5 Reasons to Start the WSET Diploma this Summer
The WSET Diploma Certificate (Level 4) is one of the most recognized and valuable credentials in the wine world. This challenging two-year program offers people who already have strong wine knowledge, the opportunity to go to an elite level. The program will be...
2018 The Year To Join A WSET Class!
I hear from many people with interest in Grape Experience WSET courses who are unsure where to start or if they want to make the commitment. Those who do take the plunge always feel great about it. If you are thinking you would like to explore WSET Wine, Sake or...
Innovation & Shortlist for WSET 2017 Educator of the Year
[slider]Every WSET Certified Educator and Approved Program Provider brings new ideas and methods to the classes they teach. These approaches often put a unique spin that can make material more relevant to the geographic area and understandable for the student. Grape...
Sake vs. Wine: A Fresh Perspective
Grape Experience’s WSET Level 1 Sake course provides an insight into Japanese culture, an overview of sake, and a good idea of the different styles and how they pair with food. Most importantly, it explains why sake tastes like it does, the reasons behind each style, and is a great help for walking into a shop or a restaurant and knowing which sake to buy and why.
Taking WSET Level 1 Sake
A few years ago, I attended a sake tasting in Manchester in the UK at hangingditch, the wine shop where I was then working. It was a fantastic tasting, featuring many different styles of sake. In its range of styles, diversity of food pairings, and salty, sometimes...
Building Confidence with WSET Level 1 and WSET Level 2
You’ve decided to start a career in wine. Your excited but nervous and keep asking yourself, “am I really qualified and do I know as much as I need to know to be successful?” Or maybe you’ve just started getting interested in wine, and your friends seem to know so...
An Introduction to Sake, By Marina Giordano, WSET Certified Sake Educator
How is sake made? Is it distilled? Brewed? Is it more like wine or spirits? Should I drink it warm? Cold? Sake is a complex alcoholic drink that is gaining more attention in the US. More and more people are seeking out this ancient beverage – Would you like to learn...
WSET Level 2 In Wine & Spirts – The Perfect Beginner Course
One of the most common things I hear from people interested in the WSET program is “I want to take Level 2 but I can’t because I haven’t taken Level 1 yet.” Let me set the record straight: you do not have to take Level 1 to take Level 2. In fact, for most people who...
How to Succeed in Getting the WSET Diploma: Top Tips from People Who Know
The WSET Level 4 Diploma is one of the most sought after and challenging certifications in the wine industry. Grape Experience is one of the few select WSET providers in the world who have been given approval to offer the Diploma. The course of study involves passing...
The All New WSET Level 3 Certificate in Wine
This August, WSET will launch an all new Level 3 Certificate in Wine, and Grape Experience Wine & Spirit School will be among the first providers to implement the new course. The new Level 3 is the most dramatic and best revision of this sought after...
Two Spanish Standouts
Spain continues to soar in the wine world. The country now claims to be the largest wine producer in the world, and the styles and quality of wines from Spain continue to grow. Modern viticulture and winemaking techniques are changing sleepy small ancient regions into...
Great Unexpected Gavi
I’m always looking for something new to serve at a summer party. There is only so much Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc I can take. This 4th of July I thought why not Gavi? This Italian white wine is light and has the crispness, and lemony, slightly grassy flavors...
Time for a Cocktail
More and more bars, pubs and restaurants are focusing on their cocktail lists with the result that a customer has a huge range of options from which to choose. I like the trend of many smaller restaurants specializing in one particular type of spirit – Bourbon,...