by Adam Chase | Oct 8, 2024
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 really missing out. This course takes you into the mind of the grape grower and wine maker in a way that is far beyond the basics. We discover pop culture and its history, science, politics and business trends. Yes, you gain expertise and sommelier skills, but you also gain exposure to how people in different geographies think about wine and life, as well as how those thoughts have developed over time.
In short, WSET Level 3 is a culture course. It is also a history and current affairs course. We discuss how wine and wealth often have gone hand in hand through history, but also how millennials are now shaping what wine is and how producers need to talk about their product. Along the way we will touch on the French Revolution, I love Lucy, Crocodile Dundee, Climate Change, and the rise of tariffs that make already pricey French wines that much more expensive!
So, take WSET Level 3 to build sommelier skills and general expertise – if that is your goal. But don’t not take it because you think those are the only things you will learn. This is a dynamic course that will stimulate ideas and give you a unique view of the world today.
Click here for more information on WSET Level 3.
by Adam Chase | Sep 26, 2024
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 interested in WSET certification to learn about wine, become a sommelier or just gain expertise for any beverage job tremendous flexibility.
Online learning now comes in multiple forms:
- Live webinar classes with tasting kits
- Recorded classes with kits that can be watched at a student’s convenience
- A suite of lectures, study support materials, and tasting and theory exercises that are accessed at will to improve exam success
- Pure self-study
- A combination of coming to an in-person course and using online resources
For example, WSET level 3 Wine participants who choose an in-person course option that may meet weekly, can also view class presentations at their own leisure with class wine lists. That means if they miss a week’s class, they actually won’t miss the material discussed, as it is online to watch whenever they want. People who take an online class can now choose to get a tasting kit and taste along with other students and a teacher during a webinar – live or recorded.
AI is now able to use materials to help create practice exam questions. Students can develop their own study support and improve the range of study options.
Ten years ago, taking a wine course online was a difficult prospect. Today, someone who wants to become a wine expert or build sommelier skills can come to an in-person course and also have a digital component, or the can take a purely online course that allows them to interact at their own pace with other students.
Click here to see WSET Level 3 options
The future of wine education continues to quickly evolve and offer more benefits to anyone interested in developing wine expertise!
by Adam Chase | Sep 12, 2024
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 better understand and enjoy wine. Most of those people, however, never take the next step and enroll. I think I understand the reasons for this inertia.
What most people mean by a “professional wine course” is a class with a little more depth than the fun wine tasting they did as a purely social event. The options for these types of courses continue to proliferate and understanding the array of offerings can be difficult.
Many people are nervous about the “professional tasting” element of a course. It seems difficult and they don’t want to put themselves out there and look dumb. Other folks just don’t want the pressure of what they think will be a rigorous exam. The rumor on the street is only a small handful of people ever pass.
I want to debunk these fearful impressions – at least when it comes to Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) beginner level courses. The go to course that I will use is the WSET Level 2 Certificate in Wine. This is a beginner course and usually the perfect place for someone to start to build their wine skills and knowledge.
Unlike many of the myriad courses that are available, WSET Level 2 is a global program. Meaning the same course is delivered around the world in over 800 locations. This means that if you travel to wineries in any major country the staff there will have heard of WSET and respect your knowledge and the influence you may have on other people’s wine decisions. The access to ideas, people and of course exclusive tastings is unmatched by any other beginner program.
Despite the “Level 2” name WSET’s course is a beginner program that assumes you have no going in knowledge. It is expected that you may not know how to professionally taste or may confuse Bordeaux with Burgundy. That means looking dumb is almost impossible, and in the rare cases where it happens the attitude in the class is warm, encouraging and everyone laughs with you, not at you.
The WSET Level 2 exam is only 50 multiple choice questions – and you just need 55% of them correct to pass. Sure, you do need to spend time reading and reviewing the class textbook, but the pressure is low, and the text is short, to the point and layered with charts and pictures. There is no blind tasting on the exam at all!
So, if you have ever thought about taking the step of enrolling in a professional wine class let me urge you to try WSET Level 2. It will be fun, informative and build your confidence as you develop sommelier-level expertise! To see the next Level 2 courses we are offering go to Wine courses for beginners.
by Adam Chase | Aug 19, 2024
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 when I was looking to make the transition into the industry I realized I needed to expand my wine knowledge. Fun evening consumer classes were enjoyable, but I really wasn’t learning more than how to better select a wine off a list or navigate a shop’s selections. So I decided to explore the courses industry insiders valued. That led me to the WSET Level 2 and Level 3 programs.
Level 2 was eye opening. It not only gave me tasting tools, but also information on the basic choices winemakers make that affect style, quality and price. A fellow student in that course told me about an entry level retail position in a local retail store. The knowledge I accumulated in Level 2 gave me the confidence to interview with the shop manager and for the next 3 months on weekends I was dusting and stocking shelves, cutting up cardboard boxes and doing inventory checks.
This entry level work took some humility. I had an MBA from a great school and none of that course work included how to punch a time card or the best way to lift heavy cases! In fact one day a recruiter who was trying to get me to take a senior management job came in to the shop, saw me in my store uniform and gave me a look that said she was appalled at what I was doing. I never heard from her again…and I could not have been happier!
WSET Level 3 and then the Diploma program gave me even more knowledge, confidence and a network of connections. I became a wine and spirits teacher and eventually started my own business teaching WSET courses. By 2012 I had been named Wine Educator of the Year and regional wine associations were coming to me for advice and consultation.
The key success factors for me were being willing to do anything to gain some experience in wine and combining that with structured education. The education part was critical. It took time away from other things and certainly cost me more money than a consumer fun wine class would have, but it was an investment well worth it.
Of course I am biased, but if you would like to learn more about WSET wine classes check out the range of courses at https://www.grapeexperience.com/. Also, never hesitate to reach out here with questions.
by Adam Chase | Aug 15, 2024
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 wine tasting has become somewhat intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. After all, wine is meant for enjoyment and developing tasting abilities should be approachable and fun!
Learning to taste wine in a structured way has multiple benefits. It helps you define what and what not you like about wines – so picking a future wine is much easier. It also allows you to describe wines to others in a way that is understandable and hits the liquid’s key characteristics. All these skills lead you to develop greater confidence either as a wine professional or a consumer.
The first step in learning to taste wine is to do what professionals do and create a simple system that breaks down the key elements of a glass: Appearance, Smell or “Nose,” and Taste or “Palate.” The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) calls this its systematic approach to tasting and it is part of every WSET course. Let’s take a closer look at each element.
Appearance
What does the wine look like in the glass? Is it lemon or gold color or is it ruby red, pink or brick color? How intense is the color and does the wine leave residue dripping down the side of the glass when you swirl it? By creating a little more description beyond Red, White or Rosé we can start to consider how the wine was made, the grape varieties used and even the potential age. Appearance gives clues to what the wine may be, but to find out exactly we need to go further and look at the nose and palate.
Nose
What does the wine smell like? Is it overly fruity and perfumed or might it be savory and smokey? How strong are the aromas and what might you call what you are smelling – apple, grape, cherry, smoke, etc.? It is helpful to have a list of potential aromas and flavors. WSET has its own lexicon of characteristics that I like to call, in a good way, a “cheat sheet” in that it gets you started in thinking about what you smell. You can also find aroma lists online.
Palate
When you take a sip of the wine and roll it around your mouth does it have any noticeable sweetness, or does it seem unsweetened or “dry?” Is your mouth watering under your tongue and if so by how much? For red wines is it smooth or textural and does that texture create a drying effect on your cheeks? What about the weight of the wine in your mouth – is it light, heavy or somewhere in between (this is the wine’s body)? Now again, think about the flavors you taste as you did with the aromas you smelled. Ask yourself what flavors stand out and how long do I continue to taste them after the wine has left my mouth – this is called the “finish” or “length” of the wine.
You can learn to taste on you own just by following my questions above, but it is much more fun (although sometimes a bit intimidating) and comprehensive to learn and improve tasting technique in a more formal class where a teacher can lead you and you can compare notes. Every WSET course we offer – even the online ones – has a tasting component. Our teachers are there to help you build confidence. There are no wrong answers – just a discussion that is geared to steer you in the right direction. The skills you learn grow with each new wine you taste and contribute to your overall life enjoyment.
