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 8, 2024
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 are just too great. I get it, but I think if you are in this reluctant group, you are missing a huge opportunity.
Level 3 in Wine is one of the most respected and valuable certificates in the world. Where Level 2 gives you an understanding of what is in any bottle of wine, Level 3 provides the why and the who. You get a connection to each major wine producing region right down to the vineyard level in some cases. Just by taking the course you gain depth, knowledge and confidence to talk wine as easily with friends as with seasoned wine professionals and winemakers. In fact, you become “seasoned” in a way that is just not possible with Level 2.
Over the years we have asked people who completed the Level 3 course what beyond basic knowledge that they gained. Two words consistently emerged: “access” and “confidence”
- Level 3 gives you access to vineyards, wineries and winemakers who immediately recognize that you understand wine and can provide perspective and influence others
- When you travel to a wine region, contacting a local winery and telling them you are a WSET Level 3 Certificate holder often opens doors to exclusive visits and access
- You become an integral leader and participant in your local wine community through people you meet in the course and through unique opportunities that are only available to people with a connection to the local wine scene
- Your depth of knowledge gives you confidence to have deep conversations with other wine lovers and professionals that just is not possible with Level 2
- The WSET Level 3 Certificate can open doors to wine-related job opportunities because people hiring know you have a depth of knowledge others may lack. This opens opportunities to start a career as a Sommelier
- If you are already in the wine industry the knowledge that Level 3 gives you makes you more effective with customers, enabling you to sell more and to gain loyalty.
So, if you have thought about taking WSET Level 3 in Wine what is stopping you? Let me know and perhaps we can come up with a solution. In the meantime, I encourage you to take Level 3. We have a course starting September 8: https://www.grapeexperience.com/events/level-3-san-francisco-sundays/
You can see more about all our WSET Level 3 courses at https://www.grapeexperience.com/advanced-certificate-wine/
by Adam Chase | Jul 22, 2024
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 Experience this is not an issue at all. We have solved the tasting issue! We now have a suite of courses that give students flexibility to combine both online and in person WSET wine courses even if they never go to a classroom – although even our in-person courses now have Online component options.
In Person Courses with Online Support
All Grape Experience in person courses now come with an exclusive and unique Online Classroom component. A student can attend a course session and then review it through our Online Classroom where educators talk directly to the viewer. This isn’t a grainy, hard to hear video. Rather it is a customized review of material with hints about what is important for the exam. If a student misses a session, they have the chance to review what was covered at a time that is convenient for them. We are distinctive among wine schools in offering what has become a game changing service!
Online Courses with Live Web Sessions and Tasting Kits
For a student who lives too far from a classroom or can’t make the schedule of our WSET Level 1, 2 and 3 Wine courses we have a new option. An Online course that can be done at the student’s own pace and schedule. These courses also have live webinars where students can meet each other and engage directly with the teacher. If they miss a webinar, no worries, we record them, and they can be viewed at the student’s convenience. The course teacher is always available for questions at any time.
We provide a tasting kit for all students in these Online classes so they can experience many of the same wines they would get in an in-person course. The kits are used during the live session so that students can check their palates against other students and the teacher – whether they choose to do that live or at a time of their choosing.
There has never been a better time to take a WSET wine course. We have made the program customizable to anyone through technology. Our 20-year track record of focusing on the student is evident not just in the technological advancements but in our availability to be available in real time should the student ever have questions. You can see more at either https://www.grapeexperience.com/beginner-wine-courses/ or https://www.grapeexperience.com/advanced-certificate-wine/
We hope you can join us in a journey to become a sommelier, wine expert or just increase your knowledge of this incredible product!
by Adam Chase | Mar 7, 2024
The WSET Level 3 Certificate in wine is one of the most enduring and popular courses in wine education. Level 3 has been part of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) curriculum for over 50 years and is respected and by every profession in the wine industry: sommeliers, retailers, importers, distributors, producers, and wine writers. It is the perfect course for a wine professional or someone looking to join the industry. It is also ideal for consumers who want a deeper dive into what is driving today’s wine styles.
The beauty of the WSET Level 3 program is that it has continued to evolve as consumer tastes, climates, technology, and trends have changed. The course provides a deep and broad foundation on what drives production decisions – natural factors and human choices – that ultimately result in specific styles. In doing so it delves into every major wine region and in the last 20 years that means greater attention to wines produced outside of Europe.
WSET Level 3 also focuses on tasting a huge range of wines –from global locations, price points and volume levels. The aim is to help identify the objective elements that define quality, while also understanding through a tasting experience how natural and human factors manifest themselves in the glass.
For individuals studying to be a sommelier, WSET Level 3 provides the theory needed to be confident about wine facts and make the most out of food and wine pairings. For anyone else in the industry that same confidence allows them to make better decisions and have substantive conversations with colleagues, producers, or consumers.
WSET Level 3 also attracts consumers who have a love of wine, food and culture because it goes beyond surface facts and really focuses in on how and why wines differ from each other. The level of knowledge that one has after taking Level 3 is something that will last and develop for a lifetime.
For all these reasons and more WSET Level 3 is the perfect course for anyone with a desire to work in or just better enjoy wine. You can see the next WSET Level 3 offerings at Grape Experience by clicking on this link: https://www.grapeexperience.com/advanced-certificate-wine/
by Adam Chase | Nov 16, 2023
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 experience wine at a deeper level. But for many people that might be too big a leap so how about a bottle of wine from somewhere unexpected?
Wine Classes
There are so many classes available out there and if there was anything good coming out of the pandemic it was the emergence of a wide array of courses that can be taken remotely. At Grape Experience we offer WSET Level 1 Wine and Level 2 Wine (along with Sake Level 1) in a hybrid format. For these two beginner wine courses participants get free tasting kits and several live online class sessions. These live sessions are also recorded so if you miss the live class you can watch it on your own schedule.
Both Level 1 and Level 2 are fun beginner courses. They look at the major styles of wines and how they differ throughout the world. Partcipants come out with greater knowledge and confidence about choosing wines and how to pair them with food.
Purchasing a Gift Bottle
A gift of a bottle of wine is always appreciated but to make it not just something ordinary there are many things you can do:
- Find a region that may be unusual: The country of Georgia, Greece, Uruguay, Corsica, Israel, Tasmania are all possibilities.
- Find a know style of variety from an unexpected place: English Sparkling Wine, Alsation or German Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo from Virginia, Cabernet Franc from New York all come to mind
- Purchase a style that the recipient might not but for themselves such as sweet wines from Tokaji in Hungary, White Port or Sparkling Shiraz from Australia.
They key is to be creative here so that the person gets something that is memorable.
There are so many options for anyone who is interested in food, wine, pop culture or just understanding trends in each of these areas. Have fun with your gift choices!
by Adam Chase | Aug 28, 2023
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 entering the wine industry more successful and enjoyable: confidence, knowledge, and tasting for quality.
Confidence is something anyone can achieve by building a knowledge base and developing a key set of skills. The more you study wine the more you realize there is more to learn. However, by building a foundation of information on wine production, you gain confidence. That confidence helps you express yourself and react to others’ ideas with conviction. It also provides a solid base on which to continue to learn – be it in a classroom, during winery visits and on the job. Confidence will help you appear stronger to potential employers by being able to understand, answer and build off their questions.
So how do you get that confidence or the knowledge base from which confidence comes? There are two skills that are critical: explanation and discussion of winemaking concepts and learning how to taste wine for quality.
Many people want to be in the wine industry because they like the pleasure and taste of wine. They find theory interesting to a point but then lose interest. The truth is that most of wine work does not involve tasting but rather focuses on theory. If you work in wine retail or distribution it is unlikely that you will taste all of wines in your portfolio or inventory. Even sommeliers who, at lease initially, taste most of the wines on their list, may not have tried everything or the latest vintage that has been produced. The way to fill that gap is to understand the theory behind that wine.
Confidence comes from looking at any major wine label and, without having tasted the contents of the bottle, be able to convey what that wine should taste like and why. The best way to achieve this is to take a comprehensive wine survey course. There are several classes that may fit the bill, but we recommend the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 course. This program has been taught around the world for over 50 years and is specifically designed to build expertise and confidence. You can find out more at: Wine Courses for Beginners
Tasting is the element that most people both look forward to and at the same time dread! First, let’s define tasting at the professional level. This type of tasting is not about “do I like this wine” or “do I want to purchase a bottle.” Rather, it is about is this a good wine for the purpose for which it was made and is it representative of its region and style type. There are several wines that are made for mass market retailers or restaurants that are not meant to be complex or age worthy. It is just as important to distinguish quality here as it is when looking at premium wines.
Why do people dread tasting? The answer is lack of confidence. Most people doubt their ability to taste accurately thinking “what if I mistake a Grand Cru Burgundy for a Napa Cab?” The issue isn’t tasting blind but rather understanding the key components that make up a wine: appearance (color), Nose (aroma), Palate (acid, tannin, body, finish, etc.). All of this can be learned and the way to make it easier is to have a specific system and process to do so. WSET’s Systematic Approach to Tasting does just that. Other courses should do so as well, or they are not worth taking.
By building confidence through theory and tasting skills you will not only enjoy wine more and make yourself more suitable for a wine job, but you will also be better informed as to what part of the industry – if any – you would like to join.
by Adam Chase | Jun 29, 2023
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 wine careers or the process of grape growing and winemaking. The number of channels is seemingly endless!
Given all options, I have a few favorite You Tube/content channels and suggestions for how to navigate all the content that is available.
WSET Bitesize – https://www.youtube.com/@WSETGLOBAL
This is a channel developed by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust to give people short spurts of information on a wide range of wine topics. Because it is from WSET you know that it is accurate and not just some random blogger’s idea of what is correct. The short format makes it easy to watch and remember and the production value is really good.
True Wine – https://www.youtube.com/@TrueWine
If I have a personal favorite YouTube wine channel this is it. Kyle Billings makes wine easy to understand especially at the most technical levels. His approach and style are clear, friendly and he demystifies wine. If you are beyond the beginner stage this is the channel for you. That said, even beginners will benefit and love True Wine and Kyle’s approach. From Champagne to Australia to passing WSET exams to picking out wedding wines, Kyle covers it all. This channel is like talking to a friend who really knows their stuff and will make you excited to learn more.
Wine Masters – https://www.youtube.com/@WineMasters/videos
This channel often goes on site to speak with winemakers or taste wines. There are several hosts, one of whom, Christy Canterbury MW is a personal friend. What I like about Wine Masters is that you never know what you are going to get, and it is always at least interesting.
Jancis Robinson – https://www.youtube.com/@jancis.robinson
Jancis is the Dean of wine experts in my mind and someone who I admire beyond words. She was the first female Master of Wine and writes on Wine for the Financial Times. Her web site jancisrobinson.com is a compendium of articles, reviews and a literal encyclopedia of everything in the wine world. Jancis is one of the most respected wine professionals in world and her selection of videos – many over 10-15 minutes in length – are invaluable.
Of course, just putting a wine subject into the search box at YouTube will bring up many more channels and content. Some of these will be great and others you can take with “a grain of salt.” I recommend using the search function if you have a specific subject or process that you are interested in. See what comes up and then check out the channels above and see if they also have something about that subject. The more you explore the more you will learn what content is accurate and what is exaggerated of incorrect.
The important thing is to have fun with all of this. Wine videos can become addictive. Keep exploring, tasting and never ever be intimidated. Wine should always be first and foremost about fun.
by Adam Chase | May 15, 2023
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 & Spirit Education Trust courses, I am a big proponent of this tried and true highly respected program.
WSET offers two unique starting points. For the absolute beginner WSET Level 1 offers a one-day study of the basic wine terms, varietals, and food and wine pairing possibilities. It also provides a systematic basis for tasting any wine and then being able to describe it taste profile, quality, and the things you like or don’t like about it.
WSET Level 2 is also a beginner course but goes into much more depth. You do not need to take Level 1 to enroll in Level 2. Level 2 looks in depth at the same subjects as Level 1 but goes further into the basic techniques of wine growing, wine making and how the major grape varietals of the world differ based on where they are planted. Along the way you will learn the differences between Bordeaux and Burgundy, Chianti vs Rioja and the similarities between places like the Napa Valley and Australia’s Barossa Valley.
If a certification program like WSET seems too intense than check out the offerings at local wine and adult education centers. San Francisco Wine School offers several fun courses for beginners in the Bay Area, while Cambridge, Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Wine School does the same for New England.
Wine has become an integral part of culture and with the continued expansion of places making wine and styles available understanding this historic beverage can be confusing. The most important thing is do not be intimidated. At the end of the day wine should be fun and add enjoyment to life. Taking any wine course, asking questions, and thinking about what you are tasting will be that start of a great adventure that will only enhance your life.
by Adam Chase | Apr 12, 2023
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 trained in the art of food and wine pairing. They also need to be a guide to the customer who increasingly wants to know “why” a wine is the way it is and the story behind where it comes from. If you are interested in becoming a sommelier there are several steps you can take, including WSET courses in your training.
Some Sommeliers go through the Court of Master Sommeliers to become formally certified. There are also several regional organizations around the world including the North American Sommelier Association. Many of these groups offer levels of courses to help you develop sommelier skills. We have found that starting with a WSET Level 2 or 3 certification helps make ultimate certification success and job confidence much stronger.
WSET certificate holders are not sommeliers. Still, the style of learning with an emphasis on the theory behind wines that WSET courses emphasize can help prepare people to enter the Certified Sommelier program and achieve quicker levels of success. WSET students learn what makes a wine unique – the natural and human factors at work in the vineyard and winery – and then taste those wines to see that theory in a real glass of wine. WSET students learn a systematic way to taste wine that delineates the components that determine both quality and how that wine can be best paired with food. The result is a stronger foundation for the sommelier certification exams.
Some sommeliers never become certified as such but still have successful careers using the sommelier title. Sommelier is not in and of itself a controlled term, so no specific education is required. That stated, we recommend that people take some level of wine course before going into the industry. These course build confidence through knowledge development and begin to train palates so that better food-wine pairings can be made. In short, they empower future sommeliers for success.
So, what steps to take? First, we recommend getting a job or even an unpaid internship working with a restaurant sommelier. Learn from them. You may start as wait staff in a restaurant and offer help to the sommelier. Ask the sommelier there to let you attend tastings or do inventory. At first this may be on your own unpaid time but if you prove valuable your basic waiter job description may expand.
Second, take a wine course to build your confidence. Some of these courses will be easy and just confirm what you already know – or think you know. That confirmation is important because some things you think you know you might be off the mark. Correct these imperfections early. Course such as WSET Level 2 are a good place to start.
Continue to take higher level courses. Wine success relies on continuing to build knowledge WSET Level 3 or courses by the Court of Master Sommeliers will help you do just that.
Finally, if this is a career you really want to pursue, become a certified sommelier through the Court. These courses are offered in cities around the world and having a certification on your resume will definitely stand out to employers.
Whichever direction you take make sure that you are having fun and keeping everything in perspective. Consumers drink wine for enjoyment. As a sommelier it will be your job to make sure they achieve that goal.
by Adam Chase | Apr 3, 2023
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 completely online courses to hybrid in-person and online sessions. The demand has been incredible and if you are interested in Online wine education you might want to check out our offerings.
WSET Level 1 and Level 2 Online Live Wine Courses
In combination with our partner school, Commonwealth Wine School, we have created an online curriculum that includes weekly live Zoom sessions with actual wine – we provide a tasting kit that the student orders and has sent to wherever they like – and a self-paced study program. During the live sessions everyone has the same wine samples and tastes together – as if we were all in the same room! Of course, if students miss one of the live Zoom sessions they can always watch a recorded version. We hope to add a Live Zoom Level 3 in Wine this autumn.
WSET Level 3 and Level 4 Diploma Online Lectures
For WSET Level 3 in Wine and the Level 4 Diploma in Wine courses we have created an online site that includes study support and access to recorded lectures. These recordings are not a grainy/out-of-focus tape of a class, but a personalized discussion geared specially for the Online format. Students can view the slides with detailed commentary for each course session in their own time to either supplement an in-person course or a self-study Online program. WSET Level 3 and Diploma exams are heavily theory focused and these Online platforms are designed to really underscore key concepts to empower students and maximize their success. Recommended tasting samples are included which students purchase on their own.
WSET Online Classroom
For all our WSET courses a self-study version through the WSET Online Classroom is also available. In this format students work with an Online tutor over a number of weeks. Through WSET’s proprietary digital format the participant meets other students and is given tasting and theory assignments which they can choose to submit to the tutor for feedback. WSET’s Online platform may be perfect for the student who is self-directed and wants to purchase more than just a book or exam.
The technology for online learning continues to expand each year. Virtual reality and artificial intelligence – such as ChatGPT – will take us to the next level in Online learning. To see what is available now check out Wine Courses for Beginners
by Adam Chase | Mar 13, 2023
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 Wine and Level 4 Diploma with Grape Experience have gone on to become exceptional producers of one of the most difficult plants/grapes to work with: Pinot Noir Michael Green who now owns Elswick Vineyards focuses on grape growing, while Dave Szkutak produces and sells Pinot Noir at Samsara Wines.
Michael Green’s love of wine and winemaking has been with him since he was born – it is in his blood. His great great grandfather immigrated to the Napa Valley in the 1860s from Germany. Michael’s maternal grandparents invested in property in Anderson Valley to grow grapes which they eventually sold to his his paternal grandparents, Donald and Maureen Green. They passed it down to Michael. The name Elswick comes from the street in Liverpool England on which Donald Green grew up.
Michael’s commitment to his craft is exceptional. He focuses on Anderson Valley Pinot Noir from 3 unique vineyard blocks. The fruit is sold onto winemakers for premium Pinot Noir that has rich dark fruit character with great vibrancy from acidity that Anderson Valley vineyard sites uniquely impart.
Dave Szkutak, along with his wife Joan, now run Samsara Wine, a producer of premium Sta. Rita Hills wines in Santa Barbara County. For those of you unaware of Sta. Rita Hills (take a WSET course and learn), it is perhaps the site of the most premium Pinot Noir vineyards in California and profiled in the film, Sideways.
Samsara makes individual Pinot Noir wines from specific historic Sta. Rita Hills vineyards. Each wine differs based on unique terroir, but all have the lush dark fruit that the region is known for along with fine, ripe tannins and crisp acidity. The wines are exceptional with layers of flavor and a long evolving finish. You can see and purchase current releases at https://www.samsarawine.com
Dave said of his WSET Diploma studies, “Having gone through this program, I now have a much greater appreciation for what goes into making the style of wine that we produce.”
WSET education empowers individuals and gives them the confidence to build a life around wine, spirits or sake that is meaningful and profound. Michael and Dave are just two of the thousands of individuals who have made WSET an integral part of their career path.
by Adam Chase | Jul 14, 2022
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 improvements, particularly at Grape Experience. COVID encouraged us to find new technology to deliver wine education and new methods to provide tasting samples. Although we are now back to in person courses, Grape Experience has incorporated the learnings over the last 30 months to radically improve our overall WSET wine, spirit, and sake education.
Incorporating Zoom
Zoom is now a part of every Grape Experience WSET Level. Regardless of whether you are taking a course via the WSET self-directed Online Classroom or through a Grape Experience run program, you have access to Zoom-based real-time and recorded lectures. This allows us to connect in virtual-person and make sure key concepts are understood. It also allows Grape Experience to highlight key success factors to passing WSET exams. The result is an extra layer of wine education that gives students confidence they are mastering concepts and building knowledge.
A New Grape Experience Proprietary Online Platform
The technology that enables Zoom led us, in collaboration with our partners at Cambridge’s Commonwealth Wine School, to establish a proprietary study support online platform. All WSET Level 1, 2 and 3 and Diploma students now have access to a unique site where they can watch recorded theory lectures and gain access to quizzes and short answer exam sample questions. They can access the site whenever and wherever they choose. A missed wine class session in no longer a major issue since the student can view it at any time – or if they attended the class, re-visit the lecture to confirm their understanding of the material. The new platform also provides the student a single source for special offers and access to a wealth of study materials.
Wine Samples Delivered to Your Door
We have partnered with both Master of the World and Wine.com to provide a means for getting tasting samples for Online courses and enhancing the tastings of in person WSET classes. Select Online Zoom classes now come with free 187ML size tasting samples sent directly to their home or office. All students, regardless of class format, now have access to a discounted curated set of wines through Wine.com for each WSET Level 1-3. Students can purchase the entire set of wines for the Level or just individual wines.
The result of COVID 19 on Grape Experience Wine & Spirit School education has been innovation that better prepares and empowers wine professionals and enthusiasts. Our WSET classes are now more dynamic than ever, and we will continue to find new ways of making the wine education experience even better!
by Adam Chase | Sep 12, 2021
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 extensive background in education and how she’s applied it, coupled with an innovative approach, in building one of the Greater Boston Area’s leading wine schools.
You founded Commonwealth Wine School after a long career as a math and science teacher. What made you transition to the wine world?
Although wine was always on the table when I was growing up—pretty typical for an Italian family—I wasn’t hooked until the age of 17, when I visited a friend in Montalcino in Tuscany (the legal drinking age then was 16 in Italy). I was completely entranced. Maybe it was the old farmhouse on the Tuscan hillside, and the delicious food, but the wine brought out flavors (and no doubt some intoxication) that I hadn’t expected. I wanted to learn more.
After college and grad school I began my career as a math and science teacher, tasting good wines when I could, reading a bit here and there, but otherwise unable to find the time or the funds to study wine more intensively. I found the first WSET Level 1 course ever to be offered in Pittsburgh at a local wine shop and completed the rest of the WSET wine certifications with Grape Experience. I then left the classroom and began teaching classes for Grape Experience.
In fall 2019, the time seemed right to join the spectacular educators and renowned schools for wine education in one place. With the support of fellow educators, I signed the lease on our Harvard Square location in February 2020.
How did you adapt your approach as an educator to WSET courses? How did you develop your wine skills?
Though teaching math and teaching about wine may seem unrelated, they’re not. In all areas of education, it’s necessary to engage students so that they have a stake in the subject they are learning about—it’s not just about exam results.
As teachers we have options: we can present information and tell students to memorize it or we can lay the groundwork of understanding by presenting information, encouraging active participation, problem solving, and interacting with each other as well as with the subject. The WSET curriculum is well suited to this kind of educational structure.
My own wine skills were developed slowly, and are still being developed! When I was focused on training my palate early on, I would go into the grocery store and stick my nose into every bit of produce, and into the bulk spice racks (of course we can’t do this now). I’d make flash cards for myself when I needed to remember facts or figures that wouldn’t register any other way. But the most important thing that I did, and that I still do, is teach. I think that teaching is one of the best ways to learn anything. There’s nothing like researching, organizing and gathering thoughts to create a presentable story to other people to help you learn a topic.
Commonwealth Wine School’s faculty and staff consist of an impressive list of highly respected wine professionals. In your view, what are the traits that make for great WSET educators?
I feel so grateful to be part of the incredible group of scholars and educators that we have at Commonwealth Wine School. As I mentioned before, it’s not enough to just know the material to be a great WSET educator, you have to be able to explain something from several different perspectives. You must ask students questions that allow them to make their own connections and build their own knowledge base. Above all it’s important to create a safe learning environment where everyone feels comfortable asking questions and sharing their thoughts.
The pandemic has required that schools all over the world change how they deliver curriculum to their students. What are some ways that CWS has done this? What has worked and what hasn’t?
The most obvious change was going virtual during the initial stages of the pandemic through Zoom courses. When we finally opened our doors in Harvard Square, we invested in a SWIVL robot in order to teach concurrently in person and virtually. This allows us to present a live class to a group in our classroom, while also allowing students to tune in from home and participate interactively with the class. This is a technology that we are still perfecting since it’s clear the hybrid learning format is here to stay.
Then there’s tasting together – a really important part of wine education. Last October we began creating sample tasting kits for students to pick up and taste along at home. Now we work with a certified wine shipper to deliver these sample kits to students around the country to taste along with classes. Creating these kits are time consuming and expensive, and ensuring they stay fresh and ship well has taken a lot of experimentation. Still, they offer a solution for when we’re not able to taste together in person.
In the classroom, we ask everyone to wear masks while not actively tasting. All of our faculty and students must now also be fully vaccinated. My main goal is to keep everyone healthy and we will continue operating in a way that is in the best interest of public health, whatever that may be.
I’m sure we will see more e-learning modules, which we will be rolling out this fall. These will be for students who want to learn about wine, but have to do it on their own schedule. Stay tuned!
If you had to pick wines from only wine region to take to a desert island, which one?
In the end, I really am a devotee of Burgundian wines … I think that the Chardonnays and the Pinot Noirs from this little slice of France will suit me fine (assuming I’ve got good producers and vintages with me!). If I’m lucky, I’ll have some Crémant de Bourgogne to celebrate when I’m rescued.
by Adam Chase | May 16, 2021
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 few of Grape Experience’s instructors and reintroduce them to our wine-loving community. First up is WSET Certified Educator Matthew Gaughan, who has helped us kick off our in-person classes.
Rest assured, we are taking every precaution to guarantee the safety and well-being of students and educators. We hope to see you at a class soon; meanwhile, read below to learn more about Matthew:
What brought you into the wine industry?
I’ve always enjoyed drinking wine, but it was more for pleasure until I started asking myself why I liked one wine more than another or what the difference was between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. So, I took an introductory wine course, then the WSET levels 1 and 2. As I became more and more fascinated by the world of wine, I thought I should my learning to use and got a part-time job at hangingditch wine merchants in Manchester and I’ve never looked back.
What is it that fascinates you about wine?
Wine is a window into so many varied corners of the world: biology, chemistry, geology, history, literature, trade, business, retail. (If wine had been part of our science classes at school I would have done a lot better…). And, of course, wine is social—I’ve met so many amazing people around the world because of wine.
Tell us about your education background.
I first started teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in Dublin after I finished my Master’s degree. Then I moved to Madrid to teach there before moving back to the UK to do my PhD in English Literature at York, where I also taught undergraduates. When I moved into the wine industry, it was natural for me to study wine and teach about what I had learned.
Why should students take WSET courses?
Whether you’re in the trade or not, if you have a genuine enthusiasm for wine then WSET courses are clear, concise learning tools to gain knowledge about wine—and you take that knowledge with into your everyday social conversations or into your job. For some people, Level 2 is as much knowledge as they want or need; for others (like me) the WSET can take you further with the all-encompassing Diploma. Another reason to take the courses is that you can meet some awesome people who have lots of stories to tell.
And what do you do when not teaching for Grape Experience?
I’ve started an online wine club called blackpoolmatt’s wine club—Eric Asimov recently featured it the New York Timeswhich was pretty exciting. I bring an educational aspect to the club, with notes on each wine about the people, the place, and the winemaking. There’s also a specific club for wine students, where I send out blind tastings according to which exam they’re taking.
Favorite Grape?
Mourvèdre.
Favorite Region?
Jerez (Sherry – Xérès). Yes, I’m British.
When you’re able to travel again, which is the first region you’ll visit?
Well, the last place I was supposed to visit was Germany so I should resume my travels there.
Desert island wine?
Given it’s a remote, small island, let’s say Madeira!
by Adam Chase | Feb 2, 2021
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.
Mark Davidson, Head of Education Development – Americas for Wine Australia
We sat down with Mark Davidson, Head of Education Development – Americas for Wine Australia (and who also happens to be a Grape Experience educator) to chat about what’s happening in Australia’s wine scene right now and how the WSET helps change consumer understanding of the wines.
How have perceptions of Australian wine changed in the USA over the last ten years?
There’s been a big shift over that last 10 years, and more particularly in the last 2-3 years. Before, the perception was quite negative and one dimensional across all levels of the supply chain. Now we are seeing that there’s a much better understanding of the diversity of wine styles and this has resulted in a renewed interest. On-trade are keen to bring on more wines and have been more receptive and actively seeking out Australian wines and distributors. We also have more importers looking at diversifying their books and bringing in different styles and varieties.
How have you been educating consumers/trade during Covid times?
We have been partnering with wine schools and other educational bodies to host webinars, we’ve ramped up our distributor training sessions, and we’re working on various media campaigns.
Our online learning platform has also been a real hit: Australian Wine Discovered (www.australianwinediscovered.com). This is a free site with a plethora of downloadable, editable resources that has been a game changer in terms of directing people to access a curated, reliable source of information.
We are also about to launch a campaign called “Far From Ordinary.” More on this in the next few weeks.
What undiscovered Australian wines (not necessarily brands, but regions and styles) should Americans know about that they don’t? What are the Australian wine regions on the rise that we should watch?
So many! I think there is generally a better understanding of the classic varieties and styles. There are many exciting and contemporary regional stories right now, but I think that what is going on with southern Mediterranean varieties in McLaren Vale and Riverland is very cool: Fiano, Vermentino, Nero d’Avola, and Montepulciano are all really showing themselves to be ideally suited to the environment, and the best examples are showing a lovely freshness and vitality.
How do WSET courses help promote Australian wine?
From the start, WSET has always provided a solid foundation in Australian wine. Getting those basics sorted early in your wine education helps avoid stereotypes that can develop – and that’s true of all countries and regions.
WSET students have to learn about Sparkling Shiraz: tell us why.
Because it is unique and lip-smackingly delicious! It is a historic style and while it can take people off guard initially, Sparkling Shiraz is incredible food friendly. Brilliant with Peking Duck, awesome on the Thanksgiving or Christmas table and remarkably good with Eggs Benedict. (That’s a personal story for another time….)
If you had to pick one region in Australia to take to a desert island, which one?
Yikes! That’s tough. Tasmania. That way I could drink world class bubbles, Pinot, and Chardonnay all day long. And in the unlikely event that those got boring, there’s delicious Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gamay.
by Adam Chase | Oct 18, 2020
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 Diploma level, students are expected to create their own study plan to complement the WSET curriculum in order to pass the exams. Candidates for the MW program must go one step further, developing entirely independent study plans that guide their course of study for one of the most rigorous wine exams. Luckily, there are organizations who can help.
Jim Gore of Global Wine Academy
Global Wine Academy (GWA), founded by Jim Gore, DipWSET is one such entity that operates on a global scale. We got to sit down with Jim to talk about GWA and about the changing landscape of wine education.
GE: What inspired you to start the Global Wine Academy? What was the initial aim? Now a couple of years in, has that aim shifted at all?
JG: I wanted a change in lifestyle first and foremost – more flexibility. I also wanted to see what the world of wine education was like outside of WSET School London.
The program has changed monumentally over the past few years, particularly the last few months where we have gone completely online. This has allowed me to teach students who study outside of the UK or are studying online. I feel I’m now addicted to the variety and diversity this style of education offers and love getting to know new students so much that even when we do go back in the classroom, I think that will only be a minor part of my business.
GE: From your perspective, do students’ needs differ according to which wine program or level they are enrolled in e.g. WSET vs. MW, WSET Level 3 vs. Diploma)? How so, and how does the Global Wine Academy tailor their offerings to meet their specific needs?
JG: There is a genuine simple thread across all of the courses that we run: we look to build skills in students rather than give them answers. With that in mind, every course or session we run is split up into manageable chunks that are then worked on session after session, building long-lasting and transferable skills as we go.
The courses are always based around the assessment criteria for each qualification rather than the ‘topics.’ For example, our Online Theory Course runs in partnership with Enjoy Discovering Wine (Diploma APP), who uses a concept called ‘Flipped learning’ where we get the students to study and research in their own time and then we work on the more difficult skills together as a group. Too often you find that lectures are just visual versions of the textbook and the hardest skills to refine (analysis, application, and evaluation) are tested simply through mock exams. We have a strong view that as educators we must guide students through these difficult parts.
The MW tastings that we offer (and our online version that we are soon to be launching) focuses on the same process: we train the students how to answer the questions correctly and accurately. Feedback is essential and something we have been experimenting with through our courses. Students will often get to see each other’s feedback as well as different versions of how to answer the same question. The higher-level qualifications by nature offer many different ways of answering a question so facilitating an environment where students can share and continue to learn once they have left the course is essential. A full understanding of the feedback system is essential; we like to turn our students into mini-educators who are confident enough to spot mistakes in the work of others.
GE: How have you adapted programming since Covid-19 hit back in March? Will some of these changes continue even as markets open back up, or do you hope that everything will go back to normal?
JG: We now use WhatsApp and Google Docs in many of our courses as communication tools and platforms for collaborative work. One of our Theory groups that included students from the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, and New Zealand have continued to meet each week and have formed a phenomenal post-course study group. We still keep an eye on them through Google Docs and on WhatsApp, but frankly they now have the skills to create questions themselves and test each other. We are thrilled with it.
We also now use a company to repackage wines in smaller formats so that students can taste at home.
GE: Looking at wine education overall, and many wine courses going virtual, do you think the structure will look a lot different in a post-Covid world? What schools/academies/organizations in your opinion have really done things right in coping with the current environment?
JG: 67 Pall Mall comes to mind as somewhere that has really cornered the market for wine tastings, charging a small fee to watch or treat yourself and order the wines along with some phenomenal speakers. It really is the palace for wine geeks on any budget.
There are so many examples of where it is done well and that is what I have been seeing mostly, but some places have not really understood the limitations of online. Too many institutions are running day-long courses with zero or no interactive elements. With the online platform, there are quiz functions, breakout rooms, and options to show videos and visuals more clearly and, most importantly, the ability to collaborate across different time-zones – so it is a shame when it is just a carbon copy of a classroom session.
GE: As the name suggests, the Global Wine Academy has international reach. Which countries do you currently offer your services in, and do you hope to expand into new markets in the future?
JG: We deliver wine to UK and Europe, but would love to experiment further abroad at some point. We have had some success with students ordering wines locally that are similar to the ones we taste. This isn’t perfect for fine-tuning calibration, but just as good for examination technique. This year we have had students from: UK, Sweden, Holland, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Australia, New Zealand, and both coasts of USA.
I’ve also adapted one of my courses working with AWSEC in Hong Kong where we have done tastings together virtually. That has been a great to reach new audiences through simple collaboration.
GE: Any other comments you would like to share?
JG: Our latest venture is the Instagram Live Calibration Wine Fair. 24 wines are shipped in small test tubes to students and we go through them all in one day! Many students watched and then ordered afterwards, others tasted along using the videos on IGTV over the course of a week. Moving forward, we are looking to expand this model over a couple of days, including some guest speakers. All the videos are available on our IGTV channel, along with some student-led calibration videos that we did over the summer.
by Adam Chase | Oct 13, 2019
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 Luxury Wine Anniversary and Scholarship Auction event on November 2 – an evening of of great wine, food, a hilarious Somm Smackdown, and auction of incredible items and experiences, all benefiting the GWEF.
In anticipation of the event, we sat down with David Glancy MS, Founder and CEO of San Francisco Wine School and of the GWEF, to find out more about his passion for wine and education.
Q: What inspired you to enter the wine industry?
A: My love of food got me into restaurants at age 15, washing dishes, bussing tables and then working as a prep cook and baker by 16. I majored in Hotel & Restaurant Management at Michigan State and transitioned into hotel front desk management and eventually back into restaurants on the dining room management side. My passion for wine exploded when I sold a lot of wine managing a restaurant in Macau China. After returning to the US and managing a night club and American, French and Italian restaurants I realized my favorite part of the job was managing the wine programs, selling wine to customers and training the staff.
Q: What do you enjoy most about teaching wine?
A: I love when I can see someone’s passion for wine, food and travel really take off. It is especially gratifying when they blossom into professionals whether opening wine bars, launching their career in restaurants, taking off to work harvest across the world, traveling to multiple wine regions, winning competitions, earning credentials and especially when I get to see them expressing their passions with others.
Q: Why do you think wine educational courses are useful?
A: Classes and credentials are not the only way to learn and move up in the industry but the structure of many certification programs shows students a path to what to learn and how. The journey of studying, tasting and passing exams gives students the courage to pursue new challenges. And the credentials themselves open the doors for many professional opportunities. The credentials also help employers evaluate what potential employees know. As people continue in their careers pursuing more credentials, along with tasting, traveling and working in the wine trenches are all ways pros challenge themselves, grow and continuously improve.
Q: Do you have any educational resources you’d recommend to students? (i.e. books, websites)?
A: I have always considered Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World Complete Wine Course to be the best starting point. Madeline Puckett does a great job making wine easy to understand on WineFolly.com. Karen MacNeil’s Wine Bible and everything ever written by Jancis Robinson are great for taking wine studies to the next level. Society of Wine Educator’s blog
WineWitAndWisdomSWE.com, GuildSomm.com, and WineBusiness.com are great ways to stay up-to-date.
Q: What’s your desert island wine?
A: CHAMPAGNE, fool, and lots of it. And I’ll need an oyster knife.2017_SF_Wine_School-2275
Hope to see you in November! Special Early Bird pricing of $295 is available now through October 15.
by Adam Chase | Jun 29, 2019
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 in the program
Q. What is different about the new Level 2 Certificate in Wine?
A. Just about everything.The course that will start on September 10 is still designed to enable someone to look at just about any major wine label and be able to describe what that wine is like and why, but the number of grape varieties have been dramatically expanded. Varieties such as Barbera, Gamay, Semillon and Viognier are now part of the course. We will cover the classic wine regions – Burgundy, Bordeaux, etc., but also add more emphasis on newer regions in countries like Australia, the USA and Chile. The new approach gives a Level 2 student a broader set of wines to explore and makes the course that much more relevant to today’s wine industry. There is also a new textbook and class workbook as part of a complete WSET proprietary study pack.
Q. Are the class sessions themselves much different for the old course?
A. Yes, classes are more interactive than ever before, which better enables students to build off of previous sessions and what they have read on their own. There is a greater emphasis on why a wine tastes the way it does and how the same grape can make uniquely individual wines in different regions. Of course, we still taste several wines in each session but when we do so we are better equipped to taste both natural climactic factors and the human choices that went into each wine. The end result is greater knowledge put into practice, building confidence among students.
Q. Spirits is no longer part of the Level 2 course?
A. Spirits has been removed from Level 2 Wine and is now taught as a separate Level 2 Spirits course.This change means we can cover more material in the Level 2 Wine course in the same amount of time. In some ways, Spirits in the old Level 2 course was an afterthought. Now, in the Level 2 Spirits course, the subject gets the broader and more in-depth focus it deserves. We will offer Level 2 Spirits this fall, and it can easily be taken in conjunction with Level 2 Wine.
Q. Who is the right student for Level 2 Wine?
A. Level 2 Wine is for just about anyone.The course is designed for both beginners and people who already have some knowledge in wine but want a stronger foundation. We don’t assume for Level 2 that a student has any previous knowledge. For the genuine beginner, the course will build a solid foundation for a career in wine or will just increase personal knowledge. For someone who has a working knowledge already, Level 2 fills in any gaps and provides a solid launching pad for learning more. The end result for all students taking Level 2 is increased confidence and greater overall enjoyment of wine.
Q. What is the final exam like?
A. The exam remains the same as before: a one hour, 50-question multiple choice exam. Students need to correctly answer 55% of the questions – about 28 of them – to pass and receive the WSET Level 2 Certificate in Wine.
For the September 10 San Francisco course register here: WSET Level 2 San Francisco
For Level 2 Spirits register here: WSET Spirits Courses
For the September 18 Boston course register here: WSET Level 2 Boston Weeknights
