Spanish Wine Scholar

Close up of a suit with a polka dot and a red lapel pin that says Spanish Wine Scholar SWS.

In-class

Course details

The Spanish Wine Scholar is an in-depth specialist certification focused on the wines and wine regions of Spain. It is designed by the Wine Scholar Guild to provide current, accurate information on all of the wine regions of Spain and validate proficiency in the wines and wine regions of Spain.

This 16-hour course provides detailed coverage of Spanish wine regions, as well as an introduction to Spanish history, geography, viticulture and winemaking.

You will:

  • Develop specialist knowledge of the DO / DOCa regions in seven sessions involving: Green Spain; The Duero River Valley; La Rioja; The Ebro River Valley / Central Mediterranean Coast; Cataluña; La Meseta /Islands and Andalucia
  • Appreciate the cultural context of Spanish wine
  • Consider the vineyard and winery factors that contribute to wine styles
  • Taste a curated range of Spanish wines specially prepared for this course by authorized Wine Scholar Guild instructors

Prerequisite: None. However, WSET Level 2 Award in Wines is recommended, and WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is preferred.

This course includes:

  • A study manual, which includes a foundation unit covering Spanish wine law, grape varieties, viticulture and winemaking plus individual chapters on all of the wine regions of Spain
  • A full-year access to all Spanish Wine Scholar online resources (videos, review quizzes for self-evaluation, flash-cards, downloadable maps, instructor Q&A forum for personal assistance, webinars, and student forum for community interaction etc.)
  • Exam registration fee
  • Tutored tasting of a number of benchmark styles of Spanish wines, depicting grape varietal  and/or regional typicity 
  • Diverse hands-on group activities designed to enhance recall and address different learning styles

In addition to classroom instruction, you are expected to spend 50 hours of preparation and review over the duration of the course outside of classroom hours.

Upon successful completion of a 100-question multiple-choice exam to be completed in 45 minutes with a passing score of 75 per cent or higher, you will receive the Spanish Wine Scholar credential, certificate and lapel pin.

The course is taught by authorized Wine Scholar Guild instructors Nancy Reynolds DipWSET, Kim Berdusco DipWSET and Caitlin Ferguson DipWSET.

Upcoming courses

Thursdays, January 18th - February 29th at 6pm - 8pm. Exam on Thursday, March 21st at 6pm at IWEG, 211 Yonge Street, Suite 501.