To help you achieve your 2024 goals, IWEG is offering a special promotion of early bird rates for the first 50 new registrants for 2024 WSET and Wine Scholar Guild courses!

Use the code early24 at checkout to receive 10 per cent off eligible courses! This special offer is effective November 29th and will run until January 2nd. The promotion is not retroactive to existing registrations prior to this date.

WSET Diploma in-class and online courses are not included in this offer.

WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines

Image of woman in a blue shirt holding up and looking at a glass of red wine with the logo WSET Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the text WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines

All WSET textbooks and study guides are in an eBook format.

In-class

Course details

The market-leading WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines qualification provides expert level knowledge and develops key analytical skills for success in the global wine business. Perfect for both the trade professional and the serious enthusiast, the course will arm you with specialist-level skills and experience, plus international recognition as an expert in the field of wine.

Holders of the Diploma will be able to identify characteristics of the principal wines of the world, make informed assessments of a product's quality and value, and identify appropriate opportunities for the products within a given market.

You will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to underpin the job requirements in such roles as Food & Beverage Manager, Wine Buyer or Sales Executive.

The Diploma fulfills the prerequisite for the wine qualification requirement for entry to the Master of Wine (MW) program.

The IWEG experience

As the leading organization in wine, spirits and sake education in Canada, IWEG has offered the WSET Level 4 Diploma since 1988.

Our Diploma graduates over the years have gone on to become vital members of the wine and spirits industry in Canada and worldwide. IWEG holds the record for having the largest amount of Diploma graduates in Canada!

IWEG has been offering Diploma studies for longer than any institute outside of the WSET School in London, which means we enjoy a long history of student success. Our passionate and highly qualified Diploma educators, who come from different fields within the trade, provide on-going support to help you master the analytical tasting skills and supplemental theoretical knowledge necessary to succeed.

Prerequisite: To enroll in the Diploma, you must have successfully completed the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (previously known as the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits or WSET Advanced Certificate). If your first language is not English, you are strongly recommended to have an IELTS score of 6.5 or above or be able to demonstrate an equivalent ability level.

This 128-hour course is a rewarding, demanding and challenging program. The Diploma is comprised of six essential units of study, each designed to develop expertise in a specific area.

It normally takes between 18 months and three years to complete the Diploma. Each unit is weighted differently in terms of hours of study required; the table below shows the minimum guided learning time, private study time and the weighting applied against each unit:

UnitWeight Minimum guided
learning time 		Minimum private
study time
D1 - Wine Production20%16 hours 80 hours
D2 - Wine Business10% 8 hours40 hours
D3 - Wines of the World50%70 hours170 hours
D4 - Sparkling Wines5%8 hours16 hours
D5 - Fortified Wines 5%12 hours16 hours
D6 - Independent
Research Assignment		10%2 hours48 hours

You are strongly encouraged to participate in all activities and access all of the study tools provided to facilitate success. This level of the program requires significant independent study as well as classroom work. Expect to spend 500 hours of preparation and review outside of the classroom.

As a WSET Diploma graduate, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the factors affecting the production of wine and how these factors influence style, quality and commercial value in a variety of market sectors
  • Display an understanding of the trade and legal structures of the identified wine and spirit producing regions
  • Demonstrate specialist product knowledge of wines and spirits and apply that knowledge to make commercial decisions
  • Through the use of the WSET Level 4 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® (SAT), identify the style, quality and commercial value of wine
  • Produce accurate tasting notes for a range of wines
  • Understand the commercial and economic importance of wine in global and local markets
  • Demonstrate an ability to make informed decisions based on in-depth understanding of the global business of wine
  • Present information in a format that meets business requirements

To complete the Diploma you must pass all six units, successfully meeting the rigorous assessment requirements across the syllabus. Assessment varies by unit. Upon successful completion of theory and blind tasting exams, you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin, and will be able to use the associated WSET certified logo and DipWSET post nominal.

All WSET textbooks and study guides are in an eBook format.

View the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines specification for more information about the course.

For more information about the WSET Diploma, contact diploma@iweg.org.

Upcoming courses

The 2024-26 in-class program will start on Wednesday, August 21st, 2024 at IWEG, 211 Yonge Street, Suite 501. Learn more.

The 2024-26 online program will start in October 2024. Learn more.

Email ssangster@iweg.org to sign up for more information, date announcements and to register.