How to Become a Wine Expert

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the largest and most recognized organization providing formal education in wines (sake and spirits) for professionals and enthusiasts. WSET programs focus on developing systematic tasting skills and product knowledge of the significant wines and wine producing regions of the world. The skills learnt through WSET programs can be applied to understand and evaluate all wines, regardless of region. For this reason, many sommeliers choose to study for WSET qualifications to gain their product knowledge, opting to develop their service skills on the job. Learn more.

Starting Soon: Wines of Portugal Ambassador Course

Become a Wines of Portugal Ambassador! This Wines of Portugal course covers fundamental knowledge about Portuguese wine. Explore the history, taste a variety of wine styles, and develop your knowledge of the native grape varietals of this great winemaking country.

This 3-hour course is ideal for trade professionals seeking professional accreditation and Portuguese wine enthusiasts.

Discover the most important native grape varietals, understand traditional vinification systems and taste a number of diverse wines showcasing Portugal’s diverse terroirs.

You will:

• Develop an essential knowledge of Portuguese wines
• Be able to recognize some of the famous fortified wines, the 10 main grape varieties, the typical blends and the contribution of each variety in the composition of the blend for wines of Portugal
• Be able identify and know the main characteristics of the main regions
• Develop knowledge on the harmonization of international gastronomy with Portuguese wines

Upon successful completion of a test, you will receive a certificate and the title of Wines of Portugal Ambassador.

The course is taught by IWEG Wines pf Portugal educator Michael Tremblay DipWSET.

Wines of Portugal Ambassador Course 
Date: Saturday September 16th, 2023 from 10:30am-1:30pm
Register Now!

Take Your Career to the Next Level

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. 

Graduates 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.

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.

The 2023-25 online program will start on Monday, October 2nd, 2023. Learn more.

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 number 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.

The Renaissance of Taurasi

Taurasi, Southern Italy’s greatest red wine, has enjoyed a spectacular and highly distinctive history. The wine is capable of extremely lengthy cellaring, as examples from the 1940s and 1950s prove even today; in fact versions from the 1928 and 1934 vintages are still in excellent condition according to several vintners that have recently tasted the wines, while the 1968 riserva from Mastroberardino was named one of the “12 wines of the century” by Wine Spectator in 1999. Learn more.

Starting Soon: The Italian Wine Scholar

The Italian Wine Scholar is an extensive two-unit specialist certification focused on the diverse wines and wine regions of Italy. It is designed by the Wine Scholar Guild to provide current, accurate information on all of the wine regions of Northern, Central and Southern Italy, and to validate proficiency in the wines and wine regions of the country.

Unit 1 is 16 hours and covers Northern Italy and Unit 2 is 14 hours and covers Central and Southern Italy. The course provides detailed coverage of Italian wines, as well as an introduction to Italian history, geography, viticulture and winemaking. The units can be taken in any order and are sold separately ($1150 for each course).

You will:

• Develop specialist knowledge of DOC and DOCG wines of 21 Italian regions
• Appreciate the cultural context of Italian wine
• Consider the vineyard and winery factors that contribute to wine styles
• Taste and assess a range of Italian wines, which illustrate regional or grape varietal typicity, as well as diversity of styles 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 and workbook
• A full-year access to all Italian Wine Scholar online resources (videos, interactive quizzes, webinars, pronunciation exercises etc.)
• Exam registration fee
• Tutored tasting of over 40 wines per unit  
• Diverse hands-on group activities designed to enhance recall and address different learning styles

The course is taught by authorized Wine Scholar Guild instructors Aleksandar Simic, Nancy Reynolds, Robert Miller and Kim Berdusco.

Italian Wine Scholar (Unit 2) 
Date: Thursdays, September 21st – November 9th at 6pm – 8pm
Register Now!

Starting Soon: WSET Level 3 Award in Wines

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is an advanced-level course is for industry professionals as well as dedicated enthusiasts who want to develop a broader and deeper understanding of wine. You’ll have a thorough understanding of grape growing and wine making and the factors that account for the style, quality and price of the principal still, sparkling and fortified wines of the world. You’ll learn how to use your tasting notes to make objective conclusions on a wine’s style, quality and readiness for drinking.

This 40-hour course provides in-depth and detailed understanding of how human and natural factors in vineyard and winery affect wine style, quality and price. It further develops systematic tasting and description skills. Expect to spend 50 hours of preparation and review outside of the classroom.

You’ll learn:

• Grape varieties, wines and wine-growing regions in detail
• The key factors in the production of wine: location, grape growing, winemaking, maturation and bottling
• How these key factors influence the key characteristics of the principal still wines of the world, sparkling wines of the world and fortified wines of the world
• How to apply your understanding to explain wine style and quality
• How to make appropriate wine recommendations
• How to taste wines, describe their characteristics and evaluate their quality, using the WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® (SAT)

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines 
Date: Saturdays and Sundays, September 30th – October 29th at 10:30am – 4pm
Register Now!