IWEG Instructor Michael Tremblay Wins a James Beard Book Award

A man in a navy suit with his arms out on a podium on a stage at the 2023 James Beard Book Award ceremony.

On June 3, 2023, IWEG instructor Michael Tremblay DipWSET was awarded a James Beard Book Award for Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth, a stunning guide into the story of sake that he co-authored with Nancy Matsumoto.

The IWEG community wishes Michael and Nancy the warmest congratulations and best wishes on future successes. 

Michael will be teaching the WSET Level 3 Award in Sake this fall.

His teaching approach:
Having been lucky enough to travel extensively throughout the world’s most famous wine regions and every corner of Japan’s sake world, I make it a point to connect the topics at hand in the course with stories that shed a little more light on these subjects. In essence, I want each student to feel like they have travelled to those regions and in doing so, make a myriad connections for the student with what they need to know for the exam.

Special Offer 

A man with a white beard and white hair wearing a black t-shirt while holding up a French Wine Scholar certificate.

To commemorate 10 years at our current downtown 211 Yonge Street campus, IWEG is offering a special promotion of early bird rates for the first 50 new registrants for:

  • Summer and fall in-class WSET and Wine Scholar Guild courses 
  • June and July WSET online courses

Use the code early23 at checkout to receive 10 per cent off eligible courses!

This special offer is effective June 8th and is available until June 19th, 2023. 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.

Join the WSET Diploma Class of 2025

Man in glasses and a suit standing in the entrance of a room in a restaurant.
Yuuji is a WSET Diploma graduate from IWEG and a certified WSET educator with nearly 15 years of experience in the wine industry. He has dedicated over 10 years of his career to providing wine service, teaching WSET, building full wine programs for multiple new restaurants and hosting wine events at Oliver and Bonacini Hospitality. He is currently a Sales Account Manager with Cave Spring Cellars and The Vine Agency, as well as one of the curators for Gargoyle wine club. Yuuji also participates in sensory analysis research for VQA Ontario.

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 in-class program in Toronto will start on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023 at IWEG, 211 Yonge Street, Suite 501. Learn more.

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 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.

The Spirit of Inclusion Initiative Scholarships 

Illustration of three BIPOC and/or LQBTQ women holding hands with their arms raised. Text on the image says 'Here's to infusing our industry with opportunity' and 'illustration by Rachel Joanis'.

IWEG is pleased to partner with the LCBO on The Spirit of Inclusion Initiative, a program designed to create opportunities for diverse women to enter, advance and thrive in the beverage alcohol industry. Scholarships currently available include WSET Level 1 Award in Sake and WSET Level 2 Award in Wines.  Learn more about the program and how you can apply for a scholarship.