Special Offer for the Italian Wine Scholar

A bottle of wine, a glass of red wine and the Italian Wine Scholar study manuals for unit 1 on the wines of Northern Italy and unit 2 on the wines of Central and Southern Italy.

IWEG is offering an incentive on our fall Italian Wine Scholar – Northern Italy (Unit 1)!

Sign up by August 19th with the coupon code prosecco to save $115 at checkout. Limited quantities available.

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 seperately.

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

The course is taught by authorized Wine Scholar Guild instructor Aleksandar Simic DipWSET.

Italian Wine Scholar – Northern Italy
Date: Thursdays, September 22nd – November 24th at 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Sign up by August 19th with the coupon code prosecco to save $115 at checkout.
Limited quantities available.

Wine Culture

Woman with long brown hair in a white t-shirt smiling while standing in a vineyard

Antonia knew she wanted to pursue the Diploma when she was just 20 years old:

After continuously completing the WSET Levels 1-3 in Wines courses, I found myself always wanting to learn more about wine culture, viticulture and all aspects of the wine industry. At the beginning of my studies, I initially decided to peruse the Diploma at twenty years old to stand out from the crowd, further my knowledge and develop enhanced tasting skills. By earning the DipWSET title, it would directly immerse me into the wine industry as a globally recognized professional and thus open a multitude of doors for career paths in all areas of commercial, service or production.

During this program I developed a passion for viticulture, thereby a future goal after the Diploma would be to use my knowledge and skills learned here as a prospective viticulturist.

I encourage students and enthusiasts globally to take the plunge and enroll in the Diploma. Although with countless hours of studying, the tools I’ve learned so far have allowed me to confidently taste and speak with fellow classmates and professionals about wine styles, wine production, and wine business.

Study tips:

My advice for future students is that the harder one works for this Diploma the more rewarding it feels in the end, therefore I strongly recommend this program for both professionals and serious wine enthusiasts in order to develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this industry.

WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines

The fall 2022 in-class WSET Diploma program is sold out. Contact diploma@iweg.org for more information.

Learn more about the online WSET Diploma that starts on October 3rd.

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.

Understanding the Sommelier Levels

Group of four young people tasting an evaluating a glass of red wine with notes. The background is shelves full of wines.

There is no ‘one way’ to gain the skills needed to be a competent and successful sommelier. While many sommeliers have no formal training, increasing numbers are turning to accredited qualifications as part of their development. The two main providers of certifications for sommeliers are the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, with sommeliers often choosing to pursue both paths of study. Learn more.