WINE COURSES

Wine Course Overview

logo for WSETThe Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) was established in London in 1969 and currently offers their prestigious wine courses in 39 countries and 9 languages. The UK-based WSET courses are considered to be the gold standard in wine education.

Fine Vintage offers a series of WSET courses for the beginner and the expert in Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary, Victoria, Kelowna, Penticton & Eastern Washington. If you want to learn about wine, for business or pleasure, then these internationally recognized wine courses are perfect. The series includes the Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced.

  • The Foundation wine course is ideal for the absolute beginner and those with a basic knowledge of wine.
  • The Intermediate wine course is a step up, and goes into more depth about classic grape varieties and wine producing countries.
  • The Advanced wine course is a more challenging course for the serious trade professional or passionate enthusiast.

Why take a WSET wine course from Fine Vintage? Many people simply want to feel more confident when buying wine in a restaurant or retail store. Others want to learn more about food and wine matching. A large number of people want the WSET qualifications to further their career. Many budding sommeliers take our courses to learn about service, cellaring, and building wine lists. And everybody takes the courses to taste some great wines, meet some new people, and have fun.

logo for UBC Continuing StudiesOur wine courses are so highly respected that they are offered in partnership with University of British Columbia. The instructors are the most qualified in the industry, and we offer the highest quality wine tastings. In fact, we guarantee that you will learn the art of wine tasting. At each evening class you will taste a minimum of 8 wines averaging $40 per bottle. We spend twice as much on wine as any other school in the Pacific Northwest so you get to taste top quality wines, which is essential for learning and makes the courses lots of fun.

At the end of each wine course there is an optional exam. Upon successful completion you will be sent a Certificate from the WSET in the UK which represents a formal qualification in wine. We will prepare you for these exams and have a very high pass rate. Don't stress! Upon completion of the WSET Advanced students can use the title "WSET Certified".

The wine courses are appropriate for general interest wine enthusiasts as well as the trade. These typically include wine importers, agents, sales representatives, waiters, sommeliers, retail store staff, and even winemakers and grape growers!

If you are interested in non-certificate wine education, UBC Continuing Studies also offers courses in wine appreciation. Find Out More.