OKANAGAN BOOTCAMP
Get your WSET Level 2 in Wines
over four days of immersive learning
Come and explore Canada’s premier wine region, with visits to seven benchmark wineries, whilst doing your WSET Level 2 certification.
This four-day wine bootcamp combines mornings in the classroom with winery visits in the afternoon. At the wineries, we are hosted by vineyard managers and winemakers, and enjoy extensive tastings of both international and Okanagan wines side-by-side.
This bootcamp is the ideal way to learn about wine. The theory you learn in the classroom is brought to life during the winery visits. It’s lots of fun and we have a 97% pass rate at the WSET Level 2.
There are no prerequisites, but we do recommend starting with the Level 1 to ensure you have a solid foundation of knowledge.
Kelowna
July 26th – 29th 2024
Hosted by Geoffrey Moss MW
$1,999 CAD per person
Register for course
Download itinerary
Click here to learn about our registration, payment, and cancellation policies.
Kelowna
September 6th – 9th 2024
Hosted by Geoffrey Moss MW
$1,999 CAD per person
Register for course
Download itinerary
Click here to learn about our registration, payment, and cancellation policies.
COURSE OVERVIEW
You will spend four days in the beautiful Okanagan Valley discovering several of the leading local wineries and also learning about the major international regions. Our vineyard visits, winery tours, and presentations will take you on a vinous journey around the world. The classroom sessions take place at the Prestige Beach House Hotel in Kelowna. You can stay here, or anywhere you wish, be it at another hotel or at home.
You will learn about:
- The art of tasting in detail
- Growing grapes and the role of terroir
- Making and maturing all types of wine
- Classic and regionally important grape varieties
- Major regions in France & Italy
- Classic regions in Germany & Spain
- New World wine regions
- Sparkling and fortified wines
- The art of food & wine pairing
TASTINGS & INSTRUCTION
Fine Vintage is well known for our expert instruction, high pass rates, and the exceptional quality of our tastings. Your instructor is Geoffrey Moss, Master of Wine, an Okanagan resident. He knows the region in-depth. You will taste over 45 different wines valued at over $2,000+. Fine Vintage is considered to be the Harvard of wine education.
CERTIFICATION
At 4:30pm on the last day of your bootcamp there is a 50 question multiple choice exam with a pass mark of 55%. Upon successful completion you will receive a WSET certificate which is a formal qualification in wine with international recognition. You can always re-sit the exam if necessary, but we have a 97% pass rate.
All bootcamp students will receive a FREE Fine Vintage online course (value of $99-299 depending on the course) plus FREE access to our extensive video library.
ABOUT THE BOOTCAMP
Day 1 – Friday
Start your day in the classroom at the Prestige Beach House Hotel. You will meet your fellow classmates and then learn how to taste and evaluate wine in-depth. The rest of the morning is focused on grape growing and vineyard management.
Lunch is on your own, and in the early afternoon we set off in our luxury bus to visit two leading West Kelowna wineries. The focus is on viticulture, with vineyard managers explaining their craft. We also enjoy extensive tastings, before heading to a gourmet food and wine pairing dinner to welcome you to this special experience.
Day 2 – Saturday
We start the day in the classroom learning all about the intricacies of winemaking, with more insightful tastings of beautiful wines. Lunch is on your own, and then we set off in the luxury bus to visit two more iconic wineries, this time in East Kelowna.
Your hosts, the winemakers, will walk you through the stages of the winemaking process in real-life, and you’ll sample from tank and barrel. It’s a rare experience. At each winery, we focus on a different grape variety, with tastings of international wines side-by-side with local signature wines.
We arrive back at the hotel around 6pm for a free evening.
Day 3 – Sunday
There is no classroom time this day. We head off at 9:30am for a whole day exploring the southern Okanagan. The first winery visit focuses on sparkling wine, with a tasting of Champagne and many more.
We move on to our second winery visit where you will enjoy a beautiful food and wine pairing lunch (included) that focuses on the Bordeaux varieties. Your exploration continues at a third classic winery with a focus on Syrah and Viognier. All visits are hosted by winemakers.
We return to the Prestige Beach House Hotel in the early evening. Tonight is on your own to relax or study.
Day 4 – Monday
The last day of the bootcamp is in the classroom. Get ready to dive into the world of wines from France, Spain, Australia, South America, and beyond. Naturally, we taste the classic wines. Lunch is on your own, with plenty of options nearby.
In the afternoon, there is a review session before the exam. The WSET Level 2 exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions (there is no tasting exam), and is scheduled for 4:30pm. You may depart once the exam is over, or stay for a glass of bubbly to celebrate the end of this incredible four-day wine experience.
MEET YOUR HOST
Geoffrey earned his Master of Wine in Fall 2020. He was awarded the prestigious Villa Maria Trophy for his outstanding knowledge of viticulture and the Robert Mondavi Winery Award for the best performance across all the theory papers in the MW exam. This is an extremely rare achievement.
His resumé includes working with Don Triggs at Culmina Family Estate Winery before leading the marketing team at Phantom Creek Estates.
Geoffrey founded Lithica Wine Marketing in 2019, a boutique agency that helps wineries develop effective, customer-centric business and marketing strategies. He runs the wine consulting business from Penticton in the heart of the Okanagan Valley along with Søren Wine. He is one of ten Masters of Wine in Canada.
Kelowna
July 26th – 29th 2024
Hosted by Geoffrey Moss MW
$1,999 CAD per person
Register for course
Download itinerary
Click here to learn about our registration, payment, and cancellation policies.
Kelowna
September 6th – 9th 2024
Hosted by Geoffrey Moss MW
$1,999 CAD per person
Register for course
Download itinerary
Click here to learn about our registration, payment, and cancellation policies.
PAYMENT TERMS
Full payment is charged at the time of registration. Payment is non-refundable, but can be transferred once to another person or to a future course of the same type, if you contact us 14 days or more before the start date. In the rare event Fine Vintage has to cancel a course you will receive a 100% refund.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Included in the price is:
- All winery visits and tastings
- All transportation to the wineries on a luxury bus from the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort
- A gourmet food and wine pairing dinner on Day 1
- A delicious pairing lunch on Day 3
- The WSET Level 2 study guide, exam, and certificate
- All instruction by Geoff Moss
- All tastings in the classroom
Please note that students are responsible for arranging their own flights, accommodations, travel insurance, transportation, and meals outside of the bootcamp itinerary.
PLANNING TIPS
Before the bootcamp we will send you some useful pre-trip information to help you with your planning.
You’ll find advice on how to get there, tips on what to wear, other things to do in and around Kelowna, hotel recommendations, and what you might like to read in advance.
WEATHER
Summer in the Okanagan valley is dry and sunny, with temperatures reaching above 30°C in the afternoon. Some evenings can get quite cool, so remember to bring an extra layer.
TESTIMONIALS
