How does the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) wine program
differ from other wine tastings I have attended?
In general, wine tastings tend to be informal and ultimately geared towards wine sales. The WSET wine and spirit courses
provide a structured path for building a strong foundation for greater wine knowledge with no sales pitch. At other
wine tastings you are often given many facts, many of which do not stick, because you do not have an anchor to retain them.
The WSET courses focus on developing that “anchor” of knowledge so that you may increase retention of wine knowledge,
even outside of class. Whereas other wine tastings rarely focus on the intricacies of tasting wine, in the WSET wine
and spirit courses, we converse as a group for 30-60 minutes per class comparing tasting notes using the WSET Systematic Approach
to Tasting. In spite of its structured format, this class does share one thing in common with other tastings –
it’s still a lot of fun!
Do I have to pass a WSET beginners course before taking the Intermediate
Certificate class?
Discover Wine & Spirits
LLC in San Francisco does not offer the WSET Foundation Course (1 day course). If you know that Chardonnay is white,
Cabernet is red and you have a sincere desire to learn about wine, you will be able to benefit from the class. If you
attend all of the classes, reading the under-100-page text book and spending some time with the study guide, you can expect
to pass the 50 multiple-choice Intermediate Certificate test.
Can I skip the WSET Intermediate Certificate class and go straight
to the Advanced Certificate course?
Whereas the
Intermediate Certificate class is manageable for most students with little to no experience in wine, the Advanced Certificate
course is a very difficult and comprehensive course. Over 34 hours we cover all the wine regions of the world and the
2-hour test consists multiple choice, short answer and a blind tasting. Only if you have been in the wine industry for
a good length of time, would skipping the Intermediate Certificate course be an advised decision. When in doubt about
your wine knowledge, it is advised to build a solid foundation with the Intermediate Certificate course.
When will I receive my WSET study guide?
The
study guides are handed out on the 1st evening of the course along with any starter kits purchased. If you will be attending
any of the condensed all day courses, your study guide will be mailed to you at least two weeks in advance of the course start
date.
How many wines will I taste?
At each evening
course you will taste at least 8 wines per night, and in the daytime courses you will taste 17-25 throughout the day.
What is your refund policy?
Cancellations
of confirmed places are accepted up to 15 business days prior to the start of the course. An administration fee of $25 will
be charged plus the full cost of study and exam materials supplied will be deducted and the remainder of the course fee returned. If a confirmed course
booking is cancelled, for whatever reason, during the 15 business days prior to the start of the course, or at any time after
the start of the course, no refund or transfer of the course fees will be made. Your registration is fully transferable to
another person for the same course and session, subject to qualification.
If you are not able to take your Intermediate
or Advanced Certificate examination on the scheduled date, you may participate in the next scheduled exam, space permitting
unless you give us 15 business days notice that you will not sit the exam on your original date, additional fees apply. If
you want to arrange for a private make-up exam at another time, proctor fees apply in addition to any exam fees.
Do I have to be 21 or over in order to take your classes?
Yes, because we taste alcohol in all of our classes, you must be 21 or over. Please bring proper identification to
class with you.
How many people in a class?
There are 15
- 36 people in a class. This allows for plenty of interaction and there is lots of open discussion.
What should I bring to the first class?
Please bring study material to all classes. Glasses, wines and additional instruction
will be provided.
