Most journeys into the world of wine share the same simple beginning: We enjoy a few glasses (or bottles) and decide which wines we liked and which we didn’t. However it usually does not take long to realize that even though we liked this one particular Cabernet Sauvignon very much, the next one we tried was truly awful - perhaps it was much too sour or had unbearably coarse, gritty tannins.

Should we therefore forsake all Cabernets to be on the safe side? Should we only stick to a particular region or even a specific producer? While that can certainly help, even the same producer will have vintages that are better and those that are worse, so ordering blindly we could still end up with unenjoyable wine. That’s why improving one’s wine knowledge allows us to make much better selections that match our preferred flavor profile.

We also need to consider that even if we found out that we prefer Primitivo from Puglia for example, it might be difficult to extrapolate from this to other wines. Imagine being in a restaurant that does not carry any Primitivos, what wine should we order? Simply telling the waiter that we like Primitivos might help, but based solely on that, they cannot truly deduce what aspects of the wine appeal to us. For example, is it the residual sugar many Primitivos usually have? The low-to-medium acidity? The soft tannins? The (overripe/jammy) fruit aromas? There are many wines that feature some of these characteristics, but only you know what is most important to you.

Diving deeper into wine

Learning about wine methodically allows us to both understand and appreciate it more deeply. It becomes easier to select the right wine for our palate, mood (and meal), and to describe it effectively when communicating with other wine enthusiasts or hospitality professionals.

Granted, there is a lot of literature on that topic already and a lot of good books for beginners, however wine is not only about theory but much more about practice, about observing, smelling, drinking and analyzing the ethereal liquid in the glass, seeking to capture its spirit and essence. From my experience, it is rare for someone to immediately identify and describe all aromas, as our sense of smell is often the least trained of all our senses in daily life. We might smell a lot of things, but how often do we analyze what exactly we smell? How often do we go beyond simple impressions like “smells like flowers,” “smells sweet,” or “smells like citrus”?

That is why besides the literature, there are also many different schools and organizations that offer courses and certifications to enhance your wine knowledge, tasting skills, and vocabulary. Many of them have their own tasting and description system, which makes it much easier to describe a wine to another person (no matter if they learned the same system or not). These systems often differ in key aspects and there are very valid arguments and criticisms, so learning more than one system allows you to compare and come up with your own preference.

Since I was a bit overwhelmed at first about what kind of programs exist, what their target audience is (amateur / hobbyist, professional sommelier, wine educator, etc.), and also what their level of difficulty is and what commitment they require (especially for someone located in Switzerland), I thought I’d write down what I learned so far so that others might get a bit of a head start. So let’s dive in.

Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET)

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust is an organization that offers a variety of certifications related to wine and spirits. They offer classes in over 70 countries and their certifications are widely recognized within the wine industry.

WSET teaches the Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine (SAT), a structured method for evaluating and describing wine based on aspects like color, sweetness, acidity, tannins (for reds), body, alcohol, aromas and their intensity (both on the nose and palate), and the wine’s finish.

They offer the following programs:

  • WSET Award in Wine
  • WSET Award in Beer
  • WSET Award in Sake
  • WSET Award in Spirits

For wine, WSET differs between the following levels:

  • Level 1 Award in Wine: The level 1 class is only one or two lessons long (so about 6 hours) and teaches the basics, such as the main types and styles of wine, common wine grapes, how to store and serve wine and how to describe wine using the SAT (note that for level 1 you will only learn a simplified version of the SAT)
  • Level 2 Award in Wine: Level 2 captures the introduction of level 1 but goes into much more detail (about 18 hours of class room instruction), teaching a more comprehensive version of the SAT and capturing (arguably) all major grapes and the most important wine regions around the world. You will also gain insights into grape cultivation and the key techniques used in winemaking.
  • Level 3 Award in Wine: WSET level 3 once again builds upon the content of level 2 but goes into more depth (about 36 hours of training), which means more grapes and regions but also a lot more focus on the wine growing and making factors, for example the climate, soil composition, elevation, direction, bodies of water, winds etc. It also features more sparkling and fortified wines. While level 2 expects you to memorize and understand the information, level 3 will ask you to reflect and explain cause and effects (e.g. why left left bank Bordeaux is better for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, while right bank favors Merlot)
  • Level 4 Diploma in Wine: Level 4 is the expert level qualification and you will gain extensive knowledge in wine production, wine business, wines of the world (still, sparkling and fortified) and will need to complete an independent research assignment. This usually comes with 116 hours of class room delivery and 500 hours of study time are expected. The diploma may take up to three years to complete.

Please note that in order to take level 4, you need to have successfully passed WSET level 3

What level might make sense for you?

  • WSET level 1 is best suited for wine novices (mostly people who have never cared much for wine and distinguish only between red, white or rose)
  • WSET level 2 is a good fit for anyone that wants to start exploring wine deeper and get a good overview over the different grapes, wines and wine regions worldwide
  • WSET level 3 takes a much larger investment, both in terms of time and money, so I’d recommend it for wine enthusiasts, collectors or anyone working in the industry
  • WSET level 4, aka the diploma, is comparable to a (mini) master degree but can also open up a lot of opportunities when working in wine related fields (be it as educator, journalist, wine seller, sommelier or wine maker). I have met some hobbyists who still (successfully) went for the diploma, but it does require a large amount of determination (or so I’ve been told)

In Zurich there are several providers that offer classes, some also remotely. I personally took classes in both Académie du Vin and the Zurich Wine Academy and can vouch for both. Classes are available in both English and German (though availability may vary) up to WSET level 3 - level 4 is currently not offered in Switzerland. There are some differences to consider:

  • Académie du Vin had (at least when I took my classes) multiple different instructors, for the Zurich Wine Academy you have usually one instructor per course; I wouldn’t say one is necessarily better than the other, it probably depends on your preference. For me the quality of the instructors was great in both schools, though I found the tasting system taught by Joe from the Zurich Wine Academy to be easier to understand and apply and the lessons more engaging
  • The online learning platform from Académie du Vin worked very well for me and I was happy to have it in addition to the official WSET books
  • Académie du Vin is taught at the Hotelfachschule near Bahnhof Enge in Zürich while the Zurich Wine Academy is located near Stauffacher. While both locations are quite central, the Zurich Wine Academy offices are better equipped, having maps (a lot of them even three dimensional/topographic) from all the big wine regions, which really helps with the visualization, as well as many different soil samples.
  • If you pass a course with the Zurich Wine Academy, you are (if you want) added to their alumni community and regularly invited to additional events

For WSET level 4, since there is currently no school in Switzerland which offers this program, here are some alternative options:

  • Weinakademiker through Weinakademie Österreich - similar to WSET level 4 (previously when you received the title of Weinakademiker, you would also get WSET level 4 but it seems the program has split from WSET since a few years and went its own way)
  • WSET level 4 through WiSP in France (Paris/Bordeaux)

Wine Scholar Guild (WSG)

The Wine Scholar Guild is another wine certification provider but pursues a different angle than WSET: It offers a variety of classes that each focus on a specific country (or region), going into much greater detail than WSET. While WSET and other accreditations will focus on the most popular / highest quality wines of each country, the classes of the Wine Scholar Guild go through every area of a country where wine is grown, highlighting especially autochthonous grapes, but also the history of the region, its wine production, local cuisine and customs to give you a truly holistic view of its wines - after all wine is a cultural product and often strongly entwined with its origin. Currently the WSG offers courses for the following countries:

  • France:
    • Beginner: French Wine Essentials (FWE)
    • Advanced: French Wine Scholar (FWS)
    • Specialty:
      • Bourgogne Masters
      • Champagne Masters
      • Bordeaux Masters
  • Italy:
    • Beginner: Italian Wine Essentials (IWE)
    • Advanced: Italian Wine Scholar (IWS)
    • Specialty: Valpolicella Explorer
  • Spain:
    • Beginner: Spanish Wine Essentials (SWE)
    • Advanced: Spanish Wine Scholar (SWS)
    • Specialty: Certified Sherry Wine Specialist (CSWS)
  • Germany:
    • Advanced: German Wine Scholar

What really makes the WSG classes so delightful and entertaining is that it feels as if you are taking a road trip through the topical country, from vineyard to vineyard, learning about its renowned treasures as well as hidden gems, and taking the time to appreciate all the factors that transform local grapes into exceptional wines. For me the classes are less dry (some pun intended) and more passionate compared to WSET or Sommelier classes, so while they are certainly not easy and should not be underestimated, if you love the wines from the associated country, you will have fun! For comparison’s sake, I would rate the WSG Essentials classes roughly at WSET level 2 (maybe 2.5) in terms of difficulty / learning effort, while the Scholar is extensive and more on par with WSET level 3. However it is not a completely fair comparison, as WSG Essentials and Scholars are just multiple choice, so there is no tasting or essay section like in WSET 3 or Sommelier classes - the scope however is much deeper than WSET 3, so you’ll have to keep a lot more facts memorized.

What level might make sense for you?

  • Essentials are a good choice for those that have already a solid foundation of wine knowledge, particularly like one of the offered countries but have only limited time (or budget) or are more interested in the “big hitters” (such as Barolo, Amarone and Brunello for Italy) rather than lesser known grapes or wines
  • Scholar level classes are best suited for those that are professionals or passionate hobbyists and want to take a deep dive into all of a country’s regions and wines, no matter how small or obscure

It should be pointed out that at time of writing the Essentials and Scholar classes differ mainly in scope (or breadth), not in depth. So if a country has 20 regions, the Essentials might cover only 6-8, the Scholar all 20, but for the covered region the depth is fairly similar.

In Zurich there is currently (to my knowledge) only the Zurich Wine Academy that offers WSG classes (both Essential and Scholar). I myself did the Italian Wine Scholar under Joe’s tutelage and he did a tremendous job, so I can only recommend you check them out if you are interested.

Court of Master Sommeliers

The Court of Master Sommeliers is another provider of wine training but as the name suggests, is focused on passing the knowledge required to become a professional sommelier. This means that it does not just cover wines and wine production, but also wine service, pairing, cellar management, and social skills—essential abilities for working in restaurants, bars, events, and other hospitality-related fields.

The Court of Master Sommeliers offers the following levels:

  • Introductory Sommelier
  • Certified Sommelier
  • Advanced Sommelier
  • Master Sommelier Diploma

These classes are best suited for anyone trying to work in hospitality and will be helpful in landing a job as a sommelier or restaurant manager or if you are a hobbyist interested in the serving and management side of wine (creating wine and food menus, keeping stock, pricing, advising customers on which wine to take, how to pour properly, etc.).

Unfortunately there do not seem to be any course providers in Switzerland at this time, but classes are offered in a variety of locations as listed on their official website. Since I haven’t taken a sommelier class yet, I can’t offer anymore guidance, but if I ever do, I will update this post.

I hope this overview has been helpful and encourages you to enroll in a course if you’re interested in exploring wine in a structured and enjoyable way!