BEGINNER ONLINE COURSES

10 products

Napa Valley Wine Academy's beginner online courses, such as the Wine 101 Foundation Course and WSET Level 1 Awards in Wines, Spirits, and Beer, offer an accessible and flexible introduction to the world of beverages. These courses cover essential topics, including grape varieties, wine regions, basic tasting techniques, and foundational knowledge of spirits and beer production. With engaging content and interactive learning modules, our online courses are perfect for those new to wine, spirits, and beer, looking to build their knowledge at their own pace.

WSET Level 1 Wine Online | On - Demand Course - Napa Valley Wine Academy

WSET Level 1 Wine Online | On-Demand Course

Perfect for self-motivated learners who value independence, flexibility and studying on their own schedule. This is our fully self-paced route to the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines: the entire course opens within about 30 minutes of purchase and stays open for 12 months, with no cohort, no start date and no scheduled class to miss. You get instant access to video lectures, interactive activities, guided home tastings, and practice questions and assignments that grade themselves so your feedback is immediate. There are no live webinars on this course — if you would rather have an instructor in real time, our instructor-led online course is the one to buy. Please note that the exam itself is not on demand: WSET invigilates remotely at pre-scheduled times, and you have 12 months from enrollment to sit it.
$289.00
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WSET Level 2 Wine Online | On - Demand Course - Napa Valley Wine Academy

WSET Level 2 Wine Online | On-Demand Course

The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines, on your schedule. The entire course unlocks the moment you enroll and stays yours for 12 months - no cohort, no start date, nothing to be awake for. Explore the world's great wine regions at whatever pace your life allows: video lectures, interactive activities, quizzes, and graded tasting and theory assignments that tell you instantly what you have misunderstood. Twelve classic wines carry you through the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting®, the method that changes how you drink for good. Independent, but never alone - a student discussion community and one-to-one mentoring are there when you want them. Your exam registration is included; the exam itself is taken online with remote invigilation at pre-scheduled times, within 12 months of enrolling. 96.1% of our Level 2 students pass.
$595.00
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WSET Level 1 Wine Online | Instructor - Led Course - Napa Valley Wine Academy

WSET Level 1 Wine Online | Instructor-Led Course

A four-week instructor-led route to the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines, with a dedicated WSET-certified educator, three live 60-minute webinars including guided tastings, and video lectures, activities and quizzes available 24/7. You keep 12 months of platform access from your course start date, and your online exam registration and exam fee are included in the $329. You will learn to describe wines accurately using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting, identify the main wine styles, and apply the fundamental principles of food and wine pairing. Pass the exam and you can display your credentials instantly: a digital badge and certificate to share on LinkedIn, social media, or with your professional network. Prefer no fixed schedule? Our on-demand Level 1 course is $289 with no cohort and no webinars.
$329.00
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Intro to Wine Online Course: TasteCoach™ Wine Fundamentals

Intro to Wine Online Course: TasteCoach™ Wine Fundamentals

TasteCoach™ Wine Fundamentals is an online course designed for everyday wine lovers who want to feel confident choosing, tasting, and enjoying wine in real-world settings.
$99.00
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TasteCoach™ Certificate in Wine Studies: Intermediate - Napa Valley Wine Academy

TasteCoach™ Certificate in Wine Studies: Intermediate

Go beyond 'I like it.' Deepen your wine knowledge and confidence with TasteCoach™ Intermediate — the next step in your wine journey. Explore how grapes, regions, and winemaking shape what’s in your glass.
$199.00
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WSET Level 1 Award in Sake | Online Course - Napa Valley Wine Academy

WSET Level 1 Award in Sake | Online Course

An introduction to sake for those starting a career in the drinks trade or pursuing a personal interest — no previous sake, wine or beer knowledge required. Over four weeks on WSET Global's own learning portal you will explore the main styles and types of sake, learn how rice, water, yeast and brewing choices shape flavor and aroma, and learn to read a sake label and know exactly what it is telling you. Your exam registration and WSET exam fee are included, and you keep access to the course for 12 months. Sake for tasting is sourced by you — WSET does not require candidates to taste alcohol in order to qualify. Pass and you receive a digital badge and certificate to share on LinkedIn, social media, or with your professional network.
$357.00
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WSET Level 1 Award in Beer | Online - Napa Valley Wine Academy

WSET Level 1 Award in Beer | Online

A practical introduction to beer for newcomers — no previous beer, wine or spirits knowledge required. Over four weeks and six modules on WSET Global's learning platform, plus three live 90-minute webinars with our beer educator, you will explore the main styles, learn how malt, hops, yeast and water shape flavor and aroma, and develop a systematic approach to tasting using the WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Beer. Your exam registration and WSET exam fee are included, and you keep access to the material for 12 months. Beer for tasting is sourced by you — WSET does not require candidates to taste alcohol in order to qualify. Pass and you receive a digital badge and certificate to share on LinkedIn, social media, or with your professional network.
$325.00
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WSET Level 2 Award in Sake | Online Course - Napa Valley Wine Academy

WSET Level 2 Award in Sake | Online Course

The WSET Level 2 Award in Sake, taught over five weeks on WSET Global's own sake learning platform. There are no live webinars - you work through the course whenever suits you inside the cohort window, and a WSET educator reads and responds to the tasting notes you submit, which is what actually calibrates a palate. You start at the ingredients - the rice varieties grown for sake, koji, water and yeast - then work through polishing ratios, fermentation, dilution and packaging, and how each choice creates a style. You learn to read a Japanese label rather than rely on an importer's translation, and you train on the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake®. The printed textbook is included and mailed on registration, you keep the online material for 12 months, and your online exam registration and fee are covered. Tasting sakes are not included.
$699.00
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WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits Online | On - Demand Course - Napa Valley Wine Academy

WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits Online | On-Demand Course

The WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits, fully self-paced. The whole course opens within about 30 minutes of purchase and stays open for 12 months, with no cohort, no start date and no scheduled class. You learn the basic principles of spirit production, the main types and styles, what drives flavor, how to serve spirits and the basics of cocktail construction, describing them with the WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits. Your exam registration and WSET exam fee are included. There are no live webinars on this course, and on-demand purchases are final. WSET does not require candidates to taste alcohol, so you do not need a shelf full of bottles to qualify.
$299.00
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