Courses

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.

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. 95.1% of our Level 2 students pass.

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.

The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines, taught live over five weeks with a real instructor and a real cohort. Four 90-minute Zoom webinars anchor the course - all recorded, so a work conflict never puts you behind - around 20-plus video lectures, interactive activities, weekly quizzes and a 50-question mock exam you can take at 6 AM or midnight. Twelve classic wines carry you through the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting®, the method that turns "I like this" into an argument you can defend. You keep the platform for 12 months from your course start date, so the material is still there long after the five weeks end. Your online exam registration and fee are included. 95.1% of our Level 2 students pass.

Embark on a comprehensive journey through the world of wine with our WSET Level 3 Wine Online course. You’ll gain a deep understanding of wide grape varieties and the factors influencing wine style and quality across the globe, equipping you with the knowledge to assess and explain wine like a professional.

Our WSET Level 1 Award in Wines course gives you the basic skills to talk and taste like a professional. This course is designed to be hands-on and fun. You will explore different styles of wine through sight, smell, and taste, and learn the fundamental principles involved in the storage and service of wine. Pass the exam and you can display your credentials instantly: you'll receive a digital badge and certificate to celebrate your accomplishment, and you can share it on LinkedIn, social media, or with your professional network.

Enroll in the WSET Level 2 course to explore the world's wine styles and regions, and refine your tasting skills with guided tastings of approximately 30 wines. Join now and learn to identify principal grape varieties, decode wine labels, and master the WSET’s Level 2 Systematic Approach to Wine Tasting (SAT). Once you pass the exam you can display your credentials instantly! You'll get a digital badge and certificate to celebrate your accomplishment. Share it instantly on LinkedIn, social media, or with your professional network to showcase your achievement!

Join Napa Valley Wine Academy In-Person tasting group to learn how to taste wines with Diploma students. This is a one-hour study workshop for anyone who would like to improve their tasting abilities, especially students who are preparing for WSET exams (including Level 3 and Diploma). Learn about wine structure, grape varieties, and the influence of climate and weather conditions on wine style. Compare and contrast three wines with a Master of Wine candidate. Register now, only 12 seats are available!

Begin your WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine with D1 – Wine Production, and unlock how grapes are grown and wine is made. Discover how every decision impacts the wine’s style, quality, and price from the vineyard to the cellar. Enroll now and transform your passion for wine into a profound understanding that sets you apart in the wine world.

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.

Become a Certified Champagne Expert – In Just 2 Days! 🥂 Unlock the secrets of Champagne with this immersive, two-day course certified by the Comité Champagne. Perfect for wine professionals and serious enthusiasts, this hands-on program covers tasting, pairing, service, and in-depth knowledge of Champagne’s terroir and production.

D2 Wine Business dives more deeply into the factors that contribute to the price of wine. You’ll also understand the many types of businesses engaged in the production of wine, available options for getting wine to the point of sale, and key considerations in wine marketing. Prerequisites: You must have taken the D1 course to start D2 (receipt of D1 exam results not required).

We teach our students the WSET way of thinking. You’ll not only know the material, but you’ll also understand what they are looking for so you can feel confident on test day. You’ll also be ready for the blind tasting portion of the exam with guided tastings of approximately 80 benchmark wines.

Prepare for WSET Level 3 at your own pace with NVWA's Early Access Prep Kit. Includes the textbook (eBook or hardcopy), 350 instructional videos, digital flashcards, and $75 off your future Level 3 course enrollment.

While Diploma’s Unit 6 is an independent project, our proprietary online classroom offers resources to ensure your paper meets WSET expectations. WSET releases two topics each August, allowing students to pick ONE. This year’s topics include "Virginia Wine" (due January 31, 2025) or "PIWI Grape Varieties (due July 31, 2025). If you don’t like either of the two available topics, you can wait until the next academic year for two new topics to be released.

In the D5 unit of the WSET Level 4 Diploma program students explore fortified wines of the world, including Sherry, Port, Madeira, Vins Doux Naturels and Rutherglen Muscat, through theoretical and practical study. Prerequisites: You must be enrolled in the WSET Level 4 Diploma program and have taken the D1 and D2 exams (receipt of results not required).

Through detailed theoretical and practical study, explore the sparkling wines produced in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, the USA, South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Prerequisites: You must be enrolled in the WSET Level 4 Diploma program and have taken the D1 and D2 exams (receipt of results not required).

See Napa Like Never Before Most people know Napa by its labels — not its layers. The Napa Valley Wine Expert™ course, led by Master of Wine Peter Marks, uncovers the soils, climates, and stories that make Napa legendary. It’s the first and only certification fully devoted to this iconic region, designed to give you deep, insider-level understanding and credibility. Learn online at your own pace for 12 months, and earn your NVWE postnominal upon completion. Perfect for professionals and passionate wine lovers alike — this is where your true Napa journey begins.

In the WSET Level 4 D3 Wines of the World class, students examine the still wines produced in France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, USA, Canada, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and China. Prerequisites: You must have be enrolled in the WSET Level 4 Diploma and have taken the D1 and D2 exams (receipt of results not required).

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.

Discover the wines of Bordeaux with our Bordeaux Wines Course, taught by Catherine Bugué, Founder and VP of Education at Napa Valley Wine Academy. Bordeaux is one of the most celebrated wine regions in the world, renowned for its diversity, quality, and global influence. This course gives you the knowledge, confidence, and a certificate to recognize your achievement in Bordeaux wine studies.

Most Italian wine certifications are designed for experts, but we developed Discovering Italian Wine to provide a fun, unpressured introduction for those just getting started on their wine journey. This course is ideal for people in wine service or sales who want to advance their careers or enthusiasts who want to enhance their experience in Italian wine.

You may think you're familiar with the wines of the Rhône Valley, but with over 2,000 years of history, there’s so much more to discover. While the region’s famous Crus have gained global recognition, much of its production and potential lies in the southern Rhône Valley. Our online course series offers a comprehensive exploration of this renowned region, guiding you through its rich history, diverse terroirs, and signature grape varieties. From understanding the Côtes du Rhône appellations to diving deep into the prestigious Crus and lesser-known AOCs, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the region's wines. Join us and uncover the full potential of the Rhône Valley, transforming your understanding of these exceptional wines.

Turn Curiosity Into Confidence — Discover the Wines of America

Before this course, American wine might feel like a puzzle—familiar names on labels, but not the full story behind them. After, you’ll see the map differently—every region, every grape, every bottle telling a story you understand.

The American Wine Expert™ course takes you beyond the West Coast to uncover the people, places, and passion shaping wine across all 50 states. Guided by Master of Wine Peter Marks, you’ll gain the clarity, confidence, and credentials to speak about U.S. wine like a true insider.

Learn online. Learn at your pace. And see American wine in a whole new light.

See Oregon Wine Through Expert Eyes Oregon is known for great wine — but few understand why it’s so special. The Oregon Wine Expert™ course, created by Master of Wine Bree Stock, reveals the people, places, and innovations that make this region extraordinary. Learn at your own pace through seven interactive modules, exploring over 70 grape varieties and nearly 800 wineries. This is the first and only certification focused solely on Oregon wines — designed to fit busy lives and deepen your expertise. Earn your OWE postnominal and speak about Oregon’s wines with confidence, clarity, and authority.

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.

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.

The WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits is a globally recognized qualification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, designed for serious spirits enthusiasts and professionals building a career in the industry. Napa Valley Wine Academy is one of the first US providers approved to deliver the new Issue 3 curriculum, with its reworked tasting framework emphasising texture and quality. Over nine weeks you will engage with Scotch whisky, whiskey in the USA, Cognac, Armagnac, Caribbean rum, Tequila, Mezcal, vodka, gin, Calvados, Baijiu and Genever, learning the key characteristics and labelling terms for spirits around the world and what drives their style and quality — all through the WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting® (SAT), guided by a dedicated spirits instructor across five live webinars.

Earn the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines with your hands in a Napa Valley harvest. Ten weeks of online study with a dedicated instructor prepare you before you travel, then five consecutive days in Napa: two days of structural tasting and theory workshops, two days working in estate vineyards and production cellars alongside winemakers and growers, and the official WSET Level 3 examination on day five. Exam registration and fee are included. PLEASE NOTE that the in-person portion runs over 5 consecutive days with the exam held on day 5 - book travel to arrive the evening before day one and depart no earlier than the evening of day five.

Ideal for: Intermediate to Advanced Time to complete: 3 hours (self-paced) Certification: NVWA/Wines of Georgia certificate and social badge Discover the ancient and alluring wines of Georgia. While winemaking in the region traces back to 6,000 BC, it has only been in recent decades that these unique wines have been shared with the rest of the world. ​​We’ve partnered with the region’s National Wine Agency to develop the only officially sanctioned English speaking course. From on-location videos to interactive maps, you’ll discover one of the world’s most significant yet lesser known wine regions. Global distribution is so recent, the wines of Georgia are hardly mentioned in WSET courses. (Before an embargo in 2006, 95 percent of Georgia’s wine exports went to Russia.) A foundation in wine is highly recommended (Wine 201 or WSET Level 2 at least). Your instructor: Catherine Bugue, Chief Education Officer/Co-Founder – WSET-Certified, dipWSET, IWP Included with your registration: Detailed profiles on all Georgian wine regions and key grape varieties 12 month (24/7) access to online course Printable PDF certificate and digital badge (with passing grade of 80% on final exam) Feel empowered to make buying decisions for Georgian wines. Explore the ‘cradle of wine’ and the unique winemaking found in the region.

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.

The WSET Level 2 Award in Beer, taught over five weeks with a real instructor and a real cohort. The six-module course content runs on WSET Global's own learning portal; Napa Valley Wine Academy adds four live 60-minute Zoom webinars covering theory and guided tasting, a dedicated instructor for the full five weeks, and group discussion through our own portal. You start at the ingredients - malt, hops, yeast and water - move through brewing and fermentation, then work the world's key styles by what drives them: malt, hops, yeast and mixed fermentation, from Belgium and Germany to the UK and the US. Storage, service and off-flavours are covered too, and throughout you build your palate on the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Beer®. Taught by a WSET Certified Beer Instructor and Advanced Cicerone. Your online exam registration and fee are included; tasting beers are not.

The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines, taught as a four-day immersion in Napa Valley. Your classroom time at Napa Valley Wine Academy is augmented with vineyard, winery and cooperage visits, so you gain a working understanding of grape growing and winemaking rather than a theoretical one. Your instructors are top educators in the industry, involved in winemaking, sommelier services and other segments of the wine trade. You will taste more than 60 wines across the four days, including a glass of sparkling wine on arrival and specialty pourings at the wineries. Two gourmet lunches and a winemaker dinner are included; lodging and travel are not. Please note that the WSET Level 2 exam is taken online with remote invigilation within 12 months of your bootcamp, not in the classroom on the final day.

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.

The WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits, entirely on your schedule. The whole course unlocks the moment you enroll and stays yours for 12 months - no cohort, no start date, no live webinars to be awake for. Start at the still: how pot and column distillation shape purity and flavour, then the world category by category - Scotch, bourbon, Canadian and Japanese whisky, rum, Tequila and Mezcal, vodka, gin, Cognac and brandy, liqueurs and flavoured spirits. You will read a label for what it legally means, deconstruct the classic cocktail families, and train your palate on the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits®. Written and recorded by our head spirits educator, a WSET Diploma holder and Master of Baijiu. Your online exam registration and fee are included; tasting samples are not.

Transform your passion for wine into a fulfilling career with Napa Valley Wine Academy! Dive into the Professional Wine Educator Academy™, an elite program crafted to refine your wine expertise, elevate your confidence, and position you as a leader in wine education. Guided by award-winning instructors, you'll gain unparalleled insights into the world of wine, spirits, and sake, while building credentials that resonate globally. Whether you're transitioning careers, seeking professional growth, or simply indulging your love for wine, our program offers a supportive, immersive, and flexible learning journey tailored to your ambitions​​​.

Join us for a One-Day Sensory Intensive Masterclass on Wine Flavor Compounds. Most wine students and industry professionals are taught to analyze wine through abstract poetry and subjective storytelling. You are told to look for "hints of leather" or "whispers of green orchard fruit," leaving you to second-guess your palate during high-stakes exams or critical client consultations. When you stumble on terms like pyrazines, terpenes, or bread, you are forced to decode a complex liquid matrix without a clear baseline. This masterclass flips the traditional script entirely, discarding elitist jargon for objective science. This intensive treats your palate like a high-precision instrument. Feel completely confident in your tasting mechanics because you will isolate, test, and anchor over 25 distinct flavor compounds and structural faults side-by-side against a pure, identical control wine.

Chile Wine Study Trip September 27 – October 3, 2026 Join Napa Valley Wine Academy for an exclusive 7-day educational immersion into Chile’s most celebrated wine regions. Limited to just 12 travelers, this curated experience includes luxury accommodations, masterclasses, guided tastings at world-class wineries, gourmet dining, and behind-the-scenes access during harvest season. From the Andes to the Pacific, discover Chile through the lens of wine, culture, and connection.