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.

In this self-paced, fully online course, you’ll gain essential wine knowledge through hands-on learning over guided video tastings (using wines you choose!), and reflection prompts that help you connect what you learn to daily wine moments—whether shopping at a store, browsing a wine list, or enjoying a glass with friends.

Recommended Study Hours: about 15-20 hours.

This course includes an optional 50-question certificate exam as an add-on purchase. Get immediate results—no waiting, no stress. With more wine regions and grapes covered than most beginner courses, it is a fun, flexible, and practical path to wine confidence.

At Napa Valley Wine Academy, we believe wine education should be empowering, engaging, and approachable. That’s why we designed TasteCoach Wine Fundamentals to meet you where you are—with no prerequisites, no memorization of scientific terms, and no pressure to “get it right.”

You’ll enjoy:

• Flexible learning on your schedule
• Real-life applications, not classroom theory
• Instruction from a team that has twice won the Riedel Trophy for the WSET Educator of the Year
• A reputation for excellence, with more than 53,530 students since 2011

Whether you’re new to wine or simply want to feel more at ease navigating wine culture, TasteCoach Wine Fundamentals is your invitation to learn by doing and taste with confidence.

Your enrollment includes:

• Flexible tasting activities — use wines you like and choose yourself
  
• Guided video lessons and reflection prompts to apply what you learn to real-life situations (shopping, dining, ordering online)
  
• Lessons on wine taste, wine styles, major grape varieties, and key global wine regions
  
• Practical tips for wine storage, opening bottles, and enjoying wine with food
  
• Practice questions to reinforce learning
  
• Total of 15-20 study hours
  

TasteCoach Wine Fundamentals covers all the essentials of wine enjoyment, including:

• How wine tastes and how to identify what you like
  
• Wine styles, structure, and flavor profiles
  
• Major grape varieties and key global regions
  
• Wine shopping strategies (retail, restaurants, online)
  
• How to pair wine with food
  
• Proper wine storage, serving, and opening techniques
  
• Real-world tasting prompts to build your personal wine vocabulary
  

Unlike WSET courses, TasteCoach™ Wine Fundamentals is less academic and more intuitive—focusing on helping you feel empowered, not overwhelmed.

• Format: 100% Online, Self-Paced
  
• Start Anytime: Rolling enrollment – access begins immediately
  
• Wine Kit: Not included (select wines you enjoy based on course tips)
  

Add-On Certificate Exam $39:

• Available for purchase within the course upon course completion
• 50 questions
• Completed online from home
• Unlimited attempts
• Instant results – no waiting
• Digital certificate issued upon passing

All attendees must be at least 21 years of age.

PREREQUISITE: No Previous Experience Required

This beginner course is perfectly uncorked for those without any prior knowledge of wine. Whether you're a total newcomer to the world of wine or someone looking to formalize a growing interest, this course is tailored to transform curiosity into confidence. No previous experience? No problem! We're here to guide you from the ground up, ensuring that your path to wine expertise starts on solid ground.

Recommended For:

• Wine beginners and casual drinkers
  
• Hospitality staff and retail associates
  
• Students preparing for WSET Level 2 Award in Wines.
  
• Anyone who wants to enjoy wine with more confidence

Requirements:

• A computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access
  
• No prior wine knowledge needed
  

Ability to purchase or select wines locally for tasting activities (optional but recommended)

Wine Kit: Not included. You’ll choose wines based on your taste preferences and course suggestions, allowing you to learn with wines that suit your lifestyle and budget.

Q: How long does this course take?
A: 15-20 hours but you get 12 months access from purchase and can study in your own pace.

Q: How is this different from WSET Level 1?
A: TasteCoach offers a more relaxed, real-world approach to wine learning. It focuses on practical skills, guided tastings with wines you enjoy, broader coverage of grapes and regions, and an online certificate exam with instant results—perfect for building confidence without the pressure of formal study.

Q: Do I need to buy specific wines?
A: Not at all! You’ll choose wines based on your preferences and our guidance, making the course flexible and personal.

Q: How do I take the certificate exam?
A: Available for purchase within the course upon course completion. It’s 100% online and available as soon as you finish the course. The exam includes 50 questions, and you get your results instantly.

Q: Will I get a certificate?
A: Yes! You’ll receive a digital certificate immediately after passing the exam.