WHAT IS WSET?
If you’re considering certification with The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), you need a trusted guide to help you prepare for the exam. Napa Valley Wine Academy is the largest and most awarded Approved Program Provider of the WSET, with some of the highest pass rates in the industry. We offer classes toward WSET certification online and at eight locations across the US.
Based in London, WSET is the largest and most respected wine education and certification organization of its kind in the world. More than 100,000 people each year pursue wine and spirits education through them.
Established in London in 1969, WSET has become the foremost international organization in the field of wines and spirits education, with over half a million individuals having completed a WSET qualification. They currently offer courses in over 73 countries and 19 languages. In 2015, their efforts were recognized with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
WSET certifications are an excellent idea for wine professionals looking to enhance their knowledge and expertise in the industry. The qualifications offered by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) are internationally recognized and highly regarded within the wine and spirits industry. With a WSET certification, wine professionals can demonstrate a level of knowledge and expertise that sets them apart from their peers, making them more attractive to employers and customers alike.
One of the key benefits of WSET certifications is the comprehensive nature of the courses. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including the production, styles, and flavors of different wines and spirits and wine and spirit service, pairing, and tasting techniques. This means that wine professionals who complete a WSET certification will have a deep understanding of the industry, which can help them to make informed decisions and provide expert advice to customers and clients.
Another benefit of WSET certifications is that they are taught by a team of qualified educators who are experts in their field. These educators have the knowledge and experience needed to provide students with a high-quality education and can answer any questions that students may have.
Additionally, with WSET certifications, wine professionals can open up new job opportunities and advance their wine and spirits industry careers. The certification will demonstrate the level of knowledge and expertise which can be valuable assets for employers.
Finally, WSET certifications can help wine professionals develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of wine and spirits, enhancing their enjoyment of these products. A WSET certification can be a great personal enrichment and make you stand out as an expert in your field.
WSET certifications are a valuable investment for any wine professional looking to enhance their knowledge, expertise, and career prospects in the industry.
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.
$425.00
$425.00
ENROLL NOW
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
$329.00
ENROLL NOW
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
$289.00
ENROLL NOW
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!
$935.00
$935.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 2 Wine Online | Instructor-Led Course
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. 96.1% of our Level 2 students pass.
$679.00
$679.00
ENROLL NOW
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
$595.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 2 Award in Wines | Bootcamp
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.
$2,195.00
$2,195.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 3 Wine Online | Instructor-Led Course
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.
$1,099.00
$1,099.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines | In-Person
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.
$1,755.00
$1,755.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 3 Wine Harvest Bootcamp | Napa, California
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.
$3,995.00
$3,995.00
BOOK NOW
Sold Out
WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits | In-Person
A beginner-level introduction to spirits for those starting a career in the industry or pursuing an interest in spirits.
For individuals new to the subject, this qualification offers a hands-on introduction to the world of spirits. 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!
$423.00
$423.00
-
$497.00
$497.00
ENROLL NOW
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
$325.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 2 Award in Beer | Online
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.
$699.00
$699.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 4 Diploma | D1 Wine Production
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.
$1,197.00
$1,197.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 4 Diploma | D2 Wine Business
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).
$849.00
$849.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 4 Diploma | D3 Wines of the World
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).
$2,650.00
$2,650.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 4 Diploma | D4 Sparkling Wine
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).
$997.00
$997.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 4 Diploma | D5 Fortified Wine
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).
$997.00
$997.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 4 Diploma | D6 Independent Research Assignment
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.
$445.00
$445.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits | Online Course
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.
$1,450.00
$1,450.00
ENROLL NOW
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
$357.00
ENROLL NOW
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
$699.00
ENROLL NOW
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
$299.00
ENROLL NOW
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits Online | On-Demand Course
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.
$599.00
$599.00
ENROLL NOW
