WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
Everything you need to prepare for, execute and excel at this rigorous certification
- Strategies for success on tasting and Diploma theory exams
- Optional wine kits for palate calibration with instructors
- Flexibility to accommodate busy schedules
Ideal For Professionals
The WSET Level 4 DIPLOMA IS A BIG STEP IN YOUR WINE JOURNEY.
DON’T GO IT ALONE.
As WSET’s highest certification, the WSET Level 4 Diploma offers an expert-level understanding of the factors influencing a wine’s style, quality, and price. You’ll build theoretical and practical knowledge through in-depth study of numerous wine regions and by honing your tasting skills.
Interested in learning more? Our Diploma Manager, Noelle Hale, explains how our WSET Diploma program works:
Noelle Hale
dipWSET and NVWA Diploma Manager
Why study for your WSET Level 4 Diploma with us?
- Live, instructor-led webinars with recordings available for later viewing
- Proprietary online classroom with vocab lists, quizzes, mock exams and pointers for understanding exam questions
- Our dedicated instructors include Masters of Wine, winemakers, Diploma graduates and other industry leaders
- Personalized feedback from instructors on mock exam answers
- Student support team to help you chart your way through the program
HOW THE WSET LEVEL 4 DIPLOMA WORKS
The Diploma has six units. D1 must be taken first, followed by D2. Once you have taken the D1 and D2 exams (you don’t need to have your results back), you can take the other units in any order. Click the blocks below to learn more about each unit, see upcoming start dates and register.
Rolling WSET Level 4 Diploma Schedule
The graphic below includes a rough guide of when NVWA offers each unit throughout the year. For example, a D1 class starts each January, June and October. Click on each unit’s row below to see upcoming start dates and register.
For more information and full details on the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine course requirements, please download the Specification.
UPCOMING COURSES & EXAMS
ALL EXAMS MUST BE TAKEN IN-PERSON IN NAPA.
AVAILABLE D1 EXAM DATES: DECEMBER 4, 2022 / MARCH 8, 2023 / AUGUST 6, 2023 (no resits) | 9:30 – 11:00AM in Napa
SEPTEMBER 26 – DECEMBER 3, 2022
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are recorded)
- Exam: December 4, 2022 | 11:30am – 12:30pm in Napa
- Webinar Dates (5-7pm PST): September 29, October 6, October 13, October 20, October 27, November 3, November 10, November 17, 2022
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JANUARY 2 – MARCH 7, 2023
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are also recorded)
- Exam: March 8, 2022 | 9:30 – 11:00am in Napa
- Webinar Dates (all 5-7pm PST): January 5, January 12, January 19, January 26, February 2, February 9, February 16, February 23
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MAY 29 – AUGUST 5, 2023
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are also recorded)
- Exam: August 6, 2023 | 9:30 – 11:00am in Napa
- Webinar Dates (all 5-7pm PST): June 1, June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29, July 6, July 13, July 20
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SEPTEMBER 25– DECEMBER 3, 2023
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are also recorded)
- Exam: December 3, 2022 | 9:30 – 11:00am in Napa
- Webinar Dates (all 5-7pm PST): September 28, October 5, October 12, October 19, October 26, November 2, November 9, November 16
AVAILABLE D2 EXAM DATES FOR 1ST TAKE AND RESITS: OCTOBER 25, 2022 / MARCH 8, 2023 / JUNE 7, 2023 / October 24, 2023 / March 6, 2024 | 11:30 AM- 12:30 PM IN NAPA
AUGUST 29 – OCTOBER 24, 2022
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are recorded)
- Exam: October 25, 2021 | 11:30am – 12:30pm in Napa
- Webinar Dates (5-7pm PST): September 14, September 21, October 5, October 11, 2022
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JANUARY 9 – MARCH 7, 2023
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are recorded)
- Exam: March 8, 2023 | 11:30am – 12:30pm in Napa
- Webinar Dates (all 5-7pm PST): January 25, February 1, February 15, February 22
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APRIL 10 – JUNE 6, 2023
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are recorded)
- Exam: June 7, 2023 | 11:30am – 12:30pm in Napa
- Webinar Dates (all 5-7pm PST): April 19, April 26, May 10, May 17
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September 4 – OCTOBER 23, 2022
- Course Format: ONLINE with live webinars (webinars are recorded)
- Exam: October 24, 2023 | 11:30am – 12:30pm in Napa
- Webinar Dates (all 5-7pm PST): September 13, September 20, September 27, October 4, 2023
AVAILABLE D3 EXAM DATES FOR 1ST TAKE AND RESITS: MAY 9-10, 2023 / October 25-26, 2023 IN NAPA
OCTOBER 31, 2022 – MAY 8, 2023
- Course Format: ONLINE with 15 live classes via Zoom (classes are also recorded)
- Exam:
- Theory: May 9, 2023 | 11:00am – 3:20pm in Napa
- Tasting: May 10, 2023 | 10:30am – 2:30pm in Napa
- Webinar Dates (webinars 1-13 from 9am-1pm PST, webinars 14-15 from 9am-3pm PST): November 5, November 19, December 3, December 17, 2022; January 7, January 14, January 28, February 11, February 25, March 4, March 18, April 1, April 15, 2023 April 22, 2023, 9am – 3pm PST (longer for full mock theory exam) April 29, 2023, 9am – 3pm PST (longer for full mock tasting exam)
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OCTOBER 31, 2022 – MAY 8, 2023
- Course Format: In-Person with 15 live classes in Napa
- Exam:
- Theory: May 9, 2023 | 11:00am – 3:20pm in Napa
- Tasting: May 10, 2023 | 10:30am – 2:30pm in Napa
- Class Dates (classes run from 9am-4pm PST): November 5, November 19, December 3, December 10, 2022; January 7, January 27, February 4, February 18, March 11, March 25, 2023
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APRIL 3, 2023 – OCTOBER 24, 2023
- Course Format: ONLINE with 15 live classes via Zoom (classes are also recorded)
- Exam:
- Theory: October 25, 2023 | 11:00am – 3:20pm in Napa
- Tasting: October 26, 2023 | 10:30am – 2:30pm in Napa
- Webinar Dates (webinars 1-13 from 9am-1pm PST, webinars 14-15 from 9am-3pm PST): April 8, April 22, May 6, May 20, June 3, June 17, June 24, July 8, July 22, August 5, August 19, August 26, 2023 September 30 (9am-3pm, longer for mock theory exam), October 7, 2023 (9am-3pm PST, longer for mock tasting exam)
AVAILABLE D4 EXAM DATES FOR 1ST TAKE AND RESITS: OCTOBER 25, 2022 / JANUARY 18, 2023 / JUNE 7, 2023 / October 24, 2023 / JANUARY 24, 2024 | 1:30 – 3:00 PM IN NAPA
AUGUST 29, 2022 – OCTOBER 24, 2022
Course Format: ONLINE with LIVE WEBINARS (webinars are recorded)
Exam: October 25, 2022 | 1:30 – 3:00pm in Napa
Webinar Dates (5-7 PM PST): September 1, September 15, September 29, October 13, 2022
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NOVEMBER 14, 2022 – JANUARY 17, 2023
Course Format: ONLINE with LIVE WEBINARS (webinars are recorded)
Exam: January 18, 2023 | 1:30 – 3:00pm in Napa
Webinar Dates (5-7 PM PST): November 17, December 8, December 22, 2022; January 5, 2023
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APRIL 3, 2023 – JUNE 6, 2023
Course Format: ONLINE with LIVE WEBINARS (webinars are recorded)
Exam: June 7, 2023 | 1:30 – 3:00pm in Napa
Webinar Dates (5-7 PM PST): April 6, April 20, May 4, May 18, 2023
AVAILABLE D5 EXAM DATES FOR 1ST TAKE AND RESITS: OCTOBER 25, 2022 / JANUARY 18, 2023 / JUNE 7, 2023 / OCTOBER 24, 2023 / JANUARY 24, 2024 | 3:30 – 5:00 PM IN NAPA
AUGUST 22 – OCTOBER 24, 2022
Course Format: ONLINE with LIVE WEBINARS
Exam: October 25, 2022 | 3:30 – 5:00pm in Napa
Webinar Dates (5-7 PM PST): August 31, September 7, September 14, September 21, September 28, October 12, 2022
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NOVEMBER 14, 2022 – JANUARY 17, 2023
Course Format: ONLINE with LIVE WEBINARS
Exam: January 18, 2023 | 3:30 – 5:00pm in Napa
Webinar Dates: November 16, November 30 December 7, December 14, December 21, 2022; January 4, 2023
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APRIL 3, 2023 – JUNE 6, 2023
Course Format: ONLINE with LIVE WEBINARS
Exam: June 7, 2023 | 3:30 – 5:00pm in Napa
Webinar Dates: April 5, April 12, April 19, May 3, May 10, May 17, 2023
TOPIC #1 ON CLOSURES
Topic 1 Due: January 31, 2023
TOPIC #2 ON BORDEAUX
Topic 2 Due: July 31, 2023
* TWO NEW TOPICS ANNOUNCED ON AUGUST 1, 2023
Our WSET Level 4 Diploma is ideal for you if:
- You want to be recognized as an authoritative wine expert
- You need a flexible schedule with options for live and recorded webinars
- You want a school with a dedicated diploma support team to help you navigate the program
- You want to learn from expert instructors, including Masters of Wine, winemakers, Diploma graduates and other industry leaders
- You’re ready to invest in yourself and your future
Frequently Asked Questions
THE NITTY GRITTY
The WSET will not let you enroll in Level 4 Diploma until you have officially received your pass grade for the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Course.
No, you must have received your Level 3 results before registering. If you register before receiving your results your registration will be cancelled and your tuition will be refunded, minus an administrative fee.
No, the WSET requires you to first sit the D1 exam before doing any other Diploma Unit course. D2 must be taken after D1, before any other units. Once you have sat the exams for D1 and D2, you may complete D3-D6 in any order.
For units D1 – D5, the WSET publishes a digital textbook outlining what you need to know for that unit. Exam questions will come from the information provided in the books. If you choose to not purchase the optional wine kits for D1, D3, D4 and D5, you will also need to source and purchase wines to supplement your learning. Please see the Specification for recommended tasting samples.
When you enroll in the Level 4 Diploma, you receive access to the WSET’s materials for three years. If you need to take more than three years to complete the program, you must pay a candidate renewal fee of $350 to receive access for another three years (subject to WSET approval).
The Napa Valley Wine Academy is not a university degree-granting institution and the Diploma is not an accredited program. The WSET Level 4 Diploma is considered a professional certification.
No, the Diploma program does not require a residency in the United States, the Napa Valley Wine Academy is not a university degree-granting institution, and the Diploma is not an accredited program, so Diploma students are not eligible for student visas to study in the US.
No. The reason for this is that it would be impossible to get all the Unit exams completed in 12 months, given the way they are scheduled by the WSET. More practically, the Level 4 Diploma is a very comprehensive and challenging course of study and thus it takes at least 18 months to complete. The average time to completion is 2-2.5 years.
COURSE QUESTIONS
The WSET expects you to complete the Level 4 Diploma with the provider you originally enroll with. If that provider is not offering a unit or unit exam that you need it is ok to take it with another provider. If you move to another provider’s area you may also switch to that provider.
You should plan on studying for D1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 for about 3 months each. Plan on at least 6 months of study for D3.
Please note that your online course or in-person classes are not the only time you need to study. It is expected that you are studying before and after your classes for the recommended amount of study hours per unit.
Yes, all Diploma classes are currently offered online-only, and there is no in-person option available. Each unit includes access to our proprietary online classroom with study resources, regular live classes via Zoom, graded feedback on practice exam questions, mock exams and more to help you have a positive experience with online learning.
We provide opportunities to learn the Diploma tasting method via live webinars for each of the units with a tasting component. Additionally, students have the option during classes to submit practice answers for grading by our Diploma instructor team via Feedback Tests. For units with tasting exams, the Feedback Test will include writing dry tasting notes to practice using the Diploma tasting grid. Students will either be expected to purchase wines on their own (NVWA can provide a list of recommended samples), or students can purchase a wine kit for the tasting units to taste alongside the instructors during classes.
D1 Wine Production must be taken first, and students must sit the D1 exam before beginning D2 Wine Business. These two units cannot be combined. Once a student has taken the D1 and D2 exams, the other units can be completed in any order. While students can technically do D3, D4, D5 and/or D6 at the same time, it is not recommended. Frequently, students who attempt to take more than one unit at once end up having to resit at least one of their exams.
Optional wine kits are available as add-on purchases for D1, D3, D4 and D5. The advantages of the wine kits are that you don’t have to worry about sourcing wines yourself and can taste the same wines as the instructor during class. Most of the wine kits come in 100mL bottles so you can get two tastes of each wine: one during class and another for extra practice outside of class.
The D1 kit contains 12 wine samples in 100mL bottles and is intended to illustrate how a variety of winemaking techniques appear in the glass. For example, an orange wine is tasted to illustrate skin contact in a white wine. It is sent in a single shipment.
The D3 kit contains around 110 wine samples in 100mL bottles. It contains many of the WSET’s recommended wine samples for D3 from around the world. It’s shipped in 6-7 shipments over the course of D3.
The D4 wine kit contains 11 wines. Because sparkling wines cannot be rebottled, the kit is a mix of 750mL and half bottles. It’s intended to you an overview of many of the sparkling wines that might appear on the D4 exam. It is sent in one shipment.
The D5 wine kit contains 18 wines in 100mL bottles. It’s intended to give you a chance to taste most of the fortified wines that might appear on the D5 exam. It is sent in one shipment.
EXAM QUESTIONS
Exam dates are set globally by the WSET headquarters, not by Napa Valley Wine Academy. Thus they are not flexible. Exam registrations are due to WSET 8 weeks prior to the exam date. If you give less than 8 weeks notice to opt out of your scheduled exam, you cannot get out of taking it. The only exceptions are for documented medical or legal reasons. If you miss an exam it goes down as a “non-attend,” which is the same as a fail. You will need to pay for the exam when it is next offered, which may not be for a year. Exam dates are published well in advance so you really need to schedule your life around these dates.
Exam dates and times for most units are set globally by the WSET headquarters and are on weekdays. D1 Wine Production is the only unit that the Napa Valley Wine Academy is allowed to specify exam dates for, which we are sometimes able to schedule on a Saturday or Sunday morning.
No, students are required to attend the course before sitting for that unit’s exam.
You may still proceed to other units as long as you have taken the D1 exam. If you do not pass the exam you are able to schedule a retake, however, you do not have to wait until that retake before moving on to other units.
There are no limits on the number of retakes per unit.
Yes, the WSET does allow accommodations on exams, usually in the form of extra time on the exam. Other accommodations are available as well on a case-by-case basis. You will need to provide written confirmation from a medical professional documenting the disability, which must be received by the WSET at the time of your initial Diploma registration.
Get the skills and support you need to succeed
INTRODUCING
YOUR INSTRUCTOR TEAM FOR WSET LEVEL 4 DIPLOMA
Meet some of our superstar team, who are experts not only on the topics they’re teaching, but also experts on teaching.
Peter Marks MW
Kryss Speegle MW
Nova Cadamatre MW
Dr. Liz Thach MW
Csilla Kato, DipWSET and winemaker
Noelle Hale, DipWSET and Diploma Manager
Monika Vescovi, DipWSET and MW student
Jess Helfand, DipWSET and WSET Certified Educator
Liz Pirnat, DipWSET and WSET Certified Educator
3 Reasons Our Students Have Higher-Than-Average Success Rate
Extra learning opportunities you won’t find anywhere else
- Weekly lessons for each unit with vocab lists, quizzes, mock exams and personalized feedback on practice exam questions
- Optional wine kits — taste exactly what the instructor is tasting, and don’t worry about sourcing wines yourself
- Tasting and theory workshops to help you master the WSET diploma exam approach
DIRECT ACCESS TO WINE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
- 4 Master of Wine instructors
- 12 additional wine industry specialists as instructors
- 4 diploma-focused support staff
Flexible scheduling
- If you can’t make a live webinar, don’t worry! They are all recorded for later viewing.
- Multiple exam dates throughout the year for every unit
- Optional wine kits to help you calibrate your palate either live in class or when watching a class recording
- A support team that gives you options as you chart your way through the program
Have other questions? Still wondering if this program is right for you?
Schedule a call to speak with our Diploma Manager.
How We’re Different
We’re Premier, not Pretentious
