WSET® Level 2 Award in Wines

Classroom Course – $899 | Online Course – $699

The Level 2 Award in Wines course, a highly-respected qualification, is the most popular course offered by the WSET! It is appropriate for a serious wine lover or someone in the wine or hospitality trade who wants to acquire a detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the principal grape varieties, wine styles, and production methods. This course will also enable you to successfully interpret the labels of the major wines and understand the principles of wine tasting and evaluation. By the end of the course, you will be able to provide guidance on the storage and service of wines and make informed recommendations to customers and friends. Upon completing the course and passing the examination, you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin!

Prerequisite: None​​​​​​​​​, just a great deal of enthusiasm!

Course Details

Every year there are new crops of grapes and new wines to discover and enjoy. Each vintage is different, but certain things remain true, which means that grape varieties and the wines made from them are recognizable from one year to the next. The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines focuses on these constants. 

How are grapes grown? How is wine made? How do sparkling wines get their bubbles? 

Above all else, though, this qualification looks at grape varieties and what they contribute to individual wines found worldwide. Some, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, are grown successfully in nearly every wine-producing country. Others, such as Albariño and Corvina, are local specialties that give the world of wine the variety that is so fun to explore.

In this class, students will hone their tasting abilities with an expert-guided tasting of over 40 different wines while learning:

• How environmental factors, grape-growing, winemaking, and maturation options influence the style and quality of wines made from principal grape varieties
• The style and quality of wines made from regionally essential grape varieties produced in over 70 geographical indications around the world
• How grape varieties and winemaking processes influence key styles of sparkling & fortified wines
• Key labeling terms used to indicate origin, style, and quality
• Principles and processes involved in the storage and service of a wine
• Principles of food and wine pairing
• How to taste and describe wines using the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine®

By the end of the course, you will be a more confident wine taster, able to describe and compare the styles of wines produced from internationally and regionally important grape varieties. You’ll know how to interpret wine labels from the main wine-producing regions of the world and how to store, serve, taste, and pair wines to get the best out of every glass. 

Anyone embarking on a WSET qualification should familiarize themselves with the corresponding specification. This document will help you understand what to expect and what you will get from the course.

Classroom Course Includes

• WSET Level 2 Award in Wines Study Pack
• In-person instruction from a WSET certified course educator
• All essential course wines & tasting glasses
• Printed course materials
• 50+ WSET Level 2 Award in Wines practice exam questions
• Exam fees (exam is taken at the end of the course)
• Frameable certificate & lapel pin (upon passing the examination)

Online Course Includes

• WSET Level 2 Award in Wines Study Pack
• 5 weeks of expert guidance as you work through each online module
  1. Tasting & Evaluating Wine
  2. Pairing, Serving & Storing Wine
  3. Factors Affecting Wine Style & Quality: In the Vineyard & In the Winery
  4. Still White Wines: Principal Grape Varieties & Regions
  5. Still Red Wines: Principal Grape Varieties & Regions
  6. Sparkling & Fortified Wines
• Quizzes at the end of each module to check your progress
• 12 months of access to the Level 2 Award in Wines online learning material for self-paced learning
• 50+ WSET Level 2 Award in Wines practice exam questions
• Exam fees (exam is scheduled at the end of the course)
• Frameable certificate & lapel pin (upon passing the examination)

SWSA Extras

• Access to a WSET certified course educator by text, phone, or email
  • For tasting note submission feedback, quiz question feedback, general course material questions, etc.
• Access to SWSA classroom session recordings for the duration of the course
• Access to discounted course wines for purchase through Tim’s Wine Market.
  • Stop by the Orlando location for a 10% discount off all in-store purchases during your course!
• Access to discounted tasting kits (40 samples) for purchase through E-tasting.
  • Discount code available to all students after registration!

Assessment

• The Level 2 Award in Wines examination consists of 50 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 60 minutes.
• To pass you must correctly answer 55% of the questions:
  • Pass: 55% – 69%
  • Pass with Merit: 70% – 84%
  • Pass with Distinction: 85% and above
• This exam may be taken in-person or online via remote invigilation. Please note that you have one year from the end date of your course to take your examination. After one year, you must pay the corresponding rescheduling fee before you may sit the exam.
  • Classroom Students: You will take your exam in-person on the final day of the course you are registered for.
    • If the exam is taken in-person, a Champagne sabering lesson and demonstration will follow, after which the class will enjoy an end of course toast!
  • Online Students: You will take your exam online via Remote Invigilation.
    • Please email us to arrange your examination date prior to the end of your course.
  • If you would like to change the format of you exam to an in-person or online exam, please contact us directly and we will do our absolute best to accommodate your request!
• Successful students will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin.
• This qualification is Ofqual regulated.

You must be at least 21 years of age to attend the course and to participate in any alcohol tasting.

Please refer to the corresponding page in our policies for information on cancellations, refunds, and transfers.