We offer Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Certifications in Lancaster, Harrisburg and York, Pennsylvania. WSET offers an outstanding wine education. WSET is recognized and respected in the wine and the hospitality industry worldwide. These certifications are accredited in the United Kingdom and are part of the UK education system.

  • 25% of all people who get WSET certifications are not in the wine industry! They are wine enthusiasts with a desire to learn!

For those in the restaurant, bar and hotel business, WSET certifications are an opportunity to improve your staff’s knowledge of wine and improve their ability to sell wine to your customers. We can train your entire staff in WSET Level 1 Award in Wines in your restaurant, on a day where your restaurant is closed, in just 7 hours, or you can have shorter class days and break it up into a two day class. Your employees will appreciate that you have given them this benefit for being a loyal employee! Your customers will appreciate that your staff is knowledgeable about wine!

For those in the service industry, a WSET certification can show a future employer exactly what you know, and will move you to the top of the list among other applicants for your next employment opportunity. Our training is both fun and informative. It’s an investment in yourself.

  • Classes are currently offered in Lancaster, but we will be adding classes in Harrisburg and York, very soon. Please let us know that you are interested in having a class in your area and we can bring a class to you!

Click Here to see Upcoming Classes

Level 1 Award in Wine

If you’re just beginning to explore the world of wine, start here.

You’ll discover the main types and styles of wine through sight, smell, and taste. You’ll learn the basic skills to describe wines accurately, and how to pair food with wine. Upon successful completion you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin. This course provides a solid foundation for moving onto Level 2.

This qualification requires a minimum of six hours of study time.

What you’ll learn

  • The main types and styles of wine
  • Common wine grapes and their characteristics
  • How to store and serve wine
  • Principles of food and wine pairing
  • How to describe wine using the WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® (SAT)
  • Link to WSET Level 1 Wine Specification

| Online Classroom course details

  • Duration: Four weeks self-guided study to be completed around your schedule
  • Private study: At least three hours a week
  • Tasting Kit: Optional. WSET-approved tasting kit from Vinovae can be included as part of your class. Simply add the kit to your order when you check out. The kit includes 10 50ml samples.
  • Also includes: Access to WSET’s Online Classroom for one year, a dedicated online tutor, ebook, and your exam
  • Features: Revision videos, flash cards and exam tips
  • Technology: WSET recommends that you use a laptop or desktop device and have a reliable internet connection. To take your exam online you will also need one additional smart device such as a smartphone or tablet

Exam details

The exam is made of up 30 multiple-choice questions.

Requirements

You must be 21 or older to sign up.

|Level 2 Award in Wine

When you’re ready to take the next step into the world of wine, start here.

Level 2 is intended for beginners wishing to learn about a wide range of wines or for those who wish to build on the introductory knowledge gained in the WSET Level 1 Award. You’ll gain knowledge of the principal and regionally important grape varieties of the world, the regions in which they are grown, and the styles of wine they produce. Through a combination of tasting and theory, you’ll explore the factors that impact style and quality and learn how to describe these wines with confidence.

On successful completion of the examination you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin, and will be able to use the associated WSET certified logo.

What you’ll learn

  • How to taste and describe wine using the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine®(SAT)
  • How environmental factors, grape-growing, winemaking and maturation options influence the style and quality of wines made from eight principal grape varieties:
    • Chardonnay
    • Pinot Grigio/Gris
    • Sauvignon Blanc
    • Riesling
    • Cabernet Sauvignon
    • Merlot
    • Pinot Noir
    • Syrah/Shiraz
  • The style and quality of wines:
    • made from 22 regionally important grape varieties
    • produced in over 70 geographical indications (GIs) around the world
  • How grape varieties and winemaking processes influence key styles of fortified and sparkling wines
  • Key labelling terms used to indicate origin, style and quality
  • Principles and processes involved in the storage and service of wine
  • Principles of food and wine pairing
  • Link to WSET Level 2 Wine Specification

Course details

This qualification has a minimum requirement of 28 hours of study time:

  • 16 hours of delivery time with a WSET course provider (classroom or online)
  • 11 hours of personal study and revision
  • A 1-hour examination

|Online Classroom course details

  • Duration: Five weeks self-guided study to be completed around your schedule
  • Private study: At least six hours a week
  • Tasting Kit: Optional. WSET-approved tasting kits from Vinovae can be included as part of your class. Simply add the kit to your order when you check out. The kit includes 40 50ml samples.
  • Also Includes: Access to WSET’s Online Classroom for one year (where you can participate in online lessons, activities, tests and forums), a dedicated online tutor who is available to answer your questions during the course, ebook, and your exam
  • Features: Revision videos, flash cards and exam tips

We recommend that you use a laptop or desktop device and have a reliable internet connection. To sit your examination online you will also need one additional smart device such as a smartphone or tablet.

Exam details

The exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions.

Requirements

You must be of legal drinking age.

WSET Levels 3 and 4 (Diploma) Award in Wines are offered through our partner Phillywine, in person. For more information see Phllywine.com. All Phillywine classes are held at the Fitler Club in Philadelphia, a 6 minute walk from the Amtrak Train Station, a very convenient option for those interested in pursuing WSET Level 3 and 4 certifications. Passing Level 2 Award in Wines is advisable, although if you have had prior wine education, it is possible to enroll in Level 3 Award in Wines class without passing Level 2 award in wines.

Level 3 Award in Wine

When you’re ready to get even deeper into the world of wine, start here.

Level 3 is an advanced level qualification for professionals working in the wine industry and for wine enthusiasts.

This qualification provides a detailed understanding of grape growing and wine making. You will be able to assess wines accurately and use your understanding to confidently explain wine style and quality.

Upon successful completion you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin, and will be able to use the associated WSET certified logo.

What you’ll learn

This qualification has a minimum requirement of 84 hours of study time, including 30 hours of classroom or online delivery time with a WSET course provider.

Unit 1

  • The key factors in the production of wine: location, grape growing, winemaking, maturation and bottling
  • How these key factors influence the key characteristics of the principal still, sparkling, and fortified wines of the world
  • How to apply your understanding to explain wine style and quality

Unit 2

| Online Classroom course details

  • Duration: Nine weeks self-guided study to be completed around your schedule
  • Private Study: A minimum of 10 hours a week is needed to pass the course
  • Tasting Kit: Optional. WSET-approved tasting kit from Vinovae can be included as part of your class. Simply add the kit to your order when you check out. The kit includes 64 50ml samples.
  • Also includes: Access to WSET’s Online Classroom for one year (where you can participate in online lessons, activities, tests, forums and discussions with other students), a dedicated online tutor who is available to answer your questions during the course, ebook, and your exam.
  • Features: Videos to help you revise and a virtual workshop on exam theory.

We recommend that you use a laptop or desktop device and have a reliable internet connection. To sit your examination online you will also need one additional smart device such as a smartphone or tablet

Exam details

Unit 1 is comprised of 50 multiple-choice questions and a short-written answer paper. Unit 2 is a blind tasting of two wines.

Requirements

Successful completion of Level 2 or equivalent is recommended. You must be of legal drinking age.

| Level 4 Diploma in Wine

If you’re ready to become an expert in all aspects of wine, the Diploma is for you.

The WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines is an expert-level qualification covering all aspects of wine.

Building on the knowledge and skills gained from the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, the Diploma deepens your understanding of how and why wine production and business factors influence the style, quality, and price of wines. Your expertise is built both theoretically, through comprehensive study of a large number of wine regions, and practically, by developing your wine tasting skills to an expert level. Successful graduates acquire exceptional analytical skills and proficiency in evaluative wine tasting, gaining global recognition as authoritative wine specialists. Should you wish to progress to the Master of Wine programme, you will be well-prepared.

What you’ll learn

The Diploma is delivered in six mandatory units covering a broad range of topics including wine production, wine business, and still, sparkling and fortified wines of the world.

D1 – Wine production

  • Vine requirements
  • Anatomy of the vine and grape
  • Grape growing options, explaining and evaluating the different approaches and how these options affect grape yields, quality and the final wine produced
  • Natural factors in the vineyard and how they influence the vine’s ability to produce grapes for wines of different styles, quality levels and price
  • Winemaking and post-fermentation options and how they influence the style, quality and price of wines

D1 – hours of study weighting 20%

D2 – Wine business

  • The types of businesses engaged in wine production and the options for getting wine to the point of sale
  • Factors that contribute to the price of wine
  • Key considerations in wine marketing

D2 –  hours of study weighting 10%

D3 – Wines of the world | D4 – Sparkling wines | D5 – Fortified wines

In each of these Units you will learn:

  • How grape-growing, winemaking, maturation, wine law and wine business influence the style, quality and price of the principal still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) of the world.
  • How to taste and evaluate still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) using the WSET Level 4 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine®(SAT)

D3 – Wines of the world: hours of study weighting 50%
D4 – Sparkling wines: hours of study weighting 5% 
D5 – Fortified wines: hours of study weighting 5% 

D6 – Independent research assignment

  • How to research a specified wine-related subject

D6 – hours of study weighting 10%

Link to WSET Level 4/Diploma Wine Specification