My WSET Experience
Now that I now I officially passed my exam (yay for merit), I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on my experience with WSET 1 and 2 for anybody out there who may be interested in pursuing their wine education! I took these courses through the Virginia Wine + Spirits Academy, and they were taught by their wonderful owner Tracy Waldron. I’m still in awe of all her knowledge and poise, she is absolutely #winegoals.
WSET Level 1: An Introduction to the World of Wine
I had no idea what to expect of these wine certification classes, but I’m really glad I did the WSET Level 1. I’m not a newbie to enjoying wine, but I was a newbie on breaking down the elements of wine, describing varietals, etc, so I didn’t want to jump to level 2 right away. This course was fully online, and self-timed, with Tracy guiding us through the discussion guides, questions and a Zoom food and wine pairing basics lesson. The self-guided format was probably the biggest challenge for me, because I ended up cramming the month long class into a week and half (granted my dog had brain surgery the first week of classes, so I was preoccupied).
I recommend this course to people who are totally new to wine, and aren’t sure where to start, or aren’t sure how their base-level knowledge stacks up. It’s also good for anyone who may be thinking of sharing this knowledge with other newbies either through their blog or business. It was good to see what the industry considers an introductory course, and I actually ended up using some of what I learned from level 1 on a guided wine tasting party I did for my friend’s mom.
WSET Level 2: Dipping into The Complexities of Wine
Taking the level 1 course made me feel very comfortable going into level 2 but boy was I not aware of ALL the different grapes that existed, and how many new words I would learn to describe wine! And there’s even more that we didn’t get to cover in this course! The wine industry is super complex, and this course is just the tip of the iceberg. The format of this course was a lot better for my learning style, as we had weekly classes via Zoom every Thursday (for 6 weeks) to cover the assigned readings, and then we had a workbook to take notes from the lecture and from the tastings.
Tracy guided us through tastings during each class (we had little samples that we picked up from her office at the beginning of the course), and that’s really when you realize where you are in your wine knowledge. You can memorize all the textbook and geography things you want to pass a multiple choice exam, but can you pick up the intricacies of the aroma of a pour, or the delicate balance of a wine on your palate? As a self-proclaimed foodie and adventurous eater, I was disappointed (and eager to fix) my palate and scent deficiencies. I 1000% recommend this course to anyone in the industry or who is trying to break into the industry. It’s a humbling moment for all when Tracy asks you what you’re smelling and all you can think of is “mmm it’s flowery?” LOL, it’s so much more than that! I truly had a lot fun taking this class.
Study Tips:
Here are just a couple of tips that really helped me get through Level 2:
Do your assigned readings before class
Re-read all the readings before the exam
Try to take organized and DETAILED notes…the details are key
Give yourself ample time to study for the exam, do not cram! I didn’t cram (for my standards) and really do wish I had even more time to review! It’s A LOT OF INFO!
What’s next for me:
I definitely want to actively continue my wine education in 2021, but it’s too soon to tell what I’m going to do. Here’s a couple options I’m weighing in:
- French Wine Scholar: Y’all know I love my state, but I am a huge francophile. I love French food, French culture, Paris (duh), French fashion.. I took French all through high school and also have a French minor…so it personally makes sense for me to close to loop and learn more about French wines. I really would love to have this feather on my cap so I can be a well-rounded francophile LOL.
- WSET Level 3: I know I want to do WSET Level 3, but after taking level 2, I realized I need to train myself in the art of tasting (and spitting), as well as recognizing aromas a little bit more. There was also SO MUCH information in WSET Level 2 that I feel like I still need to really make sure I live and breathe it all before adding on. This course is also 9 weeks long, and involves a blind tasting, so I also need to organize my personal life in preparation for it to make sure I time it during a time where I have extra time to truly devote to it.
All in all, whatever course you choose, I can honestly say you’ll have so much fun! There’s nothing better to study than wine ;)