WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Online is a nine-week class, with fixed beginning and ending dates. After the course has ended, students will take a proctored, in-person exam in Las Vegas. Exams can only be taken in Las Vegas. Please see registration information below for specific exam dates. Advanced registration is required.
Exams must be taken in-person in Las Vegas, there is no online exam option for Level 3.
The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines course is an advanced wine course suited for industry professionals working in hospitality, wholesale, and retail, or wine enthusiasts looking to gain an in-depth understanding of wines. Students will gain detailed knowledge regarding factors that influence the quality, style and price of wines around the world. This course provides detailed coverage of grape growing and winemaking. Students will also learn to assess wine accurately, and be able to explain the factors contributing to different wine price points.
For more information regarding the course, please see the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Specification, located here.
Students must be 21 years of age or older by first day of the course.
Topics Covered
- Week 1: Factors Affecting Style, Quality, and Price of Wine
- Principal natural and human factors in the vineyard and winery and how they influence the style, quality, and price of wine
- Week 2: Tasting Technique, Wine Laws, and Service
- Learn to taste and describe wine using the WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® (SAT)
- Principles of food and wine pairing, storage, and wine service
- Week 3-5: Factors Affecting the Style and Quality of Wines from Europe
- Natural and human factors influencing the wines in key wine regions and districts of Europe
- Week 6-7: Factors Affecting the Style and Quality of Wines from Europe
- Natural and human factors influencing the wines in key wine regions of the rest of the world and the key regional grape variety specialities of the rest of the world
- Week 8: Sparkling and Fortified Wines
- Methods of production and main styles from key wine producing regions
- Week 9: Revision
- Revision exercises, mock exam, exam prep
Tasting is an important part of this course. A list of recommended tasting samples can be found inside your course. Cost of tasting samples is not included in the course fee.
- 10 hours study time per week is recommended
- Students may access the material at any times during the course period, no set log in times during the week
- This course includes weekly activities and forums, and weekly textbook chapters
- Also included in the course are specialized webinars from our educators covering tasting technique and other special topics. These will be emailed and able to be viewed on the students' schedules, or re-watched for clarity.
- Topics covered in the webinars include:
- Course Preparation
- Natural & Human Factors in the Vineyard
- Human Factors in the Winery
- Sparkling Wines
- Fortified Wines
- Tasting Exam
- The exam consists of two sections: 50-question multiple choice, and a short written answer section, and a blind-tasting of two wines
Additional Information
-
Self-paced! Log on anytime during the week to complete the weekly tasks. There are no set times to be online during the week.
- WSET Level 2 Award in Wines is highly recommended prior to completing the Level 3 qualification
- One exam attempt, access to the Online Classroom, and a study pack are included
- Successful candidates will receive a WSET certificate of completion and lapel pin, and the use of the WSET Level 3 logo for business cards or other professional materials
- Access to an online student forum and educator is included
- Exams must be taken within one year of course start date
- Students will require access to a computer (recommended) and/or HTML5 compatible mobile or tablet with the following minimum requirements: Internet Explorer 10, Firefox 25.0, Safari 6, Chrome 30.0 or other HTML5 compatible; web browser with Javascript and cookies** enabled; Adobe Reader XI or equivalent; Internet access (broadband recommended)
- Course materials ship within two business days. We do recommend registering sooner to allow yourself more time to learn the material
-
Students have the option of participating in a tasting workshop/review the day before the exam - please see posted dates. This is not required, but is included in your course fee. All other tasting samples throughout the online course are student-procured.
- Exams can only be taken in-person in Las Vegas. Exam dates are listed below their corresponding course dates.
Course Registration Deadlines - Remaining 2023:
Please register by 12pm Pacific Time on the designated registration deadline to ensure placement onto that course date.
-
June 26 - August 26, Please Register by June 17
- Tasting Practice: September 6
- Exam: September 7
-
August 7 - October 8, Please Register by July 30
- Tasting Practice: December 6
- Exam: December 7
-
August 28 - October 29, Please Register by August 20
- Tasting Practice: December 6
- Exam: December 7
- September 18 - November 19, Please Register by September 10
- Tasting Practice: December 6
- Exam: December 7
-
November 20 - January 21, Please Register by November 12
- Tasting Practice: March 2023, Date TBD
- Exam: March 2023, Date TBD
-
December 11 - February 11, Please Register by December 3
- Tasting Practice: March 2023, Date TBD
- Exam: March 2023, Date TBD
2024 Course Dates Coming Soon!
