THE FRENCH WINE SCHOLAR® PROGRAM IS THE INDUSTRY'S MOST RESPECTED CERTIFICATION COURSE ON THE WINES OF FRANCE
Earn the French Wine Scholar® (FWS) post-nominal through self-paced study fully supported by a comprehensive study manual, interactive e-learning modules for each region, and 15 on-demand webinars let by your instructors.
This format provides the convenience and flexibility of an online study program with structured and ongoing support you need to get you over the finish line. Join the 15 on-demand webinars from any location with an internet connection, at any time that suits your busy schedule. Connect with your instructors and fellow classmates during the live online Monthly Meet-Ups and anytime via the online classroom forums.
WSG provides stellar instruction from world renowned instructors, a flexible schedule of study designed for busy professionals, and all the necessary tools to master French wines.
Instructor-Led Format
Next session starts June 15
Price: $950
The French Wine Scholar® Online | Instructor-Led Format Includes
- A comprehensive 330-page study manual with illustrations, maps, and graphics, available in print + e-book formats
- Classroom camaraderie during themed Monthly Meet-Ups with your instructors and fellow classmates
- 1-year access to our interactive and user-friendly e-learning platform including online learning modules, pronunciation exercises, quizzes and flashcards
- 15 on-demand webinars with acclaimed wine educators that can be watched at any time during your learning journey
- Live, online thematic Monthly Meet-ups with your instructors
- A suggested schedule of study with learning objectives that provide detailed assessment criteria for mastery
- A list of recommended wines to sample on your own or in a tasting group
- An online exam sit (100 multiple choice questions), to be scheduled at a time that suits you, when you're ready for the exam
Price: $950
We've recently released a brand new and fully updated version of the French Wine Scholar program (the 7th edition)! Register today to get your FWS certification!
Start today and gain instant access to all the study materials. You can join a class anytime. Registration is now open!
Meet your instructors
Sharon McLean, CS, DipWSET, FWS, IWS
- Certified Sommelier through the International Sommelier Guild
- Authorized educator of WSG programs and Certified Educator of WSET courses on Vancouver Island
- WSET Diploma with the highest marks in Canada
- An accredited Bordeaux instructor
Lisa M. Airey, CWE, FWS
- Director of Education at Wine Scholar Guild since 2009
- 24 years of experience in the wine industry
- Knighted by the French government for the FWS program’s significant contribution to the French wine industry
- Accredited International Bordeaux Tutor, Certified Burgundy Instructor, Certified Rhône Valley Educator
How does it work?
- Register now and gain instant access to all of the online study materials including an e-book version of the study manual.
- Your full-color, 330-page French Wine Scholar study manual will arrive by mail shortly afterwards for independent reading and study. Work through the material when you have time in your schedule.
- You are provided access to online study modules and review quizzes corresponding to the course content found in the manual. These are available to you 24/7!
- Watch the 15 on-demand webinars, available anywhere, anytime on your computer, tablet or phone. These are available to you on-demand and can be rewatched anytime during your year-long registration period.
- Join optional Monthly Meet-Ups with your instructors and fellow classmates. We offer two distinct time zone options each month to make it easy for you to join! Monthly Meet-Ups are casual opportunity to exchange with your instructors and fellow students on thematic topics pertaining to your course material, with optional wine!
- Have a question after watching a recorded webinar? Contact your instructors via and Instructor Q&A forum or email them directly.
- Track your progress through the course curriculum via our online tracking system.
- You have one year from your registration date to take your final exam. The test consists of 100 multiple choice questions. There is no tasting component. All you need is a laptop equipped with microphone and webcam and an internet connection.
- We have structured the curriculum into a four-month program to keep you focused and disciplined in your study. But you have a full year to sit the exam…just in case life gets in the way.
Instructor-Led Format
Next session starts June 15
Price: $950
What's Included How it works Why this format? Study Materials
Why this format?
It is manageable
The program is designed to keep you on track…but it is also flexible enough to enable you to catch up should your schedule get interrupted…or even to suspend it should you get derailed. It is designed to accommodate the needs of a busy professional.
You have real human support
Sharon and Lisa are available for questions via the Q&A forum and via direct email. There is also a student forum should you wish to create a study group/tasting group in your area or just interact with your fellow students. You can be as interactive or as independent as you want to be.
Classroom camaraderie during "Monthly Meet-Ups"
Enjoy the energy of the live classroom during the monthly thematic Monthly Meet-Ups with your instructor and fellow students! A pre-defined theme pertaining to your course material will be shared in advance and you're welcome to come with wine in hand! These are informal occasions to ask questions and gain additional help reviewing for your exam.
You are part of a global student community
Your classmates will hail from every segment of the wine industry from all over the globe and offer very different insights and points of view. The intellectual ferment adds to the depth of your learning.
Your classroom is mobile
If you have a computer, cell phone or tablet, you have a classroom.
Study Materials
We offer all the necessary tools & support to master the wines of France!
FWS Study Manual in print + e-book formats
The 330-page study manual (NEW 7th Edition) provides all the information from which the test questions are derived. You do not need to research you own study materials; everything you need to know is in the manual.
Comprehensive coverage of France’s 14 distinct wine regions:
- Viticultural history, wine culture and traditions
- Location and climate and their effects on viticulture and wine style
- Topography, geography and soils and their impact on the vine
- Grape varieties and their organoleptic profiles
- Viticulture and winemaking practices
- Wine industry trends and economics
- All AOCs with their regulations, wine styles and specificities
- A Fundamentals Unit covering the history of France, its political geography, physical geography, climate, soils, grapes, training systems, and viticultural & vinicultural practices…plus an important piece on how AOCs are counted and why different sources quote different figures.
- Special focus on current regional trends and challenges
- Pie charts of pertinent AOC production numbers and area under vine by wine region
- Learning objectives that provide detailed assessment criteria for mastery
Regions covered: Alsace, Champagne, Bourgogne, Beaujolais, Jura, Savoie, Loire, Bordeaux, South-West, Languedoc, Roussillon, Rhône, Provence, Corsica
Monthly FWS Meet-ups with Your Instructor and Classmates
Each month, we give you two distinct times to connect with your instructors during our themed Monthly Meet-Ups! This is an informal time to round-table a specific theme as it pertains to your FWS studies. Here's an idea of past and future topics that will be covered. Wine is optional, but recommended!
1. Thinking Pink
The world of French rosé is a study in pink and partridge eye. This roundtable will discuss why there is such diversity within this wine category and what color can tell you.
2. Champagne: From Flaw to Fantastic
Bubbles in wine were not always well-received. This roundtable will discuss the serendipitous set of circumstances that gave rise to one of the world’s most popular luxury goods.
3. Vines of the 21st Century: Hot and Bothered!
This roundtable discussion will tackle the extremely unpredictable weather events challenging the vignerons of France. Climate change is impacting vit/vini practices from Alsace to Rhône. How does this affect the wine in our glass?
4. Chenin Blanc: Flying High Under the Radar
Chenin Blanc has a cult following among the wine cognoscenti. This roundtable will discuss Chenin in terms of extract and aromatics.
5. The Evolution of the Red Bordeaux Blend
The red Bordeaux blend has changed enormously over the past 200 years. Join the roundtable to discuss the underpinnings of its success. Is it the grapes or is it the terroir?
6. France in your Glass
Join a philosophical discussion on what constitutes the quintessential French wine region! What wine is most closely associated with France, French history, and French culture.
7. Riesling: Straddling the Border
Historically, Alsace Riesling has been structurally different from its German counterpart. Are those differences beginning to blur? Join the discussion as we look at this grape on both sides of the border.
8. There’s Something in the Cellar
What happens when a wine ages? Are these changes always positive? This roundtable will discuss the pros and cons of starting a wine cellar.
9. Books and Beyond
Have you read a French wine book has taken you beyond the printed word to change your thought processes, wine buying habits, or vacation destination? This roundtable will discuss those terrific tomes…so bring a title to share.
10. The Many Facets of Pinot
Pinot Noir is an unstable grape that is prone to mutation, yet it has turned out to be a very reliable “barometer of the soil.” This roundtable will discuss the many facets of the grape, particularly as it expresses itself in Bourgogne.
11. Late Harvest, Botrytis, Passerillage, Vin Doux Naturel
Consumer preferences are changing. How do sweet wines fit in? This roundtable will discuss sweet wine styles and the ways to showcase them to best advantage.
12. Off the Beaten Track
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find a wine from an off-the-beaten-track French appellation and tell us about it! Let’s go “off-road” and find some hidden treasure.
FWS Online Study Modules
The FWS online study modules offer interactive presentations that are put into a measurable, meaningful format designed for maximum retention of content and ease of use. Each region of France is covered and dovetails nicely with the French Wine Scholar study manual. Study materials are available 24/7. If you’ve got a laptop and an internet connection, you’ve got a classroom!
French Wine Scholar® online study modules features:
- Quizzes and learning games for self-evaluation
- Educational graphics, videos and pronunciation exercises to offer new insight and keep you engaged
- Your place is automatically bookmarked/saved to resume where you left off
- A progress bar tracks your accomplishments
Instructor-Led Format
Next session starts June 15
Price: $950
About the Program
The French Wine Scholar® education program is the most advanced, comprehensive, and up-to-date French wine course available. The syllabus takes a regional approach and discusses all French wine appellations and the factors that shape their identities.
The program provides committed students of wine with an unparalleled set of study tools that are designed to maximize learning and boost knowledge retention.
The French Wine Scholar study and certification program confers a post-nominal to wine professionals and enthusiasts who successfully pass the certification exam (Ex: John Smith, FWS). With a school network encompassing 30 countries on 5 continents, the FWS credential has true international recognition.
It was created by WSG Education Director, Lisa M. Airey CWE, with the support of the French Ministry of Agriculture which knighted her in recognition of the program's exceptional level of depth, accuracy, detail, and academic rigor as well as its impact on the global wine industry.
Student Testimonials:
Alok Wadhanon Apr 19, 2023"The approach to individual wine regions is from the ground up and holistic, rigorous yet intimate, all under the masterful tutelage of Ms. McLean and Ms. Airey. Thank you to both!"- Alok Wadhanon Apr 19, 2023"The approach to individual wine regions is from the ground up and holistic, rigorous yet intimate, all under the masterful tutelage of Ms. McLean and Ms. Airey. Thank you to both!"
- Lauren Fialaon Apr 10, 2023"The French Wine Scholar program was challenging but worth the hours of studying. I liked all of the different resources that were available as a student. The teachers were outstanding and broke down some complicated topics into manageable sections, that made studying easier. I'm looking forward to the next class!"
- Heather Bristolon Apr 10, 2023"Highly recommend! I truly feel like a scholar on the subject after completing this course. Being instructed by leaders in the industry was such an honor, and even the most challenging and complex regions in France were made understandable to me. Already eager to take another class through Wine Scholar Guild!"
- Heather Bristolon Apr 10, 2023"Highly recommend! I truly feel like a scholar on the subject after completing this course. Being instructed by leaders in the industry was such an honor, and even the most challenging and complex regions in France were made understandable to me. Already eager to take another class through Wine Scholar Guild!"
- David Nelsonon Mar 10, 2023"The FWS course did an excellent job of weaving together the history, geology, climate and the particulars of viticulture and winemaking for the various wine districts and did leave me with a good and basic understanding of wines of France. The instructors were extremely knowledgeable, responsive and attentive. The materials were extensive and plentiful, if a bit overwhelming. "
- Tim Patrickon Jan 29, 2023"The combination of instructor-led sessions, an excellent study manual and top-notch e-learning modules made this a great experience. My comprehension of wine articles and my confidence when selecting French wines have both improved enormously."
- Vince Truongon Jan 21, 2023"As someone who has sat multiple wine exams now, I believe the WSG content is the best that I have seen in the wine education world, especially with regards to their use of technology (for online modules, practice exams, flashcards) and multiple formats and styles of learning. Because of that, they help you learn more deeply no matter what your learning style is. They're also simply more interesting to study and the information is more current and relevant."
- Doug Homokyon Jan 7, 2023"Loved the course. I thought I had a pretty good understanding of French wine, but I learned so much! I would recommend for any wine lover. "
- Doug Homokyon Jan 7, 2023"Loved the course. I thought I had a pretty good understanding of French wine, but I learned so much! I would recommend for any wine lover. "
- Reynald NICOLASon Jan 6, 2023"Not usually a fan of online training, I have to admit that I really enjoyed the instructor-led program format, combined with an outstanding study manual. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone wishing to deepen his knowledge of French wines. "
- Dustin Truscioon Dec 2, 2022"This was a fantastic course that really elevated my knowledge of France, it’s regions and their wine. It was very well instructed and I enjoyed all the online extra learning."
- Nilu Afsharon Oct 1, 2022"The overall Experience was great from administration answering questions to instructors explaining very clearly. I enjoyed it even though it was a lot of information and for me about 7 months of study time. "
- Nilu Afsharon Oct 1, 2022"The overall Experience was great from administration answering questions to instructors explaining very clearly. I enjoyed it even though it was a lot of information and for me about 7 months of study time. "
- Gary Carteron Sep 4, 2022"Although I have already obtained a WSET Dioloma, I was keen to “deep dive” into French wine history and culture, plus fill in gaps that aren’t part of the WSET diploma syllabus. The course delivered on all these objectives and more. The materials are excellently laid out and the teaching was engaging and knowledgeable. What really stood out for me was the online teaching and revision materials, videos, flashcards and quizzes that made exam preparation straightforward. I would thoroughly recommend this course to anyone interested in understanding the breadth of French wine."
