French Wine Scholar™ Study & Certification Program

The French Wine Scholar™ Study and Certification program provides current, accurate and in-depth information on the wines and wine regions of France. 

Developed and administrated by the Wine Scholar Guild with the support of the French Ministry of Agriculture, this specialization program is designed for advanced students of wine, whether professionals or serious wine hobbyists.

Students who follow this in-depth curriculum and pass the exam will earn the French Wine Scholar™ (FWS) post-nominal (e.g. John Smith, FWS).

There are two paths to the FWS post-nominal: in classroom or online via instructor-led or independent study formats.

Endorsed by:

ONLINE LEARNING CLASSROOM LEARNING FWS STUDY MANUAL 

FWS ONLINE STUDY MODULES INSTRUCTOR SUPPORT  

STUDY OPTION 1 | ONLINE LEARNING:

Earn the French Wine Scholar™ (FWS) post-nominal online via the independent study format or enroll in the 15-week instructor-led format with 8 live webinars. 

The French Wine scholar™ online learning format includes:



Plus:

• A suggested schedule of study with learning objectives for each region
• Live review webinars with acclaimed wine educators Sharon Mclean, DIPWSET, FWS and Lisa M. Airey, CWE, FWS*
• Online quizzes and learning games for self-evaluation
• Downloadable maps of all French wine regions
• Pronunciation exercises to boosts your credibility
• A list of recommended wines to sample on your own or in a tasting group hosted by students enrolled in the online program
• A comprehensive series of webinars on regional wine styles with suggested wine list presented by Jay Youmans, Master of Wine
  
  *Instructor-led format only

Pricing for the online study formats:

Click here to see the difference between instructor-led vs independent study format.

STUDY OPTION 2 | CLASSROOM LEARNING:

French Wine Scholar™ classes are offered by licensed program providers and delivered by an approved FWS instructor.  This study format includes:

• Classroom instruction with tutored tastings
• FWS study manual
• Access to the FWS online study modules & quizzes
• In-classroom exam sit

All FWS program providers teach from the same Wine Scholar Guild-developed Powerpoint presentations and are supplied with uniform teaching materials.

Naturally, each instructor has a unique teaching style, the wine selection will vary by market, the class length and class structure (weekly, biweekly, weekends etc.) will vary from location to location, but the content will be the same no matter where you take the class. For many, the classroom experience helps to hammer home the theory; a tutored tasting component brings each region to life. Many students find the set “schedule” helpful in keeping on top of their studies.

There are 51 French Wine Scholar program providers in the USA, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai, UK, Ireland, France, Colombia and Brazil.

FIND A PROVIDER NEAR YOU

Who teaches for the Wine Scholar Guild? Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine and masterful instructors!

• Masters of Wine including: Jay Youmans MW, Matthew Stubbs MW, Mark Pygott MW
• Master Sommeliers including: David Glancy MS, Peter Neptune MS
• Highly regarded industry professionals and educators including: Sheral Schowe M.Ed., Sharon Mclean DipWSET, Mark Shipway DipWSET, Fanny Darrieussecq, Monica Marin DipWSET, FWS

Jay Youmans MW, FWS	Mark Pygott MW, FWS	Sheral Schowe, M.Ed., FWS	David Glancy MS, CWE, FWS
Sharon Mclean, DIPWSET, FWS	Mark Shipway DipWSET, FWS	Peter Neptune MS	Matthew Stubbs MW, FWS

ONLINE LEARNING CLASSROOM LEARNING FWS STUDY MANUAL 

FWS ONLINE STUDY MODULES INSTRUCTOR SUPPORT  

WE OFFER ALL THE NECESSARY TOOLS & SUPPORT TO MASTER THE WINES OF FRANCE:

#1 FWS Study Manual (updated in 2017):

The 270-page, full-color study manual (6th 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 is presented in the following manner:

• 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

Regions covered: Alsace, Champagne, Bourgogne, Beaujolais, Jura, Savoie, Loire, Bordeaux, Southwest, Languedoc, Roussillon, Rhône, Provence, Corsica

Plus: A Foundation Unit covering: French wine law, grape varieties, viticulture, viniculture and a discussion of Old World vs. New World wine styles

French Wine Scholar™ study manual features:

#2 FWS Online Study Modules (updated in 2017):

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
• Full audio narration 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

#3 Professional Instructor Support

• Online Independent Study: via the Q&A forum answered by Lisa M. Airey, WSG Education Director
• Online Instructor-led Format: via the Q&A forum plus email and live chat with instructors Sharon McLean and Lisa M. Airey
• In classroom: via a local, certified instructor

ONLINE LEARNING CLASSROOM LEARNING FWS STUDY MANUAL 

FWS ONLINE STUDY MODULES INSTRUCTOR SUPPORT