• Aspiring wine professionals looking to enter the wine industry with serious knowledge on the wines of France, Italy, and Spain.

• Advanced wine professionals hoping to specialize in the wines of France, Italy or Spain.

• Individuals with a deep passion for the countries and wines of France, Italy or Spain.

Whereas most wine education organizations, cover the world of wine within their tiered levels of certifications, the French, Italian, and Spanish Wine Scholar programs specialize in French, Italian, and Spanish wine only. This allows the student to dig deeper and cover the country of their choice in depth vs. at a more superficial level.

The Wine Scholar programs are a great resource and supplement for students of wine moving toward advanced general wine study programs such as WSET Diploma (level 4), Master of Wine, Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Sommelier (level 3 and up) or Society of Wine Educator’s Certified Wine Educator (CWE).

Many of these programs ask their students to do extensive independent research in order to study for their exam. Wine Scholar programs serve as advanced and comprehensive study supplements to help them master the complex wines of France, Italy, and Spain.

This collective body of knowledge is particularly significant as France, Italy, and Spain represent the top three wine-producing countries and wine-exporting countries in the world.

You can also refer to our Wine Study Path article which positions WSG programs in relation to other general wine study programs.

While not a pre-requisite, we recommend that students have successfully completed, at a minimum, one of the following programs before enrolling in a French / Italian / Spanish Wine Scholar program: WSET level 2, Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) or Court of Master Sommelier’s Introductory Sommelier Certificate (Level 1). 

Check out our Wine Education Path. It compares and contrasts WSG programs with other wine study programs and gives you more detail on the relative depths of study. It can be found here.

Click HERE to find a program provider near you.

All Approved 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.

No.  All programs taken through an Approved Program Provider include an in-person, classroom-based exam sit. 

Each program provider schedules classes based on their particular market.

Some will run 2- to 3-hour classes for nine consecutive weeks, others will do a shorter run of classes with longer hours. Each program provider is different.

Yes. If currently enrolled in an independent-study program, students may upgrade to the Wine Scholar instructor-led format. If you wish to upgrade formats, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

FWS, IWS, and SWS are available to be studied online in two formats: Independent Study and Instructor-Led.

The Independent Study format provides all of the course materials and resources necessary for a student to self-pace. 

The Instructor-Led format includes all of the outstanding resources from the Independent Format plus recorded review webinars with instructor(s) in addition to live online thematic Monthly Meet-Ups with your instructor and fellow classmates. Many students find that the Instructor-Led format gives them the flexibility of self-study but with structure of a classroom program, giving them the motivation they need to get over the finish line. 

We're happy to help find the format that best suits your learning style and schedule. Do not hesitate to reach out to our Student Support Advisor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions regarding which program format is best for you. 

All Wine Scholar study manuals are available as E-books via your online classroom and are included in all study packages. You will also receive a hard-copy study manual as part of the program package.

Registration is for one full year and may be extended for a nominal fee should a student need or want to do so at the following link:  https://www.winescholarguild.org/extend-online-course-enrollment. Online access is 24/7.

Individuals can access an online course by logging into their personal account from our website. Proceed to MY ACCOUNT, then My Online Courses & Exams.  

• E-learning is flexible and available “on demand.” The programming is delivered to the student’s computer at their convenience, regardless of traffic or weather.

• E-learning makes the world smaller! By going online, this program allows students to have access to a pool of talented educators from around the world.

• E-learning is accessible, convenient, and affordable. No traffic jams. No travel. No parking costs.

At present, there are Master-Level programs for Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Champagne, and Loire. You can also join one of our study immersion trips, several of which take place in France each year.

All students of wine eventually discover France. Some use it as the starting point to begin their vinous exploration while others arrive in France after having sampled the wines of other countries.  There is a world within French wine and the wines and wine styles of France have certainly impacted the entire wine world.

Many reference France as the benchmark for wine production. But this is not just because of the quality and quantity of wines it produces. This long-standing reputation is due to the fact that internationally recognized grape varieties of high caliber such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah are all native to France!

By studying French wine, the student gains a deeper appreciation for the grape and its travels and a reference point for Old World/New World comparisons.

The French Wine Scholar Certification Program is a course of study on the wines and wine regions of France. It is an advanced curriculum tailored to the wine trade and to serious wine hobbyists.

Although an Old World country, Italy is younger than the United States. Unification of the Italian peninsula occurred in 1861. In the centuries prior to Italian unification, Italy was divided into a plethora of small kingdoms and city-states.

Each of these political entities shaped the history, people and culture of their region; for this reason, studying Italy is akin to studying the wine production of 20 different countries--each one with its own grapes, wines, food and traditions.

The Italian Wine Scholar Certification Program is a course of study on the wines and wine regions of Italy. It is an advanced curriculum tailored to the wine trade and to serious wine hobbyists.

Spain has more land under vine than any other country and ranks third in production (behind Italy and France). Indigenous Spanish grapes such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell, Verdejo, and Albariño have become increasingly popular on the world wine stage. Spain has been making wine for 3,000 years; as a classic wine region that is commercially significant today, it merits study.

The Spanish Wine Scholar Certification Program is a course of study on the wines and wine regions of Spain. It is an advanced curriculum tailored to the wine trade and to serious wine hobbyists.