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IWS Prep Online Course

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4.77778 5 27 Product
US$295.00

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This program is currently getting a makeover.
Join the waitlist to be notified when the next session is announced.

The package includes:

- A beautifully designed 125-page, coursebook rich with photographs & maps - The Wines of Italy: Glass by Glass.

- 1-year access to the IWS Prep online course including:

  • Interactive e-learning modules with additional cultural highlights
  • 4 live review webinars with your instructor Alan Tardi
  • Webinar recordings for on-demand replay
  • A schedule of study with learning objectives for each chapter
  • Quizzes for self-evaluation
  • A list of recommended wines to sample on your own or in a tasting group

- Registration for the IWS Prep exam (optional) 

    • The exam is composed of 50 multiple choice questions and must be completed in 45 minutes, passing score is 60%
    • Online exam candidates must have a computer (tablet not compatible), a good internet connection, a webcam and a microphone with speakers for proctoring purposes.
    • Candidate has one year from registration date to take the exam. When ready, the candidate may contact Andrea McEwan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  to schedule the exam.

      Important notice: You can cancel or reschedule your exam at any point before your scheduled exam time by logging in to your ProctorU account and using the rescheduling link.
      If not cancelled or rescheduled prior to the exam start time and you are not showing up for your exam or more than 15 minutes late, a $75 re-scheduling fee payable to WSG will be applied.

Schedule of study:

Next IWS Prep online instructor-led session starts on February 8, 2023.

Register now and build a strong foundation in Italian wine! 
Get a head start! Gain instant access to online study materials... followed shortly by your coursebook!

WEEK 1

Welcome webinar (30 mins)

Wednesday, February 8 @ 12:00 noon ET

·       Meet your instructor and other students

·       General orientation 

·       How to access online program and log-in to live webinars

·       How to use the discussion forum

Self-study: Northern Italy

WEEK 2 

Live webinar (1 hr 30 mins)

Wednesday, February 15 @ 12:00 noon ET

·       Check-in on progress

·       Review of Northern Italy

Self-study: Central Italy

WEEK 3

Live webinar (1 hr 30 mins)

Wednesday, February 22 @ 12:00 noon ET

·       Check-in on progress

·       Review of Central Italy

Self-study: Southern Italy

WEEK 4

Live webinar (1 hr 30 mins)

Wednesday, March 1 @ 12:00 noon ET

·       Check-in on progress

·       Review of Southern Italy
Customer Reviews
5 1 5 Jeannie Boutelle on Apr 25, 2023
I found the Italian Wine Scholar Prep course a really fun way to learn about the major grapes and wines of Italy in a succinct manor. This is a great course to generate ideas or prep for a trip to Italy, prepare for other exams, WSET or CMS, and as a foundation to dive into the Italian Wine Scholar Program. This course gives you the road map to read Italian wine menus and walk the Italian wine aisle with confidence.
5 1 5 Gianfranco Casati on Mar 25, 2023
Truly a nice way to get to know Italian wines, it encourages to learn more and … to visit Italy !
5 1 5 Yanmei Zhang on Oct 22, 2022
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of Italian wine regions and is perfect for forming an overall impression prior to in-depth study of Italian wines.
5 1 4 Grace on Jul 1, 2022
Amazing program ,great maps and illustrations easy to understand ,add great value to my knowledge .
Thank you for this program .
5 1 5 Bruce Giffords on Jun 14, 2022
I thought I knew a good deal about the most important types of Italian wine, but the IWS Prep added nuance on the wines I was familiar with, and greatly enhanced my understanding of many interesting wines to which I'd paid little attention in the past. I especially liked the variety of formats in which the material was presented: textbook, webinars, and interactive electronic self-study modules.
5 1 4 Gregory Wirtz on Mar 4, 2022
This is a greatly practical course. It helped open up many new corners of Italy and makes working through a wine list or wine shop much easier!
5 1 5 Oliver Yemm on Feb 8, 2022
Really enjoyable course, giving a me a great introduction and a sense of preparation for the Full IWS course.
5 1 5 Teresa Graham on Feb 7, 2022
An excellent and well thought through course. Doing the whole thing on-line worked really well, and the team behind the scenes were very helpful and organised. Johnny (Tyson) the tutor was very knowledgeable and welcomed questions. I would really recommend the course to anyone who wants to learn more about Italian wines. It was very enjoyable.
5 1 4 Keith Brenneman on Dec 25, 2021
Great course for a beginner. I feel ready for the next step.
5 1 5 John Beckman on Sep 23, 2021
The Instructor-led class was well thought out and taught in a logical format, that the audience could easily follow. I would recommend this class to anyone who is thinking about taking the IWS program
5 1 5 Cheryl Belles on Apr 13, 2021
This was an excellent course. The written materials were very well-organized and easy to follow and the companion study materials on the website, including the quizzes and flashcards were very helpful to review for the exam.
5 1 5 Ray Garcia on Apr 13, 2021
The program was clear, coherent and structured in a way that facilitates the understanding of Italian wine as opposed to other programs which require you to memorize information that unfortunately you soon forget.
5 1 5 Carl Belles on Apr 13, 2021
This was an excellent way to get a high-level introduction to the often-confusing wine landscape of Italy. I am now a much more confident consumer, with a much better understanding of the major Italian wine regions. I would love to see "prep" classes for France, Spain, and Australia/NZ.
5 1 5 Christopher Millns on Mar 18, 2021
A very useful and informative course on all Italian Wines and origins led by a great teacher.
5 1 5 Katherine Morgan on Mar 18, 2021
The course was a great introduction to Italian wine and it advanced what knowledge I already had.
I really enjoyed the 'extra' elements of the course such as the detours, shopping tips and history of the Italian appellations.
Superb grounding for me to now take on the main course, but would recommend this course if you simply want to learn about Italian wine in a bit more detail.
5 1 5 Grant Scicluna on Mar 5, 2021
The IWS Prep course effectively distils the complexity of Italian wine into a digestible and approachable course. It would suit both wine professionals working with Italian wines, but also regular consumers who want to learn more about Italian wine. Jargon and pretence free, it is outright joyous in the way it celebrates Italian wine. It makes for a fun learning experience!
5 1 5 James Clark on Mar 2, 2021
Andrea was fantastic, insightful and engaging.
5 1 4 Marius Frangu on Mar 1, 2021
Excellent lay out info, for a visual learner like me, a real feast! Amazing history notes and regional gastronomical references!
5 1 5 Charlie Landino on Feb 28, 2021
The program covers a very complex topic by covering multiple wines and regions with enough detail and without getting lost in details. It’s an excellent path to a general foundation of knowledge of Italian wines upon which one can build a more comprehensive understanding.
5 1 5 Jeanie Hoepfel on Feb 27, 2021
An excellent introduction to Italian wines. It was a fun way to learn and the quizzes were an excellent tool for retention. Now I will take IWS!!!
5 1 5 Heinz K. Grohs on Feb 18, 2021
IWS-Prep 2021:
This was a great introductory course to Italian Wines. I can highly recommend it to those who want to feel a little more confident when discussing Italian Wines or use their knowledge in restaurant settings.
The course is relatively short (3 - 4 weeks), the Study Manual is well written and well organized and the teacher presented the material very well. She answered questions concisely and in an easy to understand way, never making us students feel embarrassed or stupid for having asked the question in the first place. She was also very responsive to questions sent to her via e-mail.
To summarize, this was a great first experience for me in taking an on-line course; the course was impressive enough for me to consequently enroll in the 10-week course on Northern Italy, hopefully to be followed by taking the 15-week course on Central and Southern Italian Wines.
5 1 5 Marco D'ignazio on Feb 15, 2021
The course gives a clear overview of some of the most important grapes and wines from Italy and it makes you wanna continue with the more extensive IWS program!
5 1 5 Kay Strayer on Feb 5, 2021
This Italian wine scholar Prep class is an excellent introduction to great Italian wines! It is the perfect class for people who want to learn about Italian wines, but are not interested in becoming a sommelier. Also, this is a wonderful introduction class for those students interested in completing the entire Italian Wine Scholar courses. I highly recommend this course- lots of fun and extremely educational!
5 1 4 Wendy Wallace on Dec 24, 2020
The course was very enjoyable and didn’t feel watered down at all. The additional cultural info was a very nice touch also. I enjoyed the course so much that I wanted it to last longer, 3 sessions felt quick and a bit rushed, maybe 6 shorter sessions? I also wish there was a virtual tasting. I feel like that is what Is missing (for me at least). Overall very enjoyable and am waiting for Spain& France prep next!
5 1 5 Michael Goergen on Dec 9, 2020
This class was everything that I hoped it would be. It has wet my appetite to go on to study Italian wines in more detail. The book is amazing, and will always be within easy reach as I drink Italian wines. Monica was a great instructor and easy to follow. The on-line material was very beneficial. I highly recommend this course.
5 1 4 Anonymous on Dec 9, 2020
An excellent overall course that feels like a lush overseas journey and rigorous training at once. A total pleasure.
5 1 5 Anonymous on Dec 6, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed IWS Prep! Online materials were well laid out with knowledge checks along the way. The book was well done. Flashcards and maps were helpful. Andrea was a terrific instructor. The course wasn't just about wine - points of interest and cuisine rounded out the course. I found myself taking mini-vacations as I worked through each of the chapters.
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Disclaimer: WSG offers wine study courses that are targeted to both beginners and those more experienced in the wine industry. While WSG has received many accolades, awards, and testimonials, WSG is not an accredited institution or school. WSG does not guarantee or warrant that any employer or school will recognize WSG wine study courses. While WSG knows that it is a well-recognized institution within the multi-national wine community, it cannot guarantee anyone success in their profession or vocation.