Top Exam Scorers

Mario Cagnetta

  • The Burgundy Master Level program helped me to add many layers to my wine knowledge and refine my expertise.
  • Manager- Head Sommelier at Buca Cucina
  • Spanish Wine Scholar, Champagne Master Level, Provence Master Level, Bordeaux Master-Level, Italian Wine Scholar, French Wine Scholar
Congratulations to Mario Cagnetta for passing the Bourgogne Master Level program with highest honors! About Mario: I worked as a journalist for 15 years in Northern Italy then I decided to commit myself to my other passion: wine. After working in Canada I had the opportunity to completely change...

Sean Norton, SWS

  • I am absolutely in love with Spain, its wine, its food, and its people. The SWS program brought all that together for me.
  • National Sales Director, Alexander Jules Spanish Wine Imports
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Sean Norton, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar program with highest honors! About Sean: I moved to California 20 years ago and immediately became a wine enthusiast. I was making my living in enterprise software sales but found myself spending the bulk of my time outside...

Sharmian Duke, FWS

  • This course really built on what I had learned in WSET and I’m sure it will help me with the diploma.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Level 2, WSET Level 3,
Congratulations to Sharmian Duke, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Sharmian: I presently work in health care but have been planning for a career change. I have always been a wine enthusiast but started studying around 4 years ago. I plan to do the WSET...

Jonelle Noelani Yacapin, SWS

  • The SWS program has definitely helped me to connect the dots in my travels as I see, taste and eat things first hand.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • Certified Sommelier, FWS, IWS
Congratulations to Jonelle Noelani Yacapin, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Jonelle: It began with a dinner party in college. Nothing fancy. Just affordable wine from the grocery store. Soon friends in the restaurant industry introduced me to a world of...

Andrew Belcher, SWS

  • I found the Spanish wine course very interesting and... was introduced to a number of new areas and wine styles.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Diploma, French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Scholar, WSG Master Levels: Rhone, Bordeaux, Champagne
Congratulations to Andrew Belcher, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Andrew: I am a wine enthusiast. I have been attending the various courses at West London Wine School since just after it started up over 10 years ago; I also attend courses at some of the...

Jeni Wilson, SWS

  • I feel SWS brings a valid certification for knowledge about Spanish wine which has been missing in the industry.
  • Director, Vintage Class
  • WSET Diploma, French Wine Scholar
Congratulations to Jeni Wilson, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Jeni: I guess I´m a bit of everything, a winelover, an educator and a wine professional. I came to La Ribera de Duero as a winelover and an English teacher and combined the two facets to make...

Susan Hutchinson

  • The insights gained from the Master-Level course will be invaluable (on the study tour) when it comes to appreciating such an in-depth experience.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Levels 2 & 3, French Wine Scholar
Congratulations to Susan Hutchinson for passing the Bourgogne Master Level exam with highest honors! About Susan: I am a wine enthusiast who fell in love with Pinot Noir after tasting Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos 2009 during the first wine event I ever attended. This inspired me to pursue the...

Dr. Matthias Schmusch

  • The WSG program offered a unique experience to get a deep understanding of the world’s most fascinating wine region.
  • Wine Blogger
  • WSET Diploma
Congratulations to Dr. Matthias Schmusch for passing the Bourgogne Master Level exam with highest honors! About Matthias: Working in the world of finance and dealing with mergers & acquisitions for more than 20 years, I have always had a passion for wine. As time allows, I’m studying the wines of...

Erika Frey

  • I have now completed all the existing WSG programs with highest honors. It is one of my proudest achievements.
  • Wine Educator and Consultant, Wine With Erika
  • WSET Diploma. All WSG Wine Scholar and Master Level programs with highest honors: Spanish; Italian; French; Loire; Bourgogne; Sud de France; Rhône; Provence; Bordeaux; Champagne; Alsace
Congratulations to Erika Frey for passing the Loire Master Level exam with highest honors! About Erika: Over the past 10 years, I have assembled a portfolio career in wine and spirits with several jobs involving education, retail and marketing. Most of my time is spent teaching the WSET program,...

Bizhen Chen, FWS

  • The FWS program is insightful and helps to broaden and solidify my knowledge.
  • Co-Founder, Hangzhou Vinoholic Trading Co., Ltd. and Wine Educator, Hangzhou Wine Family Education & Consulting Co, Ltd.
  • WSET Diploma
Congratulations to Bizhen Chen, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Bizhen: I am the co-founder of a wine trading and sales company, meanwhile I deliver lectures as a wine educator in a wine school. Undoubtedly my career is quite involved with wine industry,...

Vanny Whitchelo, IWS

  • I believe the IWS program will help set me up for success in my future studies and professional life.
  • Associate Portfolio & Marketing Manager, Trialto Wine Group
  • WSET Levels 1, 2 & 3
Congratulations to Vanny Whitchelo, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Vanny: Back in 2012, while I was working in marketing in the travel industry, I started taking WSET 1, 2, and 3 as a wine enthusiast. Shortly after taking level 3 I decided to actively...

Oksana Wengryniuk, FWS

  • I feel the FWS course helped immensely with my confidence in speaking about French Wine.
  • Sommelier, Nightingale Restaurant, Vancouver
  • WSET Level 2, WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Oksana Wengryniuk, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Oksana: I work at Nightingale restaurant as a Sommelier. The restaurant has a diverse family style menu with an adventurous wine list to pair. I started working as a server, but became...

Aradhna Chhachhi, FWS

  • Now that I’m a certified French Wine Scholar, I plan to create experiences for wine enthusiasts on French Wine tasting in partnership with French wine vineyards.
  • Founder, Tannin by Aradhna
  • WSET Level 1, WSET Level 2
Congratulations to Aradhna Chhachhi, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Aradhna: I’m a wine professional & enthusiast, I grew up watching my parents enjoy wine and would be very excited to taste a bit of what that beautiful glass held, I discovered so many...

Julie Seibert, IWS

  • I can’t wait to introduce (our customers) to some lesser-known Italian gems that have become my go-to wines.
  • Wine Instructor, Echelon Wine Bar
Congratulations to Julie Seibert, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Julie: I am a wine enthusiast who is transitioning to wine professional. After a successful and rewarding career with the U.S. Federal Government, I retired at the senior executive level. I...

Richard Nusser, SWS

  • The program did a wonderful job of filling in the gaps of my knowledge in the history and geography of Spain.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • Wine Scholar Programs: French, Italian Master Level Programs: Bourgogne, Bordeaux, Alsace, Rhone
Congratulations to Richard Nusser, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Richard: I am a wine enthusiast who first began to enjoy and appreciate wine when I moved from Ohio to the San Francisco area about 30 years ago. Frequent visits to nearby Napa Valley and...

Walden Pemantle, IWS

  • The level of knowledge I gained in IWS will continue to be my standard for what it means to have an in-depth knowledge of any given region.
  • Manager, The Texas Wine School
  • Certified Sommelier, WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Walden Pemantle, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar program with highest honors! About Walden: I am both a wine enthusiast and professional. I caught the wine bug over a show-stopping pairing at Alinea restaurant in Chicago. Since then, I have worked as a cook, a food...

Catherine Gregg, FWS

  • The FWS program deeply and widely expanded my knowledge of French wines and helped me better understand the role of wine in human history.
  • Priest, The Episcopal Diocese of Nevada
  • WSET Level 2
Congratulations to Rev. Dr. Catherine Gregg, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Catherine: I am a wine enthusiast who sees wine as a metaphor for life. It’s symbolic as well as it’s material nature provides me with a lens to ponder mysteries and be fully...

Ken Coleman, SWS

  • Without the Spanish Wine Scholar course I could never have penetrated the depth, history and diversity of the wines of Spain.
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Level 3
Congratulations to Ken Coleman, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Ken: Although not in the wine profession, I've been an enthusiast since my college years when my father became interested in wine. We would go on excusions to wine shops in Chicago together...

Peter Arijs, SWS

  • The blended learning approach with interactive and visually attractive online study materials makes the information really stick.
  • Wine Educator
  • WSET Diploma
Congratulations to Peter Arijs, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Peter: Some people call me a wine geek. As an engineer I want to understand how things are made, and the same goes for wine. Not only do I love to learn about wine, but also to share this...

Kathleen Mahoney, SWS

  • The SWS program provided the depth I was looking for in a specific wine region.
  • Wine Enthusiast
Congratulations to Kathleen Mahoney, SWS, for passing the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with highest honors! About Kathleen: I am inspired by the combination of hard labor with attention to detail, art, and science that goes into a bottle of wine. My passion was born in my travels to wine-growing...