Congratulations to Melanie Webber, SWS, for achieving highest honors in the Spanish Wine Scholar program with The Wine House, Los Angeles.
About Melanie:
I am a WSET Certified wine educator and run the WSET Wine Education program in Paso Robles, teaching WSET L1, 2 & 3. I have helped hundreds of industry professionals achieve their wine certifications and I also offer private and corporate wine tasting sessions. I have the Diploma in Wine and Spirits from WSET and French Wine Scholar certification. I am also write about wine under the BottlePoet handle and am a wine communications consultant. I have also now have been approved as an Approved Program Provider for SWS and FWS in Asheville and Paso Robles.
My wine journey began as part of the founding team of the very successful Garagiste Wine Festival (named America’s Best Wine Festival). As head of Public Relations for the festival, I felt I needed to know more about wine, so I took WSET L2 and continued on to WSETL3 and then achieved my WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits. During my Diploma studies, I took the French Wine Scholar certification, passing with Honors. I knew by the time I was in my Diploma classes that teaching wine classes would offer the best opportunity to truly express my passion about wine.
So, working with The Wine House and Paso’s Broken Earth Winery, I launched the Paso Robles Wine Education program in late 2018 and have been teaching ever since. I have also taught the Loire, Jura and Alsace in the Diploma program in Los Angeles and am currently working on the WSG’s Loire Master certification. I also offer customized private and corporate wine tastings. I continue to believe that my most important wine credentials are a love of wine (and everything and everyone that glass of grape juice represents) and my desire to share the joy of wine discovery and a ‘no-snobs allowed’ approach and my plans include expanding the range of wine classes offered in Paso Robles, as well as teaching in other locations in the US, and expanding the breadth of my wine writing.
My certifications include WSET L2 & WSET L3 Awards in Wine, WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits, WSET Educator Training Program, WSET L1 Award in Sake; French Wine Scholar with Honors. Spanish Wine Scholar with Highest Honors.
The SWS program has added to my previous wine studies in so many ways!! It is such a comprehensive course and now when I teach Spanish wines to my WSET students I have so much more knowledge and understanding to share. While Spanish wines were part of all my WSET curriculums, the material did not have the depth and breadth of the SWS. SWS expanded my understanding of the range, quality and history of Spanish wines and, quite simply, it made me fall in love with Spain and Spanish wines. I cannot wait to travel to Spain and write about many of the Spanish wine regions we studied in SWS.
I am currently enrolled in the WSG’s Master of Loire program. I always say the more you know about wine, the more there is to learn ……. And the terrific approach to learning I experienced in both the FWS and SWS will be extremely helpful as I further my wine studies with the Loire Master program and, I hope soon, the IWS.
This deep dive into Spanish wines has reinforced my abilities as a wine educator and I look forward to sharing much of my knowledge gained from SWS with my wine students. I also plan to offer Spanish-focused wine tastings for private and corporate clients. As a wine writer, it means that I can write more knowledgably, more intuitively about Spanish wines. And, finally, not only has it amplified my passion for Spanish wines, but it has also put Spain and its wine regions as a ‘must visit soon’ on my list of future wine travels.
