Wine Tasting Classes & Programs
The Diploma Oenotropae
The Oenotropae is named after the granddaughters of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. While they could turn water into wine, this diploma program transforms wine into knowledge.
Beginning with the 2007 academic year, the Wine School is now part of the American Wine Foundation. This partnership arguably makes the Diploma Oenotropae© the most important wine education program in North America.
To earn the Diploma, the student must have a complete education in wine. All three tiers of certifications (Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced) must be completed satisfactorily. The candidate must also complete final project and a four month apprenticeship to earn the Diploma. The average student completes the Diploma in two years.
The Foundation Wine Certificate.
One Semester. Graduates need to pass a two-part final exam: a thirty minute online exam and a blind tasting of major varietals.
The program includes classes on these topics: Introduction to Taste, Old & New World Whites, Old & New World Reds, Wine Components, Winemaking, Blind Tasting, Food & Wine Pairing. Click on link for complete details.
The Intermediate Wine Certificate.
One Semester. Graduates must have a solid knowledge of wine regions and varietals. Click on link for complete details.
The program includes classes on the following topics: Introduction to Regions, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, North America, Australia, South America, New Zealand and South Africa.
The Advanced Wine Certificate
Four Semesters. Student must successfully complete four exams or projects in their fields of specialization. Students must complete four of these six programs: Classic Terroir, Modern Winemaking, Italian Wine Regions, Traditions in French Wine, The New Spanish Wine, and The Concept of Cult Wines. Click on link for complete details.
Join the most exciting classes in Philadelphia! Our classes are taught by the city's top sommeliers and the nation's top wine educators.
At the Wine School, we field many questions about what we do. Here are a few answers:
- Do you run a viticulture school?
No, for a masters degree you will want to enroll in the programs at the University of California at Davis, Cornell, or Oregon State.
- Do you teach wine making and oenology?
Only at the consumer level. For professional training, please see above.
- Do you offer Wine Scholarships?
That would be really cool, eh? We offer very competitive pricing, but no scholarships.
- Do you offer sommelier certification?
Sorry, we do not. Sommelier certification does not lead to a viable career. We understand the myth and glamour of the idea, but the reality of the marketplace is that sommelier positions are scarce and relatively poorly remunerated. Sorry about that, folks.
- Do you offer wset classes?
We offer American Wine Foundation classes, not WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) classes. The difference is largely a British vs American style of teaching. We opt for a participatory experience rather than a read-and-recite method.
- Do you offer a wine degree?
No! A degree must be issued by a regionally-accredited university or college, such as Drexel or University of Pennsylvania.
We are a small private school, and are proud to offer the Diploma Oenotropae.
- Do you offer professional bartending certificates?
Nope. You really don't need a certificate to become a bartender. Many restaurants will not hire someone who went to bartending school because it is seen as quite silly and irrelevant.
- What the *&% do you do, then?
We run wine education programs and issue AWF wine certifications. And guess what? That's all we want to do, and it's all you need, too.