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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 9, 2026
Wine School of Philadelphia Marks 25 Years With Intensive Summer Program
Accelerated sommelier course and instructor training run this August; the school says it is the only U.S. program where students can earn a sommelier pin in a week.
PHILADELPHIA — The Wine School of Philadelphia marks its 25th year in 2026 with the return of Summer Wine School, an intensive August wine program. The school says it is the only wine bootcamp in the United States where students can earn a sommelier pin in a week, become a certified wine instructor, or do both.
Summer Wine School opens with the Accelerated Sommelier Course on Aug. 17. The evening class condenses the Core Sommelier Course into a single week, covering blind tasting, wine theory, and the essential wine regions. It is taught by school founder Keith Wallace, a professional winemaker and author, and Alana Zerbe, the school's director of education.
The Wine Instructor Certification begins Aug. 24. It is built for wine professionals, educators, and advanced students who want to teach or speak about wine for a living. The weeklong program includes the practical teaching methods and business framework behind the school's 25-year success in wine education.
"The brutal truth is people are turning on wine snobs, and we think that's healthy," said Wallace, who founded the school in 2001. "Our job is to teach the subject with delight and enthusiasm, not intimidation."
The 2026 summer program coincides with the school's 25th anniversary. Since 2001, the Wine School of Philadelphia has trained thousands of students: consumers, restaurant staff, importers, retailers, writers, and winemakers. Wallace says the student body has grown more diverse over the past two decades, with more graduates building careers in the trade — among them Tahiirah Habibi, founder of The Hue Society, and Jill Weber, owner of Philadelphia's Jet Wine Bar.
The summer program has become one of the school's signature offerings because it gives students a concentrated path into professional-level wine education without a full-semester commitment.
"The Wine School of Philadelphia is the real deal," said Habibi. "It teaches wine seriously without the gatekeeping."
"One of my students from Summer Wine School was a hospital executive," Wallace said. "She is now one of my wine instructors and couldn't be happier. Another was a municipal worker and now runs his own wine event company."
The Philadelphia Inquirer named the school the 2026 Silver Medal Winner for Top Trade School. In its August–September 2024 edition, WineMaker magazine described the school as "one of the best sommelier training programs in America."
Summer Wine School 2026 takes place at the Wine School of Philadelphia in Center City. Details and registration are at https://www.vinology.com/summer-wine-school/.
Program Details
- Accelerated Sommelier Course: begins Aug. 17, one week of evening sessions
- Wine Instructor Certification: begins Aug. 24, limited seats
About the Wine School of Philadelphia
Founded in 2001, the Wine School of Philadelphia is an independent wine education center in Center City Philadelphia. It offers public wine classes, professional certification, advanced wine education, and instructor training through a hands-on, science-based approach to tasting.
Media Contact
Keith Wallace
Wine School of Philadelphia
wsop@vinology.com
(215) 965-1514 |