Sundays, January 22nd to March 12th from 1:30 pm – 6 pm.

Earn a complete wine education in a single semester. The Core Wine Course combines our Foundation and Intermediate programs into a unified wine education experience.

Plus, the Core Wine Course will save you a sizable amount of tuition. Individually, the Foundation and Intermediate programs cost hundreds of dollars more.

In the Foundation portion of the program, students will learn the techniques and master the knowledge needed to become extraordinary wine tasters. Graduates can identify major wine varietals in a blind tasting: a significant feat for any wine professional.

In the Intermediate section, students learn about the intricacies of the ever-expanding world of wine. The program includes the chance to master the wine styles, climates, and varietals of all the major wine-producing countries.

Free Access to National Wine School Content

As our student, you get free access to the NWS online program. The programs are well-produced and years ahead of all other virtual sommelier certifications available.

Schedule of Core Classes

Week One

Section #1 Introduction to Wine Regions
Section #2 Intro to Sensory Wine Tasting

Week Two

Section #1 France
Section #2 White Varietal Components

Week Three

Section #1 North American Wines
Section #2 Red Varietal Components

Week Four

Section #1 Australia, New Zealand & South Africa
Section #2 Old World vs New World

Week Five

Section #1 Italy
Section #2 Varietal Fingerprint Lab

Week Six

Section #1 Spain
Section #2 Winemaking Process

Week Seven

Section #1 Chile & Argentina
Section #2 Blind Tasting Class

Week Eight

Section #1 Regional In-Class Exam
Section #2 Tasting In-Class Exam

The Essential Wine Course

The Core Wine Course is the ultimate program for any aspiring sommelier, winemaker, or wine enthusiast. It includes sections on viniculture and viticulture, Old World and New World wines, blind tasting, and sensory training.

The program covers the essential history, essential varieties, and a tasting of major wine styles for each wine region.

• Compatible with all sommelier qualifications
• The essential program for aspiring winemakers
• Wine enthusiasts welcomed, too.

Would you dedicate your Sunday afternoons to the study of wine? Would you enjoy an immersive eight-week experience with our top sommelier-instructors? If so, you are in the right place.

The CORE program covers many nuanced subjects, most of which are unavailable at any other school or wine course. For this reason, this is a required course for both novices and seasoned wine professionals.

Anyone who dreams of having your own winery should attend the Core program at the Wine School of Philadelphia

Barbara Evangelisti, Owner, Chesca Family Wines of Napa Valley

The CORE program includes two sections of classes every week, with a dinner break in between. The first section is titled “The Foundation Course,” and the second is called “The Intermediate Wine Course.”

In the Foundation section, we will lead you through a gauntlet of corks, and you will emerge with a sommelier’s zeal. We carefully train our students to use their senses to unravel the complex flavors of wine. The specific scents that identify grape varietals, the scents that emerge from different styles of winemaking. These are the layers of flavors that our students explore with ease.

The Intermediate section takes a panoramic view of the world’s vineyards. Every central wine region is explored: the grapes, the history, and the culture are all embraced. We feel it isn’t enough to know the information but to understand it in the context of the world. The world of wine is interconnected in so many ways, and in this class, we connect those dots.

The essential wine course. Nothing else compares.

Neil Ross, General Manager & Sommelier, Four Seasons Philadelphia.

Sommelier Certification, Level III. You can earn your sommelier certification by opting for the professional option.

Cost Savings. The student can take the Foundation and Intermediate separately. However, by registering as a bundle –and taking both sections in the same semester– you save hundreds of dollars.