Wine Instructor Program

The East Coast Center for Wine Instructor Education.

There are several compelling reasons to pursue the path of becoming a wine instructor. Some students aim to teach professionally. Others want the foundation needed to open a wine school or to lead tasting events with confidence and authority. This program prepares you for all three.

The skills you develop—along with the credentials earned along the way—give you a practical, durable footing in wine education. You’ll learn how to teach effectively, design courses, guide tastings, and communicate complex ideas in a way that resonates with a broad range of students.

Those of us who teach for a living know the rewards of this work. It offers intellectual challenge, meaningful community, and a level of independence that’s rare in the wine trade. It’s also one of the few roles where deep wine knowledge and strong communication skills matter more than industry connections or a traditional restaurant background.

Compared with traditional sommelier tracks, the education route is steadier, more sustainable, and in many cases more fulfilling. It’s a career built on curiosity, mentorship, and constant learning—one that allows you to shape how people understand and enjoy wine.

How to Become a Wine Instructor

From first class as a student to running your own school, the path is laid out in clear, achievable stages.

Step 1: Earn Your Core Certification

Start by completing the Core Sommelier Pin (our Core Wine Certification). This is the minimum knowledge level required for all teacher training.

Step 2: Become a Wine Instructor

Accelerated Wine Instructor Training Program™

• Length: ~1 week, ~20 hours
• Tuition: $700
• Prerequisite: Core Sommelier Pin

What you do:

• Learn how to lead tastings and small-group events
• Work with insider lesson plans and teaching frameworks
• Get practical tools for presenting wine to the public

What you earn:

• Wine Instructor™ credential
• Qualified to run wine events (not full certification classes)
• Eligible to work as event staff at the Wine School of Philadelphia

This is your entry point into teaching and event work.

Step 3: Train as an Advanced Wine Instructor

Advanced Wine Instructor Certification™

• Length: ~20 hours
• Tuition: $700
• Prerequisites:
  • Wine Instructor
  • Core Sommelier
  • At least two Advanced Sommelier courses

What you do:

• Work one-on-one with a senior Wine School instructor
• Teach six Quick Pour™ classes with support and oversight
• Get detailed feedback on your teaching, pacing, and classroom management

What you earn:

• Advanced Wine Instructor™ credential
• Qualified to teach entry-level Quick Pour™ classes at the Wine School of Philadelphia
• Eligible for invitation to the Certified Sommelier Instructor (CSI) program

This is where you move from “helping at events” to “running real classes.”

Advanced Wine Instructor Certification

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Step 4: Become a Certified Sommelier Instructor (CSI)

Certified Sommelier Instructor (CSI) Program
This stage is invitation-only for top Program B graduates.

Prerequisite:

• Advanced Sommelier Pin
• Advanced Wine Instructor Certification™

What you do:

• Teach all four Level One wine classes successfully
• Follow the supplied core lesson plans while developing your own teaching style

What you earn:

• Certified Sommelier Instructor (CSI) credential
• Paid per class as an instructor
• Authority to teach Level One Certification programs
• Official credentials to work at the Wine School of Philadelphia
• Eligibility to open a National Wine School franchise

You cannot “buy” CSI or simply enroll in it; it’s earned through performance and invitation.

Step 6: Teach or Build Your Own School

Once you’ve reached CSI, you have options:

• Teach regularly at the Wine School of Philadelphia
• Lead core certification programs and higher-level courses over time
• Apply to open a National Wine School franchise, giving you a structured path to start your own wine school with our curriculum, brand, and support.