Wine Spectator online wine courses

May 6, 1:53 AMProvidence Food ExaminerDonna Diegel

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WINE BARRELS AT A CALIFORNIA WINERY

WINE SPECTATOR has an online school that offers wine certificates for the professional oenophile, serious wine enthusiast or the casual wine connoisseur. Enroll in a wine course and learn to enjoy your wines!

Wine Spectator Online School

I can personally vouch for the Wine Spectator School's online wine courses. I've taken two courses and passed with flying colors, earning me TWO certificates from Wine Spectator! I started out with the 12 week course ABC's of Wine Tasting for $39.00, and eventually went on to take the more involved 24 week Understanding Wine course for $149.00.Neither online course actually took me that long, but I did have to ask for an extension to the longer wine class due to personal computer problems. They were more than happy to grant it.

In hindsight, I should have just gone with the longer class to begin with as some of it was repetitive. If you're really serious about wine, skip the short ABC's of Wine Tasting and just enroll in the longer Understanding Wine course. It covers the same basic information in the beginning, and keeps going from there. The wine courses offered are varied so you can take anything you're interested in. It is wise however, to start out with an introductory class and progress to a more in-depth, advanced course. The classes are set up in modules, beginning with the basics such as vocabulary and terminology, then builds on what you've learned by buying the wine, tasting it, pairing it with food, and finally "graduating" with a certificate.

WINE PROMO DISCOUNT!

For a limited time, Wine Spectator is giving 20% off all online wine courses. Click here for more information. The promo code is valid through May 17, 2009.

Wine Tastings

This is the fun part of the course! When describing the Wine Spectator online courses to friends, I always said the homework was the best part of the class! Most classes have a lesson, then give tasting homework to go along with it.This way, you can practice tasting, pairing and comparing with real wine. You can do this informally by yourself, or in a more organized, self-guided wine tasting with your wine aficionado friends. Either way, you'll have a great time learning how to taste wine!

Introductory Online Wine Courses

• ABC's of Wine Tasting - 3 classes; 12 weeks; $39.00
• Wine and Food Pairing  - 1 class; 8 weeks; $39.00
• Kosher ABCs of Wine Tasting - 3 classes; 12 weeks; $39.00
• Understanding Wine - 10 classes; 24 weeks; $149.00

Intermediate Online Wine Classes

• Sensory Evaluation - 3 classes; 12 weeks; $69.00
• Tuscany - 3 classes; 12 weeks; $49.00
• Bordeaux - 3 classes; 12 weeks; $49.00
• California Cabernet - 3 classes; 12 weeks; $49.00
• Australia & New Zealand - 3 classes; 12 weeks; $49.00
• Professional Online Wine Courses
• ABCs of Wine Sales and Service - 4 classes; 12 weeks; $49.00
• Understanding Professional Wine Sales and Service - 10 classes; 24 weeks; $169.00

Was It Worth It?

Absolutely! All in all, my time spent with Wine Spectator School was wonderfully fulfilling. I learned far more about wine than I ever imagined. I can now go into any wine shop and not feel lost or intimidated. The online experience was relaxed and well organized. The cost per class was reasonable. Bottom line? I loved all of it, especially the homework!