(For all the options, the tastings and exam must be taken in-person in Dallas, TX. WSET does not offer any online exam options.)
OPTION 1:
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Course and Examination
in-class training with tastings and tutors
Dates and Times:
On the following Saturdays and Sundays:
9:30 am – 1:30 pm – May 16, 17, 30 and 31, June 6, 7, 13 and 14 2020.
Exam on Saturday, June 20, 2020 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.
Cost: $1,350 (all inclusive of tuition, tastings, study pack and the exam) + $20 (shipping of the study pack and exam results/certificates)
Location:
EG Steak Restaurant
8650 State Highway 121
Plano, TX 75034
Other information:
Wines are tasted in each session. Each class date typically features 10-12 wines (except for the first session which has a theory focus and features 8-10 wines).
Your instructors are WSET Diploma (Level 4) graduates and have extensive wine industry experience.
You can register for the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, in-class training and exam option here.
OPTION 2:
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Online Course and Examination
online training at your convenience
Dates and Times – Your choice of one of the following periods for online classes:
- Mon April 13th to Sun June 14th, 2020
(with exam options on June 20 OR August 15) - Mon May 11th to Sun July 12th, 2020
(currently with exam option on August 15, and more exam dates to be added) - Mon May 25th to Sun July 26th, 2020
(currently with exam option on August 15, and more exam dates to be added) - Mon June 8th to Sun August 9th, 2020
(currently with exam option on August 15, and more exam dates to be added)
Cost: $970 (all inclusive of online tuition, study pack, tasting days and the exam) + $20 (shipping of the study pack and exam results/certificates)
Tasting day/days at a DFW location will be coordinated with you after you register.
Location:
The course is conducted online.
Currently the exam location is:
EG Steak Restaurant
8650 State Highway 121
Plano, TX 75034
Other information:
You will have access to WSET’s online quizzes, tasting exercises and videos as well as to your online instructor and classmates.
You will be advised to buy and taste certain wines in line with the curriculum by your instructor.
You can register for the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, online training and exam option here.
OPTION 3:
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Hybrid Course and Examination
the convenience of online training combined with the benefits of tutored tastings, reviews and short answer question practice sessions
This is by far the greatest value offered. To register, you enroll in one of the online course dates and also enroll in 6 weekly tasting and review sessions with your instructor and peers in a class setting. Review sessions are designed to assist especially with the blind tasting and short answer essay type questions.
Approximately 6-8 wines are tasted during the review sessions and the students bring the wines around a pre-set theme to be tasted and evaluated by the instructor and the group.
Dates and Times – Your choice of one of the following periods for online classes:
- Mon April 13th to Sun June 14th, 2020
(with exam options on June 20 OR August 15) - Mon May 11th to Sun July 12th, 2020
(currently with exam option on August 15, and more exam dates to be added) - Mon May 25th to Sun July 26th, 2020
(currently with exam option on August 15, and more exam dates to be added) - Mon June 8th to Sun August 9th, 2020
(currently with exam option on August 15, and more exam dates to be added)
AND tasting and review dates:
- RD2: Tuesday evenings from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm on April 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26 and June 2.
Cost: $1,130 (all inclusive of online tuition, study pack, tasting and review sessions and the exam) + $20 (shipping of the study pack and exam results/certificates)
Location: The course is conducted online.
The tasting, review and the exam location is:
2200 Vantage St,
Dallas, TX 75207
Other information:
You will have access to WSET’s online quizzes, tasting exercises and videos as well as to your online instructor and classmates.
You will participate at 6 tutored tastings and review sessions.
You can register for the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, hybrid training and exam option here.
Below is some information that answers the most commonly asked questions about WSET Level 3 Award in Wines.
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is for:
- WSET Level 2 Award in Wines graduates
- wine industry professionals at the intermediate and advanced levels with strong analytical skills
- wine enthusiasts and collectors with a strong background and analytical skills and who can commit to a demanding study regimen
Pre-requisites to take WSET Level 3 Award in Wines:
There are no formal prerequisites to register for this course. However, the student must understand that this is a very demanding course that requires consistent, daily study and strong analytical skills. Having many years of industry experience is not necessarily sufficient to succeed in this course. Please read the next section for information on the challenging aspects of the Level 3 Course.
Challenges in passing the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines:
-
Retaining information:
There are many facts to learn and remember in the Level 3 Course. You will need to consistently and frequently spend time on this so that you can retain a large amount of information on grape varieties, their profiles, regions’ names and their growing conditions to name a few. Simply reading through the book is not sufficient to retain this information. You will need to actively study and review it so that you can retain it.
This type of knowledge is tested mainly in the Multiple Choice section of the Level 3 Wine Exam. -
Analyzing and conveying information:
This is by far the most challenging aspect for most students, also shown by WSET’s official Exam data. It involves understanding and explaining the reasons behind certain facts or observations about wines. To answer these questions well, students need to have a very strong grasp of viticulture and winemaking methods as well as the growing conditions and traditions of wine regions and their grape varieties. In addition, students will need to correctly determine which facts are relevant to a particular questions and how they should be presented so that they directly answer the question.
This requires much more than just experience in the industry or wine knowledge. To pass these questions, students must have excellent analytical skills and the ability to communicate information in a succinct way.
This type of knowledge is tested in the Short Answer section of the Level 3 Wine Exam. -
Blind tasting:
While most students are concerned about this portion of the exam, statistics show that if the students appropriately prepare for this section, they have a high chance of success. While the tasting is blind, the emphasis is not on actually identifying the wines, but on writing an accurate tasting note. For students who learn WSET’s Systematic Approach to Tasting and follow it, the blind tasting becomes easier and more enjoyable with practice.
This type of knowledge is tested in the Tasting section of the Level 3 Wine Exam.
In WSET Level 3 Award in Wines we cover:
- viticulture and winemaking in detail, with special emphasis on how they affect a wine’s quality, style and price
- almost all the common grape varieties of the world and the prominent regions in which they are grown, including their climates, traditions and styles (still, sparkling, fortified)
- how to taste and evaluate wines using WSET’s Systematic Tasting Approach for Level 3
When studying for WSET Level 3 Award in Wines you should be prepared:
- to dedicate 60 hours of study outside of scheduled course and tasting times
- to not just read but actively study the material to learn and retain the information
- to practice on analyzing and expressing the factual information you’ve learned in a clear and concise way
After completing WSET Level 3 Award in Wines you can expect:
- to be able to consistently and accurately describe the wines you taste and to some extent deduce the viticultural conditions and winemaking techniques the wines have been subjected to
- to be able to read and interpret wine labels, to infer the taste profile of the wine based on the information on the label, to have an opinion on the factors that affect the wines’ quality, style and price
- to have an understanding of the winegrowing and winemaking methods used around the world and how they change a wine’s quality, style and price
- to know how to search for more information (and prioritize effectively which information to search as well as how to use it) to further your knowledge through self-study
When you pass the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Exam you receive:
- the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Certificate, the most widely recognized advanced qualification in the wine world.
- the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Pin