Among all the certification in wine, I believe Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the most popular choice. If you are not working in wine industry but has serious interest in wine, does it worth to study?

Before answering this question, I think the key consideration is whether you are interested just in one or two wine-producing regions. If you are just drinking Bordeaux or Burgundy and has no interest to explore other wine-producing regions, you better save your money and time by just buying a few specialized books on these regions. WSET, even at level Buy Viagra Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed 4, will not really go into any region in substantial depth. However, if you like me, have an interest to explore different wine regions all over the world, then I believe you would find WSET courses useful. Frankly, if I didn’t study WSET, I probably will never try those lesser-known wine regions such as Savennieres.

In addition, by studying WSET, you definitely will have more chances to drink and try more wines. Unlike drinking with your friends, you will have to analyse wines at each class which shares a common topics. You can also compare your own tasting notes with other students and the instructor. I think this can certainly improve your wine appreciation skills.

However, I also find a couple of areas which are quite annoying to me. First of all, the main skill in the theory part of the examination is just memorization. For example, you are expected to memorize which are the major sub-districts in Champagne and what are their soils characteristics, climates and vines grown. However, the examination lacks skills on analysis. For example, students are usually not asked to understand why Pinot Noir from Burgundy and New Zealand are so different in styles and what account for these difference.

Also, WSET also requires studying of spirit which is not the interest of many students. Personally, I’m only interested in studying wine but am forced to study and drink different spirits. In level 4, spirit even has its own paper. I still remember when I know I have passed my spirit paper, I immediately thrown away all those gin, tequilla, rum and vodka into my rubbish bin! I just keep my Cognac, Armagnac and Whisky :)

Assuming you are interested to study WSET, which level you should start with? Personally, I would suggest everyone to skip level 1. Level 2 actually is not difficult even if you have just very little in wine. Level Buy Brand Levitra Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed 2 paper just consists of 100 multiple choices. All of my friends with almost no knowledge in wine can pass level 2 without much difficulty.

Comparing to Level 2, Level 3 is really much more difficult. The theory paper materials are probably four to five times more than Level 2. Also, you will have to pass a blind tasting examination which mean you have to train your palate as well.

How about Level 4? Level 4 normally takes two years to complete and the course fee is around HK$60,000! In term of materials to study, Buy Strattera online without prescription again I think it is multiple-folded of Level 3. So, this is a quite serious undertaking.

Personally, I didn’t have any regret in taking these studies as I really learn much more in these few years.

One Response to “WSET – Worth to Study?”

  1. olivier Thienot says:

    I agree with you about what you write about WSET. at first WSET was an organisation for wine buyers no wine lovers!

Leave a Reply

(required)

(required)

© 2012 <a href='http://www.vinzealot.com'>Vin Zealot Wine Blog</a> Suffusion WordPress theme by Sayontan Sinha