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intermediate Wine Course
WSET Level 2 Online Wine Course
A wine qualification recognized around the world
$699 CAD
Included with Registration: FREE access to our Ultimate Guide
a digital study companion with over 750 multiple-choice questions, mind maps, videos and more.
Who is WSET Level 2 in Wines For?
Who is WSET Level 2 Online Wine Course for?
No matter your previous experience, anyone can start at the WSET Level 2 Online Wine Course. Just prepare to dive deep into the world of wine!
Curriculum
- Explore 22 key grape varieties, 70 benchmark European wines
- Unlock the foundations of food and wine pairing.
- Master proper glassware and serving temperatures
- Delve into wine tasting technique
- Uncover white, rosé, and red winemaking technique and how those translate to flavours in your glass
- Travel around the world to understand how climate affects the way wines taste
- Set aside 30 hours of online time (reading + handing in wine tasting assignments) to be completed in 5 weeks
- Add 11-16 hours for revision and completing exercises in your FREE Ultimate Guide
- Learn at your own pace and schedule your exam when you feel ready and confident
Curious to discover the precise content you’ll be mastering?
Simply hit the button below to access a ‘Specification’ guide with all the terms and concepts awaiting exploration in your intermediate wine course.
Free with Registration
Access to our Ultimate Guide —
designed for mobile study on the go
(value CAD $125)
Curriculum
Your WSET Level 2 Online Wine course Exam
- you have 1 hour
- to do 50 multiple-choice questions
- you must get 55% in order to pass the exam
- 70-84% Pass with Merit
- 85% or more; Pass with Distinction
Celebrate your wine mastery with pride with a WSET Digital Certificate proving your skills (upon successful passing)
Your WSET Level 2 Online Wine Exam
FAQs
FAQs
For WSET
Level 2
Online Wine Course
How long does the course take?
You'll have 5 weeks to work through exercises, and engage with your course educator and fellow students.
Once the course ends, you'll still have access to the online classroom for 1 year. However, you will no longer have access to your online educator.
Not to worry! You'll still have Joanne to answer any questions about the exam and what's to come. 🙂
When you've had time to prepare, you'll schedule an exam with Joanne at a time that suits you best.
How does the online classroom work?
The online classroom (called Canvas) is similar to Facebook but with a few more bells and whistles. You’ll receive a full orientation on the first day of the course.
Your educator will check in with you regularly through Announcements, usually three times per week. This is where we’ll highlight key themes for the week, share additional resources, and offer feedback on common challenges we’ve noticed in the assignments. Each Announcement will also be sent to you in your email inbox.
You'll hand in your tasting notes of the wines in the Assignments section for your educator to mark. Here, you'll also be able see the tasting notes submitted by your classmates. Questions can be sent in the 'Discussions' area of Canvas, or through 'Chat'.
In addition, your educator will host 1-2 live webinars so you can meet face to face!
Is there a specific time I need to be available for the lessons?
No, WSET online courses are meant for the busy bee! You are welcome to contribute to the assignments whenever you have time.
Yet we recommend you follow along at the same pace as the rest of the class. This way, you'll get the most out of the course.
You’ll also be invited to a couple of live course webinars where you can interact with your educator and classmates. These sessions are scheduled at the start of the course with times chosen to give everyone a fair chance to attend.
And if you can’t make it? No problem.
All webinars are recorded so you can watch them when it's convenient for you.
Is there a book I need to purchase for the course?
All course materials and your exam are included in your course fee. You'll recieve access to an ebook Wines: Looking Behind the Label within a week after registration.
What are the steps for taking a WSET online course?
- Payment — pay for the course you want (classes pretty much start every 2 weeks)
- Registration — check your email for the registration form. Here you'll gain access to your Ultimate Guide, and see the recommended list of wines to buy for the course.
- Ebook — You’ll receive an e-book code within a week after you fill out the registration form.
- Next, WSET will invite you to join Canvas, the online classroom.
- Start class and have fun!
- Take the exam.
What is the Ultimate Guide?
When you register with SommWine, you’ll receive complimentary access to my Ultimate Guide — a digital study companion I personally created for my students to help them study smarter and save time. Packed with over 750 practice questions, mind maps, flashcards, quizzes, and videos, it’s designed for you to save time while mastering all the necessary concepts for your exam.
What is WSET??
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the world’s leading provider of wine education globally. It's an educational non-profit organization that offers internationally recognized qualifications in wine, spirits, beer, and sake in over 70 different countries and in 15 languages.
How long has WSET offered qualifications?
WSET was founded in London, England in 1969. Why? For centuries (since the middle ages, really), England had to import wine from France, Portugal and even from South Africa (well, that was in the 15th century, not the middle ages!). For context, England did not have a suitable climate for growing grapes... not until the climate changes of the current century. They needed professional wine tasters to select which wines to bring into the country for sale. Over the years, WSET has expanded into Spirits and Sake certification — most recently, into beer education too.
Wines
Who supplies the wine?
Due to archaic shipping laws around alcohol, we'll send you a recommended list of wines to buy right after enrolment. (Or simply check out the next FAQ for the list!)
With these, you'll make tasting notes to hand in to your educator in the online classroom. These tasting notes don't count towards your final grade. However, some of the exam questions could be in the form of a tasting note so these assignments will help to reinforce your learning and prepare you for the exam. Plus — tasting wine the best part of taking a wine course!!
If you’re unsure where to find specific bottles or suitable alternatives, reach out to Joanne at joanne@sommwine.com for guidance. I'm happy to help!
What wines do we need to purchase for the course?
Here's the recommended list of wines for the WSET Level 2 in Wines Course:
- An aromatic white wine such as Gewurztraminer
- A white wine with light aroma intensity such as Pinot Grigio
- A light-bodied red wine such as Beaujolais or Pinot Noir
- A sweet wine such as Sauternes or Tokaji
- An oaked Chardonnay, Semillon or Chenin Blanc
- An unoaked Chardonnay, Semillon or Chenin Blanc
- A dry Australian Riesling
- An off-dry, or medium sweet German Riesling (such as Halbtröcken, Feinherb, Spätlese, or Auslese)
- A red wine with high tannins and high acidity such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti Classico Riserva
- A red wine with low tannins such as Beaujolais or Côte du Rhône
- A sparkling wine produced by the traditional method such as Champagne or Cava
- A sparkling wine produced by the tank method such as Prosecco DOCG or Asti DOCG
- A Fino or Oloroso Sherry
- An LBV or Tawny Port
💡 A helpful trick to save $$$: explore restaurant by-the-glass menus. Sherry and Port are fortified wines above 15% abv and tough to get through solo—so check if a local spot pours them by the glass instead of buying whole bottles.
How much extra does it cost to purchase the wine?
A realistic average if you were to purchase ALL 15 bottles is about $250. (Check the previous FAQ for 'recommended wines' list.) Depending on what you select, you could spend anywhere from $0 to $600 or more.
We've taken care to recommend wines that are generally easier on the wallet — especially when compared to those chosen by Joanne for our in-person sessions (we spend around $3000 - $3500 for over 40 bottles of wine!)
💡 A helpful trick to save $$$: explore restaurant by-the-glass menus. Sherry and Port are fortified wines above 15% abv and tough to get through solo—so check if a local spot pours them by the glass instead of buying whole bottles!
Do we need to purchase ALL of the wines for the course?
No—you don’t need to purchase all of the wines.
That said, tasting the recommended wines will help reinforce the theory in your textbook (Wines: Looking Behind the Label). You’ll taste the wines and submit your notes in the Assignments section of the online classroom (called Canvas).
These tasting assignments do not count toward your final grade, but some exam questions do take the form of a tasting note, so the practice is useful.
💡 The wines above are listed in tasting order. Many are meant to be tasted side-by-side—e.g., the first Pinot Gris should be tasted with the Gewürztraminer—to help you compare and clearly understand the differences.
Exam FAQs
When do I write the exam?
Everything is arranged to suit your schedule — you choose the date and time, and we’ll take care of the rest. We'll need 12 days advance notice, so plan accordingly.
We've got your back! Around the third week of the course, we'll check in with you to schedule your exam.
How does the online exam work exactly?
You’ll need a reliable internet connection and two devices, such as a laptop and smartphone to complete your online exam. We strongly recommend taking the exam from home or another trusted internet source rather than while travelling. To help avoid connection issues, make sure others in your household aren’t heavily streaming videos during your exam time.
At this time, we also do not recommend using Starlink internet for online exams.
Don’t worry — we’ll guide you through the process when the time comes!
Before exam day, WSET will send you a “Systems Check” to ensure your devices and setup are compatible. For a clear overview of how remote invigilation works, watch the video below.
How to set up for a Remote Exam
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Who am I? Think zen master meets Dionysus the Greek god of grape harvests, winemaking, religious ecstasy and ritual madness. As a metaphorical flame thrower, I'll break down students’ barriers to learning. My classes have 2 rules; No oenophobes allowed and no prisoners taken.
Joanne DiGesoCreator: SommWine, Approved Program Provider for WSET
TESTIMONIALS
Kind words from kind humans...
I wouldn’t be a success without hardworking students such as these fine humans…
Joanne is amazing! She overprepared us for our exam. The online practice quizzes were so helpful for studying.
I'd highly reccommend Joanne! Incredibly knowledgable, engaging and very passionate which made it super fun. Also, she absolutely wants you to succeed!
I really loved pairing the food with wine with food!
I have more confidence in my workplace and enjoy drinking wine even more now!
