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Choose more confidently
Learn the principal grapes and basic wine styles, so a wine list becomes easier to navigate.
- SommWine's Ultimate Guide to WSET Level 1 is only $25
WSET LEVEL 1 AWARD IN WINES
Your confidence with wine starts here.
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines — online
A friendly, structured introduction for complete beginners, curious wine drinkers and hospitality staff. Build the fundamentals so choosing, tasting and talking about wine feels easier.
$349 CAD · Four weeks online
Course materials, educator support, a live webinar and SommWine’s Ultimate Guide included.
View course dates & enrolPlan for six hours of online learning, plus at least four hours for revision and practice.
START WITH THE FUNDAMENTALS
Less guessing. More confidence.
You do not need a wine vocabulary to begin. Level 1 gives you a practical starting point: recognise the main styles, understand common grape varieties and learn a simple way to describe what is in your glass.
Find the words
Begin tasting systematically and describing a wine’s characteristics in clear, useful language.
Serve and pair
Understand basic food and wine pairing, storage and service — useful at home or when looking after guests.
CHOOSE YOUR STARTING POINT
Level 1 or straight to Level 2?
You do not need Level 1 before Level 2. Both are valid starting points. The better fit depends on your experience, goals and available study time.
Level 1: a gentler introduction
Choose Level 1 if you are new to wine, want confidence with the fundamentals or prefer a smaller study commitment. It is also useful for hospitality staff building foundational knowledge.
Four weeks online · Six hours of online learning, plus revision
Level 2: more depth from the start
Consider Level 2 if you already enjoy exploring wine and want a more substantial course for serious personal interest or your career. It connects grapes, regions, climate and winemaking with wine style.
Five weeks online · A larger study commitment
Still deciding?
Think about how much depth you want now and how much time you can give to study. Joanne can help you choose a course that fits.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
The essentials, made understandable.
Principal grape varieties
Explore eight principal grape varieties and the characteristics of important wines.
Wine styles and terminology
Recognise basic styles and the terms used to describe them.
How wine is made
Understand the essentials of red and white winemaking.
A method for tasting
Practise a systematic approach to observing and describing wine.
Food and wine pairing
Explore how food can change the way a wine tastes.
Storage and service
Learn how to store and serve wine appropriately.
HOW YOUR ONLINE COURSE WORKS
A clear path from registration to exam.
01
Choose your course
Open the enrolment page, choose an available course date and pay. Check your email for the registration form.
02
Get ready
Registration gives you access to your Ultimate Guide and recommended wines. WSET will invite you to the Canvas classroom; log in before the course starts and contact Joanne if you need help.
03
Learn over four weeks
Read the material, complete activities and taste wines at times that suit you. Following the class pace helps you make the most of educator feedback.
04
Stay connected
Use Canvas Discussions or Chat for questions and submit tasting notes for feedback. Your educator checks in regularly, usually three times a week, and hosts a live webinar that is recorded.
05
Prepare and sit your exam
Revise with your course materials and Ultimate Guide. Arrange your remote exam with Joanne when you are ready; at least 12 days’ notice is needed.
Four weeks of educator interaction. One year of classroom access. Your online educator support ends with the course, while the learning materials remain available for a year. Joanne is still available for questions about your exam and next steps.
Choose your Level 1 course date
AN EDUCATOR BEHIND YOUR COURSE
Meet Joanne.
Joanne is a WSET Diploma graduate, certified WSET wine educator and sommelier, with more than 15 years’ experience in wine and hospitality. She has been teaching WSET in Whistler since 2018.
Her approach is practical: understand what the facts mean in your glass, rather than simply memorising them. She created SommWine’s Ultimate Guides to help students study with more confidence.
During the four-week course, your online educator supports your activities and tasting. Joanne is your SommWine contact for registration, exam questions and what to study next.
INCLUDED WITH SOMMWINE REGISTRATION
A study companion you can return to.
Your Level 1 online registration includes complimentary access to SommWine’s Ultimate Guide to WSET Level 1 in Wines, created by Joanne for her students.
Use more than 300 practice questions, quizzes, flashcards, videos and study tools to revisit the essentials and prepare for your exam. The Guide is designed for mobile study, too.
It supports your official WSET course materials — so you can practise and revise alongside the course.
LEARN WITH YOUR GLASS
You do not need to sound like an expert.
Tasting puts the theory into context. Compare different wines, notice their characteristics and submit notes in Canvas for feedback. These assignments help your learning but do not count towards your final grade.
You buy the tasting wines
SommWine provides a recommended list after enrolment. The course recommends at least three red wines, two white wines and one sweet wine; you do not need to buy every wine on the list.
Joanne can help you choose
Use accessible examples of the recommended styles. Your cost depends on your choices and local prices; ask Joanne if you need help selecting suitable bottles.
Recommended styles from the existing course
Medium-sweet White Zinfandel; full-bodied Australian Shiraz; young Pinot Grigio; oaked Chilean Chardonnay; Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc; dry, young Beaujolais; medium-sweet Mosel Riesling; dry Italian Chianti; Chilean Pinot Noir; and a Merlot/Cabernet Bordeaux blend.
YOUR QUALIFICATION
A straightforward theory exam.
30 questions
A closed-book multiple-choice exam. There is no tasting component in the Level 1 exam.
45 minutes
Complete the theory paper within the exam time.
70% to pass
Successful students receive an official WSET digital certificate.
Arrange your exam date and time with Joanne, allowing at least 12 days’ notice. The current enrolment information gives you up to one year after the course to schedule your remote exam.
You will need reliable internet and two compatible devices, such as a laptop and smartphone. WSET sends a Systems Check before the exam. Use a trusted connection and avoid competing household streaming; SommWine’s existing advice does not recommend Starlink for these exams.
Your questions, answered.
Do I need any wine knowledge?
No prior wine qualification is required. WSET Level 1 is an introduction for people new to wine and those building foundational knowledge.
Do I need Level 1 before Level 2?
No. Level 1 is a valuable introduction, but it is not a prerequisite for Level 2. Choose according to your goals, confidence and available study time.
What is included?
Your course materials, online learning, educator interaction during the four-week course, a recorded live webinar and complimentary access to SommWine’s Level 1 Ultimate Guide. You purchase tasting wines separately. See the enrolment page for the current registration details.
How much study time should I allow?
The existing course guidance asks you to set aside six hours for online reading and exercises across four weeks, plus at least four additional hours for revision, assignments or Ultimate Guide practice.
Do I have to attend at a fixed time?
You can complete activities when you have time. Following the class pace is recommended. The live webinar is scheduled at the beginning of the course and recorded if you cannot attend.
How long do I have access?
The course has four weeks of educator interaction. You retain online classroom access for one year afterwards; online educator support ends when the course finishes. Joanne remains available for exam questions.
Do I need to buy a textbook?
No separate book purchase is required: the current course page says all course materials are included in the fee and accessible through Canvas. The enrolment page also describes one year of WSET ebook access.
Do I need to buy wine?
Yes, you purchase your own tasting wines from the recommended list. You do not need to buy every suggested wine. The existing recommendation is at least three reds, two whites and one sweet wine. Joanne can help with suitable choices.
Do tasting assignments affect my exam result?
No. Your submitted tasting notes receive feedback and help reinforce learning, but do not count towards the final grade. The exam is theory-only.
How does the remote exam work?
The exam is 30 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, with a 70% pass mark. Arrange it with Joanne with at least 12 days’ notice. You need reliable internet, two compatible devices and a successful Systems Check.
How do I enrol?
Choose an available date on the existing enrolment page and pay, then complete the emailed registration form. Access your Ultimate Guide and accept WSET’s Canvas invitation before your start date. Contact Joanne if anything needs resolving.
Can I ask for help choosing a course?
Yes. Email joanne@sommwine.com to discuss your experience and goals. Level 1 offers a gentler foundation; Level 2 is also accessible without Level 1.
WHAT SOMMWINE STUDENTS SAY
Confidence looks different for everyone.
Sarah Gallienne
“I now feel more confident about wine and able to classify all the information in my mind. I'm pleased with how much I've learned in such a short period”
Deepesh Sett
“[After taking WSET with Joanne], I started drinking a lot of wine and I'm able to tell the differences between them to serve my guests better.”
Ciara McGinly
“After feeling totally overwhelmed at the beginning [of the course], the online course [SommWine's Ultimate Guide] and revision structure definitely helped.”
Start with a foundation you can use.
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
$349 CAD · Four weeks online · Ultimate Guide included
View course dates & enrol
