WSG

An Interview With WSG's Newest French Wine Scholar Program Provider We were recently lucky enough to add a fantastic Belgian school to our global French Wine Scholar Program Provider network. Sybille Troubleyn of Winewise in Antwerp tells us in this interview about how she got into wine, why she feels the French Wine Scholar program is a great addition to a WSET education provider's repertoire and how her school and the style of education they offer to wine students in Belgium is unique.   1)  What type of education experience do you provide at your wine school that sets you apart?    We offer international wine qualifications and "Keep Up" sessions for wine professionals...

Following the WSG webinar series “Navigating a Career in Wine & Spirits”, it seems like an appropriate time to dive in a little deeper on some of the topics covered. Most would agree that there is no greater investment than the investment you make in yourself!

Let's face it: Bordeaux is struggling. A recurring theme during my latest visit was producers lamenting declining sales, despite their wines tasting rather delicious. In January, the Gironde Chamber of Agriculture reported that more than 1,320 winegrowers were facing financial challenges – a situation that prompted the agriculture ministry to allocate €57 million to support the uprooting of nearly 10,000 hectares of vines in the region.

If there’s one thing in the world I love, it’s judging. From driving, to elite sport, to other people’s parenting, if you’re looking for someone to cast ill-informed opinions out into the wind, I’m your man. So, when the opportunity arose to contribute to what is probably the world’s greatest wine judging competition, I signed myself up quicker than you can say ‘baby-lead weaning’. Thankfully this is one area where I’m at least a little more qualified to apply

Watch the Preview of the Spanish Wine Scholar Program, with Rick Fisher, Spanish Programs Director

This month, the Wine Scholar Guild celebrates its 15th anniversary! Such a milestone gives pause for thought. I’d like to share with you—our students, members and supporters—some key moments, joys and stressors we’ve had on this extraordinary journey.

We are thrilled to announce that Mary Kirk will be joining the WSG team as our Community and Membership Manager. Mary has been part of the WSG family since its beginnings and we are delighted to have her come onboard in this capacity as we know that she will be a great addition not only to our team, but more

To wrap up November’s regional spotlight, Matt Walls picks his six ‘desert island’ Provence wines. Let’s play a game. You’re a castaway on one of the rocky islands off the Côte d’Azur in southern France, the Mediterranean lapping at the shore. With the hot and sunny climate, you’ll soon have a garden filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, and there’s certainly no shortage of seafood. But what are you going to drink? If some cases of Provence wines were to wash up on the beach, which would you be hoping for? I’d be crossing my fingers for the following six.

Decanter’s Andrew Jefford talks with us about Burgundy’s “Terroir Dreamland” or the Côte d’Or.

Founder and President of the Wine Scholar Guild, Julien Camus, talks about the roots of the Wine Scholar Guild, running the organization from his home in Alsace. He also gives a peek at some exciting future projects. We don't often get to hear from Julien, so this is a rare opportunity to hear about the evolution of the Wine Scholar Guild and the creativity behind the scenes.

Katrin Naelapaa has been serving as Wines From Spain USA’s director since 2001. Born in Mexico City, and having studied in Madrid, Katrin was so deeply connected to the Spanish wine and food culture, she was fortunate to find a smooth transition to the wine world from her original career in International Banking.

Master Sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier is the first and only woman awarded both the Meilleur Ouvrier de France in the sommelier category, and the best sommelier in France. In this episode of the Wine Scholar Guild podcast she talks about the honor of winning MOF competition, Pét-Nats, wine making, blind tasting, the Loire, and much more. She also gives us a preview of the new Loire Master-Level course launching in Fall 2019.

Steven Spurrier, Consultant Editor for Decanter, joined the Wine Scholar Guild for a chat on his new Academie du Vin Library, named for France’s first private wine school that he opened in Paris in 1973. Through this venture he’s reviving classic pieces of wine literature from the past, bring them into the present for future enjoyment. In this interview he offers perspective on the cultural aspect of wine writing and the relationship of writing to not only learning about - but the enjoyment of - wine. The Academie du Vin Library will also be commissioning some new works by contemporary wine writers.

Summary: Regenerative Viticulture is one of the most exciting developments in wine sustainability in a generation. Here we showcase three fantastic French producers who have taken the leap and converted their vineyards to this method of farming. All the details of the wines are downloadable in the pdf above, along with some links to further information you may enjoy. About the Speaker: Justin Martindale is the Wine Scholar Guild Membership Manager

In many ways, wine education relies on face-to-face contact between educators and students. After all, wine is a drink to be shared and which — for centuries — has stimulated conversation among those partaking. So last March, when it became apparent that the global spread of COVID-19 was about to alter the nature of “face-to-face” contact across every aspect of our lives, many wine educators were faced with a daunting prospect: how to carry on with classes.

#thespanishwineguy joins the WSG team full-time A couple of months ago we introduced you to Rick Fisher, our Program Developer for the upcoming Spanish Wine Scholar® (SWS) program. By way of reminder, Rick is part Catalan with a passion for his heritage and a desire to educate others about Spanish wine and food. In his spare time, he has authored the blog Bodega: Eat. Drink. Explore. ESPAÑA!, whose aim is to further educate readers about the amazing wines and food of Spain.Rick has enjoyed a long career in finance and, over the past few years, found himself drawn to pursuing more credentials within the wine industry (He is currently a WSET Diploma student with Napa Valley Wine Academy). As a result of his passion for Spain and the wine business, he left his finance job last week in order to devote all of his time to the creation of our Spanish Wine Scholar® program, whose expected launch is late-2018.Q1. Rick, you just made a huge personal move, giving up a 20-year career in finance – to work full-time in the wine industry, more specifically to devote all your time to the development of the SWS program. How are you feeling about that decision?

As part of a partnership between Wine Scholar Guild and Decanter, we are pleased to share with our readers this article pulled from Decanter Premium. Try Decanter Premium for 4 weeks for just $1! More information HERE Robert Parker says a 100-point wine should be ‘as exceptional as a particular wine can be: a perfect blend of power, richness, texture, depth, length, balance, freshness, and of course a reflection of its vintage and terroir or origin’. Here are Parker’s most memorable 100-point wines.

On June 25th, London played host to a prestigious gathering of Italy's top wine producers, unveiling their flagship wines to the UK trade and press.

Spanish Wine Scholar® launches in October 2019 and we are excited to announce the program has been endorsed by Wines from Spain, the public face of ICEX Spain Trade & Investment government agency.

Earlier this year, I embarked on the French Wine Scholar (FWS) program; version 7 being the latest update to this ever-popular certification offered by Wine Scholar Guild to wine enthusiasts and professionals alike. Here are my top study tips for passing the French Wine Scholar program!