Wine & Spirit Education Trust

Last updated
Wine & Spirit Education Trust
Formation1969
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Region
Worldwide
CEO
Michelle Brampton
Chairman of Trustees
Simon McMurtrie
Website www.wsetglobal.com

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust, often referred to as WSET, is a global organization which arranges courses and exams in the fields of wine, spirits, beer, and sake. WSET was founded in 1969, [1] is headquartered in London [2] and is generally regarded as one of the world's leading providers of drinks education. [3] [4] In 2016, it opened its first international office, WSET Asia Pacific, in Hong Kong in response to high demand for drinks education across Greater China. [5] In 2018, it opened WSET Americas in Hartford, CT, USA.

Contents

History and management

WSET grew out of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association Education Committee and was set up with the financial assistance of the Worshipful Company of Vintners. The management of the WSET reports to a board of trustees made up of 8 members: three from The Worshipful Company of Vintners, three from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, one from the Worshipful Company of Distillers and another one from the Institute of Masters of Wine. [6]

Michelle Brampton took the reins as CEO from Ian Harris in February 2022. [7]

Courses

Award certification letter and pin for completion of the Level 3 program in Wine & Spirits. Cropped WSET level 3.png
Award certification letter and pin for completion of the Level 3 program in Wine & Spirits.

The courses given by WSET were originally intended for people in the wine & spirit trade. The WSET programmes have increasingly been attended also by non-professional connoisseurs. [8] The WSET offers professional certification in more than 70 countries worldwide, the courses are delivered by Approved Programme Providers.

WSET Awards in Wines

In the past 50 years, there have been over 10,000 WSET Level 4 Diploma graduates. Those who successfully complete the Diploma are able to use the post-nominal “DipWSET” after their name. [9] [10]

WSET Awards in Spirits

WSET Awards in Sake

WSET Awards in Beer

Notable alumni

Notable DipWSETs include: [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worshipful Company of Vintners</span> Livery company of the City of London

The Worshipful Company of Vintners, one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, retains close links with the wine trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sommelier</span> Person with proficiency in wine tasting

A sommelier, or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role of the sommelier in fine dining today is much more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter. Sommeliers Australia states that the role is strategically on par with that of the chef de cuisine.

A postgraduate diploma is a postgraduate qualification awarded after a university degree, which supplements the original degree and awards them with a graduate diploma. Countries that award postgraduate diplomas include but are not limited to Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Spain, Kenya, South Africa, Sudan, India, Israel, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Republic of Panama the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Pakistan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe. Level of education and recognition differ per issuing country.

Master of Wine (MW) is a qualification issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom. The MW qualification is generally regarded in the wine industry as one of the highest standards of professional knowledge.

Spirits competitions are contests between makers of alcoholic beverages, in which master distillers, brewmasters and vintners compete to substantiate the quality of their products. Liquor, spirits, beer, beverage and wine competitions take place around the world.

Wine & Spirit was a British monthly magazine on wine, spirits, beers and cocktails, directed at both consumers and the drinks industry. The magazine also organized the annual "International Wine Challenge" and "International Spirits Challenge", and published the annual results book, the World's Best Wines Guide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcoholic beverage</span> Drink with a substantial ethanol content

An alcoholic beverage is a beverage containing alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—and typically their alcohol content is between 3% and 50%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeannie Cho Lee</span> Hong Kong-based Korean-American wine critic, author, consultant and wine educator

Jeannie Cho Lee is a Hong Kong-based, Korean-American wine critic, author, journalist, consultant, wine educator and Master of Wine, the first ethnic Asian to achieve this accreditation. She was 25th on Decanter's Power List 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English whisky</span> Whisky distilled in England

English whisky (whiskey) is a liquor made from cereal grains, malt and water. There are currently two types of English whiskies produced malt whisky and grain whisky.

Gilpin's Westmorland Extra Dry Gin is a London Dry Gin distilled in London in small batches using the traditional pot still method with spring water from Cartmel in the English Lake District. Botanicals include juniper, sage, borage, lime (fruit) and bitter orange. Bottled at 47% ABV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Catena</span> American physician

Laura Catena is a fourth generation Argentine vintner, physician and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court of Master Sommeliers</span> International organization of wine professionals

The Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) is an educational organisation established in 1977 to encourage improved standards of beverage service by sommeliers, particularly in wine and food pairing. From the court's inception through 2018, a worldwide total of 274 people have earned its Master Sommelier diploma, the highest level.

Richard Mayson is a British author and expert on fortified wines and the wines of Iberia. He is series editor for the Classic Wine Library. He is the author of Lowry's Lamps, published by Unicorn Press and was Pro-Chancellor at the University of Sheffield from 2017 - 2021.

Julian Brind MW was a British Master of Wine and director of buying wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks for the Waitrose supermarket chain. Brind was a key figure in the transformation of the British wine trade from the 1970s onwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian Sommelier Association</span>

Italian Sommelier Association, 'AIS' is an Italian non-profit organization founded in Milan on July 7, 1965, officially recognised and legally acknowledged by the Italian government on April 6, 1973, with formal President of the Republic decree #539 in 1973. Its founding members were Prof. Gianfranco Botti, Jean Valenti, Leonardo Guerra and Italian sommelier Ernesto Rossi. Italian Sommelier Association is part and founding member of the Worldwide Sommelier Association (WSA), which is officially recognized across the world, wherever it is present with an affiliate. AIS is one of the oldest and actually the largest sommelier association in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Neptune</span> American wine expert and educator (born 1956)

Peter Neptune is an American wine expert and educator as well as a former television and NY stage actor. He is one of only 147 Master Sommeliers in North America, as of June 2015, and is the founder of the Orange County, CA-based Neptune School of Wine. He appeared on and off Broadway in 1984 and 1985, appeared in numerous television movies and series from 1988 through 1990, and appeared as himself in the 2013 wine documentary SOMM.

Rebecca Gibb MW is a British journalist and Master of Wine based in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheers Wines</span> Chinese wine import company

Cheers Wines is a Chinese wine import company headquartered in Beijing with partner stores throughout China. It is a WSET APP. The company's slogan is Cheers makes you smile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonal Holland</span> Indian wine broadcaster, wine educator and wine judge

Sonal Holland is the first recipient of the Master of Wine title in India. She is a certified wine educator specialising in saké and shochu. Holland is also a consultant, retailer, broadcaster, and the founder of India Wine Awards, an Indian wine competition.

References

  1. Ray, Johnathan, The Daily Telegraph (August 29, 2008). "The top wine-tasting courses". Archived from the original on September 1, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. "About Us". Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  3. J. Robinson (ed), The Oxford Companion to Wine , Third Edition, p. 769, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN   0-19-860990-6
  4. "Everything you need to know about the new qualifications from WSET". DrinkBusiness. 25 April 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  5. "WSET Opens First International Office in Hong Kong". Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  6. "Our Story". Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  7. "WSET appoints Brampton as new CEO - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News". harpers.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  8. "From novice to nerd: how to know your wines". The Guardian. 23 June 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  9. "Diploma Graduates". WSET Awards & Graduation. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  10. "The WSET Diploma: Is It Right For You?". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  11. "Notable Alumni". www.wsetglobal.com. Retrieved 2021-09-16.