Wine appreciation is the sensuous observation of wine to evaluate certain details such as its flavour, aroma, colour and consistency. Wine appreciation is an ancient practice with a prominent role in modern culinary habits.
Wine appreciation allows you to recognize and identify those distinct components that come together in a unique blend during the winemaking process. As a wine enthusiast, you may want to engage in wine tasting to familiarize yourself with different types of wine and their individual characteristics.
However, there are certain formalities you have to observe during the process of wine tasting, for a pleasurable experience.
Thankfully, there are a ton of websites that offer wine appreciation lessons online.
These websites through their well-structured lessons plans can groom you on the basics of approaching and appreciating wine. You can learn how to apply the standard rule of the ‘five S' which signifies the fundamental wine tasting steps comprising ‘see, swirl, smell, sip, and savour'.
Having this in mind equips you with the essential elements to look out for when examining and evaluating the quality of any given wine.
The tips and tricks you will learn from professionals wine tasters will help you to hone your wine tasting skills.
14 Websites to Learn Wine Appreciation Lesson Online Reviews
1) MasterClass: James Suckling Teaches Wine Appreciation
Masterclass is a top learning platform that draws in first-class individuals and professionals who are renowned for their skills and talents. On this website, you have the opportunity to learn all you need to know and more about wine appreciation.
In this particular master class, International wine critic and expert James suckling who has tasted more than two hundred thousand wines and also regarded as one of the most influential wine critics in the world will be your instructor.
This exclusive training program is made up of eleven lessons each holding for twelve minutes. Your professional instructor will share his knowledge and understanding of wine appreciation.
The lesson plan of this masterclass will cover areas of viticulture, wine tasting, proper wine storage and even unique food pairings with any type of wine you like.
The lessons in this masterclass are through pre-recorded videos by James Suckling, which you can watch at any time, on any device and any order you wish.
There is also additional learning content in the form of a class workbook containing a class summary, exercises and extra materials to assist you as you learn new skills on wine appreciation.
2) Udemy: Wine Appreciation
Udemy is an online learning website where you can acquire fresh information and new details on wine appreciation.
On this learning platform, you can search for a specific term relating to your subject and the system will process your result into a list consisting of different individuals who can teach you new ideas, techniques and tactics.
The results of various instructors on wine appreciation will be shown to you, on the basis of rating, the number of previous students and price for enrollment.
To know more about a particular instructor before enrolling in a course, all you have to do is to click on their profile thereafter, a new page will be shown to you which contains information such as what you will learn in regards to wine appreciation plus the course requirements, course description, the course's curriculum and students feedback on the course.
Your wine appreciation courses on Udemy will be taught through pre-recorded videos by your instructor which you can access on mobile or television.
You can also sign up and enrol in a course on Udemy through their mobile application or on your web browser.
3) Coursera: Wine Tasting
Coursera is an online platform that focuses on providing the best learning experience for you as you acquire new skills and information on your subject of interest.
Every course on this website is taught by leading professionals from top universities and industries through an on-demand video format. This specific wine appreciation course is offered by UC Davis (University of California, Davis).
After following the steps for proper enrolment into this online training program, you can have access to your video lessons either through Coursera's mobile application for iOS and Android devices, with an option either to stream your video lessons or download them to view offline.
This plus other features allows you to learn at your own pace and also reset any course deadline to a schedule that is convenient for you.
Depending on your payment option you will be given full access to:
• All the course learning materials
• A shareable certificate upon completion of your course
• Money-back guarantee
• Unrestricted access to thousands of courses and specializations.
• Ability to switch or change courses at any time.
• Discover new trending topics and skills in various subjects and vocations.
4) Superprof
Superprof is an online learning platform on which you can receive lectures on wine appreciation from verified teachers who have proven to be truly cognizant about the topic and thus capable of imparting knowledge to you.
In this particular wine appreciation course, Nils Bihari-Anderssen who describes himself as a wine steward and educator will lecture you on wine tasting and appreciation if you are the Yvelines.
Despite your current knowledge of wine tasting, your instructor will be able to lecture you on all the various levels ranging from the beginner, intermediate to advanced.
The lessons will be held either at your home (if you are in the same location as your instructor) or via a webcam. The lessons can also be organized for you only as an individual or group of persons.
When you request for a lesson from your instructor, you will have to follow the necessary steps to sign up for a student's account. Afterwards, it is compulsory for you to inform your course lecturer on your availability, learning needs and any other vital information pertaining to your reasons to know more about wine tasting.
The first lesson on super prof is always free, to allow you to determine if the lesson plan and instructor suit your learning goals.
5) Creative Live
Creative Live is an online platform that gives you an opportunity to learn from top professionals who are making waves in their respective fields. As a contemporary e-learning website, creative live focuses on bringing together both creators and individuals who have a desire to create magic by following their passion.
This online learning platform also has provisions for individuals with an interest in winemaking and appreciation. You will be taught by leading wine experts and master sommeliers through video lessons in HD. You can stream your videos anywhere and at any time, with offline access features for desktop and mobile devices.
Through these videos, you can acquire valuable information and input on wine tasting methods, winemaking, proper care for wine, wine pairing, how to shop for great wine and so much more.
You can also watch a trailer of your class to get a brief insight into what awaits you after signing up. Your instructor may also choose to provide you with additional class materials in PDF file to help assist you as you learn or upon completion of your class. For easy access, personalization and convenience, you can download from the App Store, creative live's application for iPhone and iPad.
6) Napa Valley Wine Academy
Napa Valley Wine Academy is an online wine school that caters for the learning needs of all wine enthusiasts from the beginner, intermediate to the advanced level. This online learning website is the digital division of the Napa Valley Wine Academy, which tutors and certifies all individuals who participate in the online wine training program.
For a superb student experience, this online wine academy has been categorised into three-course sections comprising
— Beginner online courses to teach individuals who have no prior knowledge of wine as a subject. The rich information beginners will get from instructors in this class will help prepare them intellectually as they proceed to the next level.
— Intermediate online courses to further enrich the student's on what they already know on the subject of wine.
— Advanced online courses which are for students with experience in the subject of wine.
The teaching method is through an interactive online medium which allows you to learn from a professional instructor.
Courses that award a certification upon completion requires you to write and pass an online exam to test your knowledge on what has been taught throughout the session.
7) Event Trix
Event Trix is an online learning medium that offers courses with accreditation from the International Council for Online Educational Standards.
The wine appreciation courses have been put together by a team of professionals with vast years of experience in their respective fields. For $119 you will be given an opportunity to access interesting and informative content on how to be an expert waiter, a wine steward sommelier or gain vital information on the elements that make for great wine.
The lesson plan for this course appreciation course is best suited for individuals who want to acquire new skills, kickstart a career or add to what they already know about wine appreciation.
A quick look at the course lesson plan shows that you will be taught on vital areas of wine production, different wine varieties, principles of wine tasting, etc.
You can access your wine appreciation course on multiple devices including a personal computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device, with a 24/7 customer service to provide technical support for any issues whatsoever.
At the end of your course, you will need to pass an examination to qualify for a certificate of completion.
8) Class Central
Class Central is an online website that serves as an interface connecting students to free courses on select online learning platforms.
On class central, you can search for free courses from universities, offered through massive open online course (MOOC) platforms.
An example is a search for wine appreciation lessons and the system will show you a result of online learning platforms that will be able to satisfy your learning needs. You will also be provided with a list of related courses.
As an online listing platform that catalogues courses from others e-learning service providers, when you pick a particular course from the list of results, you can view details of the course provider, cost, session, language, certificate, start date, instructor, course overview and duration.
Class Central also recommends tips on how to search and enrol for free courses on a particular service provider.
Through class central's help centre, you can browse through the frequently asked questions section about the specific learning platform you chose to learn more about wine appreciation.
When you sign up for free on class central you will receive recommendations on your course, plus an ability to track your subjects with reminders.
9) Learning with Experts
Learning with experts objective is to create a global learning environment where what you love is taught by well-trained experts you can trust.
This online connects students who are eager to learn more with experts in the respective categories consisting of gardening, jewellery, photography, floristry, antiques, food and drinks.
On this introductory course on wine appreciation lessons taught by Amelia Singer who has been involved in the wine industry for almost a decade as a television presenter on the wine show, wine writer and wine entrepreneur. She possesses vast years of working experience in the wine industry and will teach you using a well-structured lesson plan.
For this course on wine appreciation, there are two payment options you can choose. They include
• The expert option: which is the recommended option costs $299.00. For this payment option, you will receive in-depth lectures personally from your instructor Amelia Singer along with assignments to help you improve your learning better.
• The peer option: which is the second option costs $99.00. For this payment option, you will uncover the benefits of learning as a group through an online interactive classroom of no more than 20 people.
10) Reed.co.uk
Reed.co.uk is an online directory that catalogues numerous lesson providers that specialise in teaching wine appreciation lessons.
The teaching methods for each course differ, while some wine appreciation lesson providers host their courses online (distance learning), or in the classroom, others take place both online and in classrooms.
Some of the wine appreciation courses listed on this platform
are C.P.D certified which means a continuing professional development program for employees whose employers require them to earn a number of CPD hours, or points, per year?
On this platform, you can search for wine appreciation lessons, and then filter the results shown to you on the basis of subject, method of study, price, qualification type, course features and course levels. You can also sort the results on wine appreciation courses on the basis of most relevant, most popular, lowest price, highest price and recently added items.
When you click on a particular course you have an interest in, you can view more about the course like the course provider, course media ( which may include a preview of the certificate you will be awarded upon completion), course description, course requirements, reviews from the previous student's & FAQs.
11) Universal Class
Universal class is an online learning website that caters for the learning needs of students with an interest in every aspect of wine.
There are three different subscription plans you can choose from each with different offers. These include
— Course only: which costs $50.00 for a single course that takes six (6) months to complete. There will be no award of a C.E.U or certificate upon completion
— Certificate course: which costs $75.00 for a single course that takes six (6) months to complete. This package includes C.E.U's and an award of a certificate upon completion.
— Platinum course: which costs $189 for access to over 500 courses that takes twelve (12) months to complete. This package includes CEU's and an award of a certificate upon completion.
In the beginner's guide to wine, there are a total of twelve (12) lessons, twenty-five (25) examinations and assignments with an average time of seven (7) hours.
The overview of this course reveals that participants are going to be taught on simple wine terms basic techniques about wine, how to taste wine, how to select a high-quality wine, including the different characteristics of wine, the various aspects of wine production and so much more.
12) Jancis Robinson
Top wine expert and specialist Jancis Robinson have put together a special master course on the subject for individuals who love wine and would love to know more about it.
The video course comprises fifty (50) lectures each lecture running for about one (1) to twelve (12) minutes. This results in 3½ hours of learning material which shows Jancis demonstrating and narrating with her wine gear all the intricate theoretical and practical details you need to know about wine.
Jancis covers various topics in her video course on wine including wine production, comparison between old and new world wines, the proper way to read and understand wine labels, wine tasting techniques, how to order for wine at a restaurant, pairing food with wine, etc.
You can also preview free of charge what Jancis Robinson has in store with her elaborate course on wine.
If you are an avid reader, you can also purchase Jancis book - the 24hour wine expert which can you to learn more about wine within a short period of time. This book contains essential details on wine production, storage and consumption.
13) HKU-SPACE
This online wine school is a medium for individuals who love wine and also want to know more about their favourite drink.
By implementing high-quality teaching standards in line with e-learning guidelines, this learning platform is bridging the gap and encouraging more participation in online learning.
You can explore different lessons which are distinct and meet the learning needs of individuals who want to know more about the wine service industry or wine in general.
The teaching aids used by the different lesson providers will consist of video clips, podcasts, wine maps, grape glossaries, extra reading material, interaction with fellow students, quizzes, short assignments and home wine tasting tasks.
You can choose any course which will consist of different wine lessons that you can catch up with anywhere and anytime.
These individual lessons will groom you on the key areas of viticulture, the winemaking process, popular wine regions of the world, characteristics of wine, wine tasting methods and so much more.
By the end of any wine course, it is expected that you will be well-groomed and knowledgeable on wine which will build your confidence levels and allow you to start, participate and contribute in any conversations with other wine enthusiasts either at wine tasting events or any other situation that involves a bottle of wine.
14) Wine Campus
In HKUSPACE, the S.P.A.C.E is an acronym for School of professional and continuing education.
The instructors of this training program understand how important it is for individuals to possess basic knowledge of wine, wine culture and wine appreciation, especially if they find themselves engaging in conversations with wine enthusiasts at business meetings, social gatherings or events. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of the basic terminologies, formalities and techniques relating to wine.
Although HKUSPACE is not an online learning platform, it has provisions for the online registration of interested participants who want to enrol in their wine class.
The lesson plan will include comprehensive details on what wine is, it's production, the steps of wine tasting, understanding wine labels and wine regions. All lessons will be delivered by well trained, experienced instructors who specialise in wine education.
In your wine class, you will be exposed to the theoretical and practical aspects of wine appreciation. With high-quality wine varieties, carefully selected to enhance and foster the learning process.
HKUSPACE believes that in addition to using up to date information on approaching and appreciating wine, practical illustration and demonstration of the subject topic also plays a crucial role in facilitating your level of understanding and comprehension.
Choosing the Best Wine Appreciation Lesson Online
Wine is a common feature of formal events or social gatherings, and may sometimes become the topic of the discussion amongst guests who do not only enjoy taking a sip but also conversing about the various elements that have come together in a unique fashion to produce a delightful drink.
Therefore, for you not to feel left out or unable to contribute to such conversations, you need to have some basic knowledge of wine. This will help to present you with an air of sophistication and refinement as you are enlightened on the contents of your glass from which you are sipping from.
Online learning websites catering for wine appreciation lessons, can help you to accomplish this feat. These e-learning platforms are bridging the gap and providing wine enthusiasts with unlimited access to rich learning materials from top experts in the wine industry.