How do I give a course as a gift?
I received a course as a gift. How do I start my class?
Do I get a certificate when I finish my course?
How are the courses set up?
When does my course start? Is there a course schedule?
How do I get the course materials?
How do I purchase the course wines? Do I have to buy specific brands? Can I still do the tastings if I live outside the United States?
About how much do the wines for each course cost?
How do I view the video-clips? Are they available in VHS or DVD formats?
What is the Interactive Library?
Can I contact an instructor if I have a course question?
How long does it take to complete a course?
How long do I have access to my course? When does access start and what if I don't finish my course within the access period?
What are the main differences between consumer courses and trade courses?
If you have any questions that are not answered here, please e-mail us any time at
winespectatorschool@mshanken.com, or call 212-481-8610 x302 during business hours EST.
How are the courses set up?
Each course is composed of three to ten on-line classes.
Most classes include an Introduction,
Class Modules and tutored
Tasting as well as a
Review. Most classes, along with their
Worksheets, can be completed in 60-90 minutes. Classes must be completed sequentially; completing the quiz for the current class grants access to the following class.
A Quiz concludes each class and a
Final Exam evaluates knowledge gained throughout each course.
Class Modules
Each class is divided into Class Modules that cover key concepts using text, pictures, maps, quotes from winemakers and videos. For students who cannot access videos, transcripts are provided for many videos. Since the materials build on previous lessons, a sequential progression is suggested.
Review and Resources
At the end of each class, a Review recaps main concepts in preparation for the Quiz. You'll also find resources that can help you learn more about specific topics. Resources include Additional Videos, Additional Tasting Suggestions and links to reserve reading from Wine Spectator Online.
Class Worksheets and Study Guides
Most classes include Worksheets and Study Guides to reinforce key information. Packets containing these materials can be downloaded from the Introduction to the first class in each course. Print out all the packets at once and keep them on hand in a 3-ring binder, or print individual pages as needed.
Worksheets contain fill-in-the-blank or multiple choice questions that should be completed as you work through the class or as you prepare for the Quiz.
By the end of the course, you will have assembled a sizeable collection of reference materials.
Quizzes and the Final Exam
The multiple-choice Quiz at the end of each class contains 10 questions and the Final Exam at the end of the course contains 50 multiple-choice questions. Each test may be taken only once.
Both the Quizzes and the Final Exam are based on materials found in Class Modules and Tastings. Information contained in videos is not tested.
Do I get a certificate when I finish my course?
Students achieving a score of 80% or above on their Final Exam will receive a Wine Spectator School mousepad along with a certifacte suitable for framing. Each course awards a different certificate:
ABCs of Wine Tasting --> Wine Spectator School
Understanding Wine --> Wine Connoisseur
Seminar Courses --> Wine Connoisseur
ABCs of Sales and Service --> Wine Apprentice
Understanding Professional Wine Sales and Service --> Wine Professional
In addition, students scoring 90% or above on their final exam in either of the professional courses will receive a specially designed Wine Spectator pin.
Tasting
Courses can be completed without tasting and Class Modules contain all the information required to know wine from an intellectual perspective. Nevertheless, appreciating wine is a sensual experience and completing the tastings will greatly increase your understanding of wine.
Tasting Options
There are many options regarding when and where to taste:
- Most students share their tasting homework with friends. To hold your own wine tasting party, all you need to do is buy the wines, have glasses on hand, print out a copy of the tutored tasting and one copy of the tasting journal page for each participant.
- Some students work through the tasting while they're on-line
- A few take the tutored tasting and tasting journal pages to a local restaurant or bar where they can purchase the wines by the glass
A Note About Purchasing Course Wines
Part of learning about wine is learning how to purchase wine. At Wine Spectator School, students purchase their own wines.
To see which wines are required for each course, read the Wine Checklist in the course description. Once you sign up for the course, you can print out the checklist and take it to your local wine merchant.
Because most wines are not widely available, the Wine Checklist recommends styles of wine rather than specific brands. This means that your local merchant should be able to recommend a wine from their own stock that will satisfy the tasting goals. Students around the world --from Hong Kong and Singapore to Canada and the United States, from Mexico and Brazil to Spain and Denmark-- report that they are able to find the wines they need to complete the tastings.
Rather than purchasing all of the course wines in a single trip, many students enjoy a weekly excursion to the wine store. Take this opportunity to build a lasting relationship with your wine merchant or to try out a couple stores in your area.
Finally, the suggested wines are available in various price ranges; buy at your own comfort level. A more expensive wine does not necessarily provide a better illustration of a given lesson.
Additional Tasting Materials
In addition to wines, the following materials are suggested:
- Glasses: one per taster, per wine. The glasses should be tulip-shaped, with a profile that narrows toward the lip.
- Corkscrew to open bottles
- Water to cleanse the palate and hydrate
- Spit container: opaque cup
- White napkin or paper towel
- Tasting Checklist printed out from the class introduction
- A pen or pencil
- Adequate lighting
- Some tastings also call for basic foods that highlight food and wine interactions
About how much do the wines for each course cost?
You can count on spending $10-15 per bottle. The ABC courses suggest 6 wines, making the total wine cost $60-90. The Understanding courses suggest 20 wines, bringing the total wine cost to $200-300. Finally, the seminar courses suggest 8-12 wines.
Of course, you can always spend more, but if you'd like to reduce your costs, consider sharing the tasting with friends and splitting the wine cost. Another option is to buy half bottles.
Remember that you'd probably be buying wine anyway -- and that the leftover wines can be enjoyed for a few days after the tasting.
When does my course start? Is there a course schedule?
One of the benefits of taking a course online is flexible scheduling. That means your course is ready to begin as soon as you enroll. And you can access your course at any time of day or night, wherever you are as long as you have internet access.
How do I get the course materials?
The course and all course materials are accessible on-line. Much of the material, including video-clips, winemaker insights, quizzes and exams require an internet connection. A 56K connection is sufficient, but faster is better.
Some of the materials --such as worksheets, study guides and tasting forms-- can be downloaded and printed out. Like the course packets you may have bought in college, these materials provide a handy reference that you'll keep long after you have completed the course. The materials in Understanding Wine easily fill a 1-inch 3-ring binder.
You are welcome to share the tasting forms with friends and family should you hold a wine tasting party. Please note that your username and password, along with the online and printed materials (other than the tasting form), are strictly for your own personal use. (See the site's Terms and Conditions for all the legalese and copyright information.)
How do I view the video-clips? Are they available in VHS or DVD formats?
The courses contain links to video-clips, which are formatted to be viewed on-line using Real Player or Windows Medial Player. You can find technical information about both of these free video players on this site's Technical Support page.
Most of the course video-clips are 30 seconds to two minutes long. They are not available in VHS or DVD formats at this time.
What is the Interactive Library?
The Interactive Library contains audio pronunciations and slideshows as well as interviews with more than 150 of the world's top winemakers, grapegrowers, winery owners, restaurateurs, sommeliers and retailers.
You'll find links to relevant excerpts throughout each course. The excerpts themselves may be presented as video, audio or text.
Can I contact an instructor if I have a course question?
For the duration of your course, you can converse with an instructor via "Ask the Professor." This e-mail link appears on all course pages to a professor who will answer your course-related questions.
How long does it take to complete a course?
Each course contains three to ten classes. The rule of thumb is that each class can be completed in 60-120 minutes.
Understanding Wine contains ten classes packed with more than 70 video-clips, worksheets for each class and 10 tutored tastings; allow 120 minutes for each class or about 20 hours for the course.
The ABCs of Wine Tasting contains three classes, and two of those classes are mainly tutored tastings; allow 60-90 minutes per class or four hours for the course.
How long do I have access to my course? And what if I don't finish within the access period?
Your course access period begins automatically when you enroll in a course. The access period lasts for 8-20 weeks, depending on the length of your course.
For example, Understanding Wine contains 10 classes and can be accessed for 20 weeks. ABCs of Wine contains 3 classes and can be accessed for 8 weeks. Even if you finish your course early, you still have access for the full access period.
If you don't finish within the access period, send an email with your first name and last name to winespectatorschool@mshanken.com. We will be happy to extend your access for no additional charge. So why do we have access periods? Access periods help students budget their time and complete their course in a timely manner.
What are the main differences between consumer courses and trade courses?
The wine appreciation portions of the consumer and trade courses are the same. They cover the terms and concepts important for describing wines.
The trade courses contain additonal modules and video-clips that focus on wine sales and service. In addition, specialized worksheets help staff immediately apply course materials to their job.
To learn more about trade certification and our courses for the trade, read through the course descriptions and look at
Train with Wine Spectator in the Trade Course catalog.
Our two trade courses are the ABCs of Wine Sales and Service and Understanding Professional Wine Sales and Service.
Since the seminar courses contain varietal and regional information that is important for the trade, they are listed in the trade course catalog as well as in the consumer course catalog. The seminar courses do not contain any sales or service information specifically for the trade.
How do I give a course as a gift?
When it comes to giving a course, you have three options.
1.
Online
2.
Phone
Simply call 212.481.8610 x302 during business hours EST. We'll complete your enrollment, answer any questions and e-mail a gift card.
If there is no answer, please leave your name and phone number. We will get back to you within a few hours or the following business day.
3.
Fax or mail
Print out and complete the gift enrollment form and then send it to the fax number or the mailing address on the form.
The gift form includes a space for your message, which we'll e-mail to the recipient along with their username and password. You can also pick the date that the recipient will be notified.
I received a course as a gift. How do I start my class?
To start your course follow these easy steps:
1. Go to : http://www.winespectatorschool.com/wineschool/gift_open
2. Log in with the username and password you received in your gift notification email.
Please note that your login is case-sensitive.
3. Update your User Profile (you can change your password here) and complete a brief survey.
4. Click on 'My Courses' in the top right corner of your browser window and follow the links to your first class.
If you can't remember your login information, click here to receive
an e-mail with your info or contact us at wss@mshanken.com.
