Wine Education Path

We are often asked how Wine Scholar Guild certifications compare to the other major providers of wine certifications. This guide is designed to help you understand the differences in order to make informed choices about your wine study journey.

Along with WSG, there are several well-established and recognized routes from which to choose. The Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the Society of Wine Educators (SWE) are reputed for their general wine education programs. 

Wine Scholar Guild offers specialized courses on the wines of France, Italy, Spain and Germany. WSG programs perfectly compliment the others and offer more in-depth study for those wishing to focus on one or all of the three top wine-producing and wine-exporting countries in the world. WSG programs also contain cultural and historical information about the countries and regions that is not typically covered in general programs by the other providers. 

The visual below is designed to help you position WSG certifications amongst the other major providers on the market. 

CMS, WSET, and SWE study programs are broad-based general courses that cover all the major wine-producing countries of the world, giving the wine student a well-rounded and global perspective.

Furthermore, each tends to lead toward a different end goal and carrier path as students climb up their different levels of instruction.

• CMS's ultimate mission is to train and certify sommeliers, often already in, or seeking opportunities in restaurants and hospitality
• WSET's Diploma level is strongly suggested by the Institute of Masters of Wine as a prerequisite for entering the Master of Wine program

Wine Scholar Guild offers in-person and online courses that allow students to specialize in a specific country or region.

Our Essentials and Wine Scholar® certification programs focus on a single country: France, Italy, Spain and Germany – and dive deep, allowing students to concentrate their learning on the wines of a specific country.

Our Masters programs go a step further and focus on a single wine region, allowing advanced students to develop an area of specialization and expertise.

France, Italy and Spain are the top three wine-producing countries in the world. Therefore, having an in-depth understanding of these countries is critical to all wine students. In this regard, Wine Scholar Guild wine certification programs supplement and complement the study programs offered by CMS, WSET, and SWE; they do not replace them.

A core part of our educational philosophy is providing our students with all the study materials they need to succeed. Our innovative and multi-faceted approach inspires our students:

• Our wine study guides are current, concise and objective - without being encyclopedic
• We provide many online resources, including downloadable documents, wine education videos, interactive e-learning modules, online quizzes and discussion forums

Anyone can apply these learning tools to other curriculums.

Membership in the Wine Scholar Guild provides unlimited access to WSG Studio, our extensive library of live and streaming content, that covers a range of topics pertinent to wine students at all stages of wine study:

• New students of wine - gain an understanding of the fundamentals of viticulture, winemaking, grape varieties, wine tasting, wine service and more
• Intermediate to advanced students of wine will benefit from exploring key wine regions and wine appellations, advanced wine service, regional wines and food pairings, and the trends and evolutions within important wine regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne

WSG membership is a must-have for all committed students of wine and allows you to keep your knowledge in constant motion.

Our country-specific Wine Scholar programs can help intermediate to advanced wine students understand the key regions of France, Italy, Spain and Germany.

A foundation unit puts the country's history, wine laws, grape varieties, viticulture and winemaking practices into perspective before diving into advanced wine study of each country's wine region. Topics covered include regional history, climate, topography, geology, soils, appellations and wine styles. Supplemental materials discuss regional foods such as bread, cheeses, local dishes and renowned agricultural products and foodstuffs.

In-classroom wine tastings allow you to hone your wine tasting skills, network with peers, and become well-versed in the wines of France, Italy, Spain and Germany.

Our French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Scholar, and Spanish Wine Scholar programs can serve as a helpful complement to intermediate general wine study programs such as WSET level 3 and up, Court of Master Sommelier Level 1 and up, as well as the Society of Wine Educator (CWE) Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW).

General wine study programs such as WSET level 3 and up, Court of Master Sommelier Level 1 and up, as well as the Society of Wine Educator (CWE), Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) will give wine students a solid foundation to enter our Wine Scholar Programs and Masters programs from a position of strength, which are ideal wine courses for WSET 3 students and up.

Our Masters programs provide wine education under the wings of true regional experts, allowing advanced wine students to master the complexities of the world's benchmark wine regions.

Masters programs pair tremendously with our immersion study abroad experiences in wine regions of France, Italy, Spain and beyond.

Both Masters programs and wine study tours can serve as a helpful complement to advanced courses of study such as the WSET Diploma, the Master of Wine credential, CMS Level 3 and up, or the Certified Wine Educator credential.

Explore in greater detail how WSG programs compare with the offerings of the leading general wine education bodies: