Certified Specialist of Wine Online - Asynchronous Format

Our 9-week Certified Specialist of Wine Online program was created by Master Sommelier David Glancy to fully prepare students for the notoriously rigorous CSW exam.  David knows CSW better than most. He is one of only 12 Master Sommeliers in the world to achieve Society of Wine Educator's top credential, Certified Wine Educator. He also sits on the Board of Directors for Society of Wine Educators.

Certified Specialist of Wine Online is also enjoyed by any student looking to enhance their knowledge of wine tasting, terminology, composition, chemistry, flaws, viticulture, enology, labels, laws and wine regions of the world.

The program is part of the Glancy eWine School and includes university style curriculum with personalized online instruction, engaging student interaction and creative weekly tasting assignments expertly designed to bring the classroom to you!  Each week, students will tackle a new subject in our virtual classroom with an industry leading instructor, engage in discussion with their peers, and complete weekly in-depth tasting assignments.

Also check out our weekly in-person CSW format taking place at our gorgeous Wine Education & Event Center!

How Do Our Online Classes Work?

Each week students will tackle a new subject in our virtual classroom, read materials at their own pace, engage in discussions with their instructor and peers, and complete weekly tasting assignments receiving instructor feedback to hone their skills. In addition, students will have access to Virtual Lectures by Master Sommelier David Glancy. 

This is an asynchronous program where there are no set class hours and students participate on their own schedule.  There are however assignment and quiz due dates within each week and we strongly recommend keeping pace with the group to get the most out of peer interaction and discussions.

Want to see how our online classes work?  Email us at help@sfwineschool.com and we'll give you a tour of the virtual classroom!

Personalized Online Instruction

Your industry-leading instructor will personally connect with you and your classmates in the virtual classroom, guiding you through the curriculum, answering your questions, providing feedback and taking an active role in the class discussions.

Self-paced Learning

Our virtual class materials are designed to accommodate all different learning styles and schedules. Read the slides and articles, listen to lectures, watch the videos, view the maps - pause, skip ahead, go back, jump to a different section – all with the click of a mouse.

Student Interaction

Our online programs are designed to promote engagement with the other members of the class. Students gain a new network of wine professionals and serious enthusiasts from all over the world. In many ways, our online students are more connected than those who meet live in a traditional program. Weekly discussions are known to get very lively and because there are no set classroom hours, students engage much more than they would during a traditional class. Some classes even decide to come together from far and wide just to meet in person at the end of the program.

Wine Tasting Assignments 

Each tasting assignment is designed to impart the learning objectives for each region of study and has flexible parameters to allow for differences in wine availability in your area. Get to know your local wine shop, tasting bar, your own cellar, or hit the road to see the region in person! Locating wines that meet the assignment criteria is half the fun and enriches the learning experience. Read the Wine Requirements.

Certified Specialist of Wine Online program consists of an orientation plus nine learning modules over a 10-week period.  The weekly modules are as follows:

1. Virtual Classroom Orientation
2. Tasting, Chemistry & Flaws Intensive
3. Viticulture & Enology Intensive
4. Wines of Northern France
5. Wines of Southern France
6. Wines of Italy
7. Wines of Spain, Portugal & Greece
8. Wines of Germany & Eastern Europe
9. Wines of North America
10. Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

$1,295pp Registration Fee Includes

• Exam Fees & Registration
• 1 year access to San Francisco Wine School's CSW Online Classroom
• CSW Certificate & Pin upon successful completion

Students can procure a Certified Specialist of Wine Study Guide in paperback or Kindle formats on Amazon.  San Francisco Wine School's Slide Manual is also available. Email help@sfwineschool.com for instructions on ordering.

The Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) is an internationally recognized credential conferred by the Society of Wine Educators (SWE), which has branches in countries around the globe. Obtaining the CSW demonstrates your mastery of wines of the entire world and can help you launch or further your career in wine. It is also a mandatory prerequisite for SWE's top credential, Certified Wine Educator (CWE).

CSW exam registrations are included in the program and are good for one full year from the start of the program. CSW exams are available in person or online at Pearson VUE. Students will be sent an authorization code and further instructions after the program begins. With the authorization code, a CSW Exam may be scheduled with the testing center at the candidate's preferred time and place.

This is considered an intermediate level program.  We encourage beginner students to take our Intro to Wine Series, Somm Essentials, or the equivalent prior to enrolling.

Our online classroom and the resources within it are not completely compatible with all smartphones and tablets.  We recommend having access to a computer to ensure all of the online resources will be available.

We strongly recommend students purchase the most current edition of the Official Society of Wine Educators' CSW Study Guide available online at amazon.com