Spanish Wine Essentials Certification Program

Whether you're a wine professional, inquisitive wine enthusiast or energetic epicurean looking to enhance your experiences through food and wine; Spanish Wine Essentials provide students with a solid foundation on the wines of Spain.

Designed by the Wine Scholar Guild and taught by our Industry Leading Instructors with wine selections curated by Master Sommelier David Glancy, our Spanish Wine Essentials program presents the often-complex world of Spanish wine in an accessible and engaging way; highlighting “need to know” regions, grape varieties and wine styles.

Students explore the culture, cuisine, history, viticulture and winemaking principles behind the most influential wine regions in the world while gaining industry-recognized certification.

Spanish Wine Essentials is an introductory course.  It's the perfect launchpad to the highly respected Spanish Wine Scholar® Certification Program and the first step towards Spanish wine mastery.

Wine Scholar Guild Essentials programs offer a great way to ignite a lifetime of learning and passion for wine.  Your wine Essentials journey begins here!

Master Sommelier David Glancy is proud to have received one of the first Instructor of the Year awards ever by granted by Wine Scholar Guild.  Evaluations were based upon enrollment numbers, pass rates, student evaluations, as well as dynamism of communication.  

Registration Fee Includes

• 8 hours of live instruction with San Francisco Wine School's Industry Leading Instructors
• Tasting of 20+ Spanish wines carefully curated by Master Sommelier David Glancy
• Tasting kit creation for online participants (free standard delivery is available across the US  LEARN MORE) 
• Detailed and comprehensive 125-page Spanish Wine Essentials coursebook rich with photographs and maps
• One-year access to Wine Scholar guild's e-learning platform including online support modules and interactive activities related to your course
• Optional in-person Spanish Wine Essentials Exam
• Spanish Wine Essentials Certificate upon passing the exam
• San Francisco Wine School water bottle

*Installment plans available. Group discounts are available. Contact help@sfwineschool.com for more information.

Spain is home to over 140 appellations. SWE introduces you to 23 of the most influential Spanish appellations. Place of origin, grape varieties, wine profile, production and pairing notes are all explored alongside notable producers and local signature cuisine. Appendices covering vine training systems, wine production methods, tasting descriptors and recommended wine lists enhance your working knowledge. Each wine is presented within a regional and cultural context while landmarks and traditional cuisine are highlighted to complete the curriculum. 

San Francisco Wine School's Spanish Wine Essentials Program includes 20 Spanish wine tastings and consists of three 2.5-hour classes and optional exam as follows:  

1. Northern Spain
2. Central Spain
3. Southern Spain
4. Optional Spanish Wine Essentials Exam

To maximize learning and retention, each need-to-know wine is organized by:

• Place of Origin
• Grape Varieties
• Wine Profile
• Production Notes
• Notable Producers

Essentials curriculum is further enriched by update-to-date maps, regional landmarks, topics of interest and local signature cuisine.

The optional Spanish Wine Scholar Prep exam is 45-minutes long and consists of 50 multiple choice questions. The optional exam must be taken in person at San Francisco Wine School.  

The Spanish Wine Essentials Certificate will be issued to those individuals who achieve a score of 60 percent or higher. 

The curriculum and teaching materials for the Spanish Wine Scholar Exam program are the same regardless of whether you study in California or Calgary. Our curated tasting exercises and industry leading instructors will make the difference in your learning experience. 

All attendees must be 21+ years old.  Spanish Wine Essentials requires no prior wine knowledge.