Italian 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; Italian Wine Essentials provide students with a solid foundation on the wines of Italy.

Designed by the Wine Scholar Guild and taught by our Industry Leading Instructors with wine selections curated by Master Sommelier David Glancy, our  Italian Wine Essentials program presents the often-complex world of Italian 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.

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

San Francisco Wine School is proud to have been awarded the 2021 IWS Program Provider of the Year out of over 100 providers in 30 countries.  Evaluations were based upon enrollment numbers, pass rates, student evaluations, pro-active initiatives to adapt to Covid, as well as dynamism in terms of communication.  

Registration Fee Includes

• 8 hours of live instruction with San Francisco Wine School's Industry Leading Instructors
• Tasting of 20+ Italian wines carefully curated by Master Sommelier David Glancy
• Tasting kit creation for online participants (free delivery is available across the US  LEARN MORE) 
• Detailed and comprehensive 125-page Italian 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 Italian Wine Essentials Exam
• Italian 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.

Italy is home to over 400 appellations. Italian Wine Essentials introduces you to 39 of the most well-known 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 Italian Wine Essentials Program includes 20 Italian wine tastings and consists of three 2.5-hour classes and optional exam as follows:  

1. Northern Italy
2. Central Italy
3. Southern Italy
4. Optional Italian 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 Italian 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 Italian 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 Italian 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.  Italian Wine Essentias require no prior wine knowledge, only a willingness to learn and expand your horizons through study. The program provides all the tools required to fully grasp the essentials of French, Italian or Spanish wine.