Advanced Wine Appreciation

Independent study. xplor is not an IAMI- or PYA-accredited GUEST training provider and is not a WSET Approved Programme Provider. This course covers the ground assessed in GUEST Unit 13 (for which WSET Level 2 is a recognised equivalent); it awards no unit, certificate or qualification of any kind.

Included in xplor Interior — All Access

All-access pass

xplor Interior — All Access

€99per year · all-access

40 courses
552 lessons

One pass unlocks every course in the library. Independent study — no certificate is awarded.

INT-WINE-2-1 · Systematic Tasting to a Professional Standard

3 lessons

INT-WINE-2-1.1 The Structured Approach Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-1.1.1

The Systematic Approach: Appearance, Nose and PalatePreview

The full structured tasting approach: appearance, nose, palate and conclusions, taken in a fixed order every time. Learn the vocabulary that lets you compare wines reliably and talk to sommeliers and suppliers.

INT-WINE-2-1.1.2

Calibrating Structure: Acidity, Tannin, Body and Alcohol🔒

How to feel and rate acidity, tannin, alcohol, body and sweetness accurately, with reference points and service temperatures. Covers the classic palate confusions and how to fix a wine that is showing badly.

INT-WINE-2-1.2 Judgement and Communication Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-1.2.1

Blind Tasting, Quality, Readiness and Describing Wine to a Guest🔒

How to narrow down grape and origin blind using climate and varietal markers, judge quality on balance, intensity, complexity and length, and describe a wine to a guest in plain language.

INT-WINE-2-2 · The Classic Regions in Depth

5 lessons

INT-WINE-2-2.1 France Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-2.1.1

Bordeaux: Left Bank, Right Bank and the 1855 Classification🔒

The Left Bank/Right Bank divide, the grapes and soils behind it, and exactly what the 1855 classification does and does not cover.

INT-WINE-2-2.1.2

Burgundy: From Regional to Grand Cru🔒

Burgundy classifies the vineyard, not the estate: how the regional, village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru ladder works, and why the producer matters as much as the tier.

INT-WINE-2-2.1.3

Rhône, Loire, Alsace and Provence🔒

Syrah in the north and GSM blends in the south of the Rhône, the Loire's Chenin and Sauvignon, varietally labelled Alsace, and the pale dry rosé of Provence.

INT-WINE-2-2.2 Italy Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-2.2.1

Italy: Piedmont, Tuscany and the Veneto🔒

Nebbiolo in Piedmont, Sangiovese in Tuscany and the Veneto's Soave, Valpolicella and Amarone, set against Italy's DOCG/DOC/IGT ladder.

INT-WINE-2-2.3 Iberia, Germany and Austria Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-2.3.1

Spain, Portugal, Germany and Austria🔒

Rioja's ageing categories and Ribera del Duero, the Douro's dry reds, and the German Prädikat ripeness scale alongside Austria's Grüner Veltliner.

INT-WINE-2-3 · The New World in Depth

3 lessons

INT-WINE-2-3.1 The Americas Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-3.1.1

The USA: Napa, Sonoma, Oregon and Washington🔒

Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast, Oregon's Burgundian Pinot Noir and Washington's structured reds, plus how the AVA system guarantees origin but not style.

INT-WINE-2-3.1.2

Chile and Argentina🔒

Chile's coastal and Andean valleys and its Carmenère, Argentina's altitude-driven Malbec and Torrontés, and why both are the backbone of a value-conscious charter list.

INT-WINE-2-3.2 The Southern Hemisphere and New World Labelling Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-3.2.1

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and New World Labelling🔒

The signature regions and grapes of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and the key structural difference between European appellations and New World geographic indications.

INT-WINE-2-4 · Sparkling, Fortified, Sweet and Wine Onboard

5 lessons

INT-WINE-2-4.1 Sparkling Wine Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-4.1.1

Sparkling Wine: Traditional Method, Champagne and the Tank Method🔒

Traditional method versus tank method, the styles and dosage scale of Champagne, house versus grower, and where Prosecco, Cava and English sparkling fit.

INT-WINE-2-4.2 Fortified and Sweet Wine Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-4.2.1

Fortified Wine: Sherry, Port and Madeira🔒

The flor styles of Sherry and the solera system, the main Port styles and which of them require decanting, and Madeira - the one wine that survives anything.

INT-WINE-2-4.2.2

Sweet Wine: Botrytis, Ice Wine, Sauternes and Tokaji🔒

Noble rot, freezing and drying as routes to sweetness; Sauternes and Tokaji in detail; and the service and pairing rules that stop a great sweet wine tasting cloying.

INT-WINE-2-4.3 Wine on a Superyacht Practice in examiner →

INT-WINE-2-4.3.1

Building the Cellar: Buying, Budget Tiers, Provenance and Storage Onboard🔒

Building a cellar to the owner's taste across budget tiers, checking provenance to avoid counterfeits, and the storage conditions - temperature stability, humidity, vibration, light - that keep it drinkable.

INT-WINE-2-4.3.2

Inventory, Wine Lists and Serving Rare Bottles🔒

Bottle-level inventory, insurance and valuation, building a balanced charter list, and the practical service of old bottles - standing time, sediment, decanting, cork failure and the honest conversation when a great bottle is faulted.

Aligned to the IAMI GUEST Program framework. Preparatory study only — assessment and certification are carried out by an approved GUEST Training Provider. Official source (GUEST Program).

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