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.

Free

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 Palate

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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