Italian Wine Scholar

NB – Be aware that you need to pass both units to become an Italian Wine Scholar.
It is not necessary to first complete unit 1 before starting with unit 2. The 2 modules may be completed in any order.

The Italian Wine Scholar® education program is the most advanced, comprehensive, and up-to-date Italian wine course available. The syllabus takes a regional approach and discusses all Italian wine appellations and the factors that shape their identities.

The program provides committed students of wine with an unparalleled set of study tools that are designed to maximize learning and boost knowledge retention.

It was created by native Italian, Maurizio Broggi, DipWSET, FWS, CSW with the support of the Italian wine DOC/G consortia.

The Italian Trade Commission (ITA) endorsed the program in recognition of its exceptional level of depth, accuracy, detail, and academic rigor.

The Italian Wine Scholar program is composed of two separate units:

o Unit 1: Northern Italy
o Unit 2: Central & Southern Italy

The Italian Wine Scholar study and certification program confers a post-nominal to wine professionals and enthusiasts who successfully pass the certification exams (Ex: John Smith, IWS). With a school network encompassing 30 countries on 5 continents, the IWS credential has true international recognition.

The program includes all the necessary tools & support to Master the wines of Italy:

Our sessions will include 18 hours of classroom instruction with tutored tasting taught by an approved instructor plus:

• The 260-page full-color Italian Wine Scholar study manual
• 1-year access to the Italian Wine Scholar online study program for class preparation and review
• Registration for the Italian Wine Scholar Exam

In order to bring each region to life, you will also taste a total of over 35 different wines over the course of the program.

Who is this program for?

The Italian Wine Scholar Program Unit One covers Italian wine law, grape varieties and their organoleptic profiles, viticulture, winemaking, wine industry trends and economics and all DOCs and DOCGs with their regulations, wine styles and specificities. This core body of knowledge is important whether you sell wine, buy wine or teach about wine. The IWS program allows wine professionals to set themselves apart from their peers by specializing in the wines of Italy.

The Italian Wine Scholar program is a great resource and supplement for students of wine moving toward advanced general wine study programs such as WSET Diploma (level 4), Master of Wine, Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Sommelier (level 3 and up) or Society of Wine Educator’s Certified Wine Educator (CWE).

While not a pre-requisite, we recommend that students successfully complete at least the lower-level course WSET Level 3 before entering the IWS program.