WSET One: Part Three

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out

The week seemed to fly by. Bri and I tried to find pockets of time around our work schedules to fit in a bit of study. I took a few hours through out the week to memorize the material through highlighting important information and Bri made her flashcards. We probably had 2-3 one-hour study session where we quizzed each other and had open discussions about what we were reading. Putting things into context and tying what we learned to past experiences really made a huge difference when attempting to process the information. To be honest, the information was not as difficult as we had originally thought. Our instructor had provided some good study material and a plethora pf practice exams. After all the WSET level One Award in wine is a beginner level introduction suitable for those starting a wine career or pursuing an interest in wine.

Tuesday rolled around, and we found ourselves once again sitting in the classroom. We jumped right in and completed the second portion of the classroom time. Topics included wine storage, styles of wine, various regions, structural components, wine and food pairing and the WSET 1 systematic approach to tasting. Once we had completed the material, we were able to try a few more wines including a Port, Sherry, Bordeaux and Cote De Rhone.  The trick here was just to taste the wine so you would not be cloudy for the test. Nobody listened to that trick. I think the small amount of wine actually helped with the nerves.

Following the tasting was a brief review of everything we had learned in the past two classes. The questions were projected at the front of the room and the class answered as a whole. I will say the review was extremely helpful.

It was time. Tim gave us all our testing materials and a test registration number. The directions we clear, and we were off.

The class finished the exam quickly and handed our materials back. Once everyone had finished the class was over. Tim ended our last class by sabering a bottle of Champaign open. This means he opened a bottle of Champaign with a sword. The class went by too quickly but was a solid experience. I would highly recommend the Charm City Wine School to anyone looking to pursue their interests in wine.

Update: 4 Weeks later… We passed!

Bri: 100%

Ian: 97%