Wine Education – The Journey Continues…

It has been awhile since I posted anything about our journey through wine education. On the last update there were three of us from Van in Black that attempted passing level 3 in Wines course from the Wine & Spirit Educational Trust (WSET) organization. It was a very difficult test that involved three different tests (multiple choice, essay, and a blind taste test). Out of the three of us from Van in Black that took the test, only one of us (myself) passed. If I recall correctly there was only a 30% pass rate in that particular class. It was very difficult and I was surprised that I passed. Another surprise was that everyone from Van in Black passed 2 out of the 3 exams. We all passed the multiple choice and the blind taste test but the essay questions were the crux of the problem with the overall test. Did I say it was difficult? Oh yeah, I did…Sorry.

Finish 3…Maybe Level 4?

Every now and then I bring it up to to the others that took level 3 with me to encourage them to retake the essay part of the exam and finish Level 3. This obviously is easy for me to say since I wouldn’t have to retake the test but hopefully I will inspire them to put forth the effort, finish it, and get the bougie pin that comes with passing WSET level 3. As for myself and continuing on to level 4, well, lets just say that up until a few weeks ago I really hadn’t thought about it. Did I say how difficult level 3 was? Level 4 takes it to an entirely different level. It is not a “lets study for a little bit and go take a test” kind of a commitment. Level 4 consists of 6 separate tests that are taken at different times, a blind taste test of 18 different wines, and a thesis that you have to write. This level typically takes a person 18-24 months to complete and is the highest level of certification in wine that is offered by WSET. I was totally fine with level 3 until the other person that passed level 3 with me told me that they were going for level 4. It was a “lets do it” kind of a conversation. Kudos to them for being the first one brave enough to even think about it. They texted me a week later to let me know that they had enrolled and sent me the details necessary for me to enroll. I could go on and on at this point with all of my internal thought processes regarding this but to save you that boredom I will just jump right to the end and state that I too am now enrolled in the WSET level 4 class being offered at the Capital Wine School located in Washington DC. Our classes started a few weeks and, yes, this looks like it is going to be very difficult. Yikes!

Onward!

So for those of you who are interested in following along on this journey, I will post updates from time-to-time. Our first test is actually later this month (February 2025) but we probably won’t know the results of this test until sometime in April; which is about when we will probably be taking the next test. I would love to tell you more about all of the different classes that we have to take but I have to go study. I will say, however, that if you are even the slightest bit interested in wine education for yourself, check out the article on Wine Knowledge that I wrote in the September 2023 issue of Screw It Wine magazine. It provides a good argument for why wine education matters and why you should consider it. Until then, you will probably find me behind a book or on my phone reviewing flash cards.

Why Does This Matter?

If you have been following us on this journey you might be wondering why all of this matters to a company like Van in Black. We are a transportation company and the production and/or serving of wine is not any part of our business. While this may be true, we do however, provide a lot of wine tours in the region. The wine tour business is what really got Van in Black started in the transportation business and is what has help us grow the business to what it is today. We, or at least I, tend to obsess over things and really want our wine tours to be the best possible experience for our customers. I may not be a driver or guide on all wine tours that we perform but I am working behind the scenes building relationships with the wineries we visit to ensure that our customers receive an outstanding experience. I also use these relationships to create options for people who are more into wine and want an elevated experience. Wine means different things to different people and if you are a connoisseur of wine or want to learn more about wine during your tour experience, we want to properly provide service at that level. This is all about being able to meet our clients at the level they want to go to with regards to a wine experience. We actually love it when we get a client who is really into wine and we can totally geek out with them about it.

So if you were wondering “Why does this matter?”; it matters to us because our clients matter to us.