French Wine Scholar

The French Wine Scholar Study and Certification program provides current, accurate, and in-depth information on the wines and wine regions of France.

Developed and administrated by the Wine Scholar Guild (former the French Wine Society) with the support of the French Ministry of Agriculture, this specialization program is designed for advanced students of wine, whether professionals or serious wine hobbyists.

Students of wine who follow this in-depth curriculum and pass the exam will earn the French Wine Scholar (FWS) post-nominal.

Course Overview

The French Wine Scholar Program covers French wine law, grape varieties, viticulture, winemaking and all of the French wine regions This core body of knowledge is important whether you sell wine, buy wine or teach about wine.

We will cover the regions of:

• Week 1: Alsace & Wines Laws
• Week 2: Champagne & Grape Varieties
• Week 3: Bourgogne
• Week 4: Beaujolais, Jura & Savoie
• Week 5: Loire & Viticulture
• Week 6: Bordeaux
• Week 7: Rhone & Viniculture
• Week 8: Provence & Languedoc – Roussillon
• Week 9: Southwest and Corsica & Review

Certification Exam

The French Wine Scholar (FWS) credential will be conferred to those individuals who achieve a score of 75 or higher on a 100-question multiple-choice test. Candidates scoring 85-90 pass with Honors. Candidates scoring 91-100 pass with Highest Honors.

Online Study Program

To complement the manual and classroom experience, there are:

• 20 multimedia E-learning modules with full audio narration
• A comprehensive series of webinars on regional wine styles with a suggested wine list
• Review quizzes for self-evaluation, instructor Q&A forum for personal assistance and downloadable maps