Milwaukee Wine Academy

About

MWA was founded in 2023 by a trio comprised of Professor Jeffrey K. Coleman, Tim Cole, and Derek Hawkins with the vision of making wine appreciation accessible and entertaining to as diverse an audience as possible. MWA offers educational programs from various levels of wine proficiency to enthusiast and professional levels, thus establishing a wine culture in Milwaukee.

Classes are held at Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, where each session concentrates on varied different wine stylistics or regions. Complementing the regular coursework, MWA also partners with local businesses to mount various events ranging from wine field trips down to community gatherings that reach more places and people in building the wine experience for the city.

Most notably, MWA launched the Spanish Wine Scholar™ program in 2024, which is the only such certification offered in the Midwest. This program is designed to be an entry point for the student and professional who will go on to develop a more profound knowledge of Spanish wines.

The Milwaukee Wine Academy makes its way into the frontiers of wine education through community-driven means, making it approachable and inclusive for those interested in expanding their knowledge.

The Review

With a knowledgeable instructor base and community-oriented approach, the Milwaukee Wine Academy rises as a sure foundation for wine enthusiasts based in the Midwest. It offers a very approachable, inclusive environment that students seem to really enjoy. The uniqueness of their offerings and the way they partner with so many locals seems to be what students rave about most about this academy.

Because MWA has a WSET-like structure, it may feel too conventional for those in search of a finely tuned, non-franchise learning experience. By offering more variety and frequency of programming, MWA could better serve aspiring professionals and dedicated aficionados alike.

Founders

In 2023, the collaborative efforts of Dr. Jeffrey K. Coleman, Tim Cole, and Derek Hawkins brought the Milwaukee Wine Academy into existence. The purpose set for the organization is to democratize wine education. Dr. Coleman himself, while a professor of Spanish at Northwestern University, lends scholarly depth to the academy with his WSET and Spanish Wine Scholar™ certifications.

Tim Cole, a born-and-raised Milwaukee native, brought years of work experience in the software industry to fill the need within his community for a more inclusive wine culture. Derek Hawkins has supported wine education programs as a means of greater democratization of the grape within the community. Together, they have opened up a warm space of wine exploration and education in Milwaukee.