Napa Valley Wine Academy Claimed

The school’s slogan is “Napa Valley Wine Academy is America’s Premier Wine School.” They are a great school, but that slogan is not precisely true: they are one of America’s top five wine schools.

Overview

In the heart of California’s most famous wine region is the Napa Valley Wine Academy (NVWA), a well-rounded private education center for wine professionals. It offers courses from various universally recognized wine education institutions like the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET ) and the Society of Wine Educators.

The coursework here is both interactive and practical. NVWA utilizes in-class lectures and instructor-led field trips into vineyards and cooperates and one-on-one winemaker talks to prepare their students. This is geared to develop the candidate’s wine knowledge and tasting skills. In addition, they have other locations around the country, including one at the Epicurean Hotel in Tampa, Florida.

Tailored itineraries are just the tip of the iceberg.

Certifications at the Wine Academy

Like many wine schools, they offer a scatter-shot approach to wine certifications. They provide at least four different sommelier programs, plus a few programs they developed internally. As a result, their wine certification courses are a bit of a hodge-podge, but they are a well-funded school in the heart of America’s wine country.

Training as a sommelier is more complex than merely tasting a few wines and learning the basics. The NVWA understands that all too well, with vast team experience to reflect that. Their accomplished lecturers deliver well-instructed sessions. In addition, candidates will have Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, seasoned Oenologists, and lecturers engaging them through courses such as the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and French Wine Scholar Study Certification program.

Are you a beginner? Do not let all that intimidate you; these courses are easy to master in their competent hands. Here’s a brief look at what each specialized course covers. For the Court of Masters and Wines and Spirits Education Trust, kindly click on the links to learn more.

Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW)

The CSW is a class of convenience. Students can receive their lectures in class or online. We recommend it for novices or intermediary learners eager for a sound understanding of wine, which will be critical in career progression and networking.

Advancing a step further, the academy offers the following regional courses on the Old and New Worlds of wine. Each specialized program is designed for students serious about intricates of wine at more than just face value.

French Wine Scholar Study and Certification Program

With the French Ministry of Agriculture‘s support, this course was developed and administrated by Wine Scholar Guild (formerly known as the French Wine Society). It is current and delves deep into the French wine industry, one of the World’s oldest and most prestigious.

Learn about the critical regions, styles, culinary and traditional influences that make up French winemaking. Students of wine who follow this in-depth curriculum and pass the assessment will earn the French Wine Scholar (FWS) post-nominal.

Other Wine Certifications Available

The American Wine Study Certification Programs

Coming armed with a rudimentary understanding of wine, its fundamentals, and terminology will be convenient in this course which focuses solely on American wine. Recommended for professionals (or enthusiasts) working within the region, it delves deep into the American landscape, styles, areas, and official regulations. The information provided is accurate and always up-to-date with this ever-changing region.

IWC Level 2 Italian Wine Professional Online Course

Italian wine is widely viewed as America’s most significant wine import. Selling Italian wines indeed becomes a whole lot easier. The course covers over 80 grape varieties. Italy is well known for having unique grapes rarely found outside this region.

Napa Valley Wine Academy offers several other online wine classes. Please see our list of top virtual wine classes in America.

Accreditation

Up until several years ago, it was possible to run a wine school without a state license. However, that is no longer the case. The California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education has approval and licensing authority for both degree-granting and nondegree-granting postsecondary programs, schools, colleges, and universities within the state that are unaccredited including for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools.

The Bureau keeps an up-to-date database of all recognized schools, but Napa Valley Wine Academy is not listed. The only school in California authorized to run wine programs is the Culinary Institute of America.

Frequently Asked Questions