2019 marked 50 years since the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) was founded to provide wine and spirits education to the trade. At the time, the organization was a modest UK initiative. Today, it stands as the world’s largest provider of wine and spirits qualifications for professionals and enthusiasts alike. In its anniversary year, WSET launched a celebratory campaign with the dual purpose of honoring its past and charting a bold new course for the future.
WSET Chief Executive Ian Harris said at the time, “2019 marks a momentous year for WSET and we are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the occasion. We will be bringing together our network of qualification holders and educators worldwide… and more importantly, inspire a future generation of better-educated wine and spirits professionals and enthusiasts who will make this industry thrive for another 50 years and beyond.”
The anniversary year featured profiles of early WSET Diploma graduates, a commemorative book edited by David Wrigley MW, and the debut of Wine Education Week—held globally from 9–15 September 2019. Over 100 events took place in 30+ countries, aiming to engage new wine consumers with approachable classes and tastings. Recognizable wine personalities from the UK, China, and the United States supported the campaign.
At the same time, WSET made several forward-looking promises:
- To expand access to wine and spirits education globally, especially in underserved markets
- To invest in digital learning tools and expand its online footprint
- To promote diversity and inclusion within the wine education space
- To launch new qualifications and deepen offerings in spirits and sake
Five years later, the results are mixed.
The global pandemic understandably disrupted WSET’s operations, forcing rapid adaptations in delivery and delaying international expansion. But the deeper issue is not what was paused—it’s what never fully materialized.
Digital tools like the WSET Tasting Notes app, launched in 2019, quickly fell into disuse. Online courses remained static and were widely criticized for outdated interfaces and a lack of interactivity, especially when compared to emerging competitors.
Efforts toward inclusivity, while verbally acknowledged, were largely performative. WSET’s leadership and educator base still reflect an overwhelmingly traditional demographic, and there has been little in the way of scholarships, outreach programs, or systemic change.
Some success came with the launch of the Level 3 Spirits certification in 2021, but core wine education offerings—especially the foundational Level 2 and Level 3 awards—remain essentially unchanged. Promised innovation in curriculum and pedagogy has yet to appear.
Global access has expanded in some regions, particularly in East Asia and parts of Europe, but coverage in Africa, Latin America, and parts of the U.S. remains limited or inconsistent. And with several U.S.-based program providers dropping WSET due to rising costs and limited support, cracks in the system have begun to show.
WSET’s 50th anniversary was a milestone worth celebrating, and its contributions to wine and spirits education over the past half-century are undeniable. But many of the promises made during that celebratory year remain unfulfilled—and the longer the wait, the louder the questions about the organization’s future direction.
