Wine enthusiasts will be able to obtain internationally recognised wine qualifications through Sirromet Winery from March.
Sirromet at Mount Cotton is the first Australian winery to offer the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses.
WSET was founded in the United Kingdom in 1969 and has become the foremost international body in wine and spirits education.
Sirromet will initially offer level one and two courses in wine and spirits.
The courses are suited to people who work in the wine and hospitality industry, sales representatives, bottle shop owners or managers and wine enthusiasts.
The course educator is Sirromet Wines chief winemaker Adam Chapman, who has over 30 years experience in winemaking in Australia and France.
Mr Chapman said the courses, particularly at the lower levels, are for anyone who likes wine and wants to know a bit more.
Each course involves self-study, followed by lectures and tastings and an exam.
Level one takes about a month and level two about three months to complete.
Sirromet staff will undergo training in level one in December and the course will be available to members of the public from March.
Mr Chapman said the course will help people to understand some of the science behind wine.
“For staff the intention is that they will be more confident, have better posture when they talk about wine and have world knowledge about wines.”
According to Mr Chapman, the WSET system, with exams set and marked in the United Kingdom, is partly what makes the course such a success.
“The qualification is from the United Kingdom and the course, to the same standard, is being taught around the world. Whether it is taught in Mandarin, Russian or English, it is all to the same standard.”
Mr Chapman is currently doing a WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits, which is equivalent to level four.
It has taken Sirromet and Mr Chapman nearly two years to be able to provide the courses.
The process has involved the winemaker completing up to level three of the WSET courses and an education and training course, being approved as the course educator at Sirromet, and writing policies and meeting the other requirements of WSET.
Course information is available on the Sirromet website.
