While we believe everyone can find something useful and fun from our wine classes here at Capital Wine School, we know many people are considering our wine classes for more than just a fun experience with friends. If you are considering furthering your career with our advanced wine classes, there are several things to consider before starting this journey, so we have shared a few of these below.

How To Decide If Wine Classes are Right For You

  1. Is wine something you are currently interested in?
    With so many incredible options these days for careers and interests, if you are going to spend the money and time to take wine classes, it is important that you have at least a small interest in the wine industry. Wine classes require time, money, and your own research as you learn and grow through each course level, so it helps a lot to get through the courses if this is something you are genuinely interested in and want to do in the future. As you work your way from beginner to advanced and even further through the WSET levels, you will find that interest grow as you discover the incredible world of wine.
  2. Are you working in the wine industry in some capacity?
    Are you currently a bartender, waitress or waiter? Maybe you are a chef or cook in a kitchen that uses wine in a lot of their dishes? Do you work at a winery? Maybe you work in marketing or sales for a company that sells wine. There are so many places you can begin working in now to get real-world experience being around wine and those who know about wine. Wine classes are required to further your career in the wine industry and are so important, but real-life experience is just as important and shows your dedication to learning and growing in this industry.
  3. Do you live in an area where you can further your career in the wine industry?
    While we understand not everyone can work in the wine industry right off the bat, it helps to live somewhere where you can eventually start your career in this industry. And not just start your career, but further advance it as well. If you live in the middle of nowhere that has one restaurant that does not serve alcohol at all, real-world experience and advancing your career is not going to happen. A relocation may be necessary to give yourself options and opportunities that you may not have where you currently live.
  4. Can you dedicate the time needed for wine classes?
    Wine classes take time. From taking the class to the homework to your own research, it all takes time and dedication. But it is all worth it when you are doing what you love. The big question is, do you have the time or can you set aside the time needed to take wine classes? It is worth making sure you can take as many of the wine classes as you need and that you can advance through The WSET courses if that is what you plan to do. Obviously life is full of surprises, and we cannot control everything, but knowing you will need to really hone in and focus to get through the more advanced classes is good to know before you get started. Sometimes it is worth waiting a short time until you have already moved or you have completed another course for something else or family has left for the holidays, etc. Trying to do too much at once could make the courses harder than they need to be and add frustration that could have been avoided.
  5. Are there friends or coworkers who want to take the wine classes with you?
    Classes are always more fun with friends, and wine courses are no different. Having someone you can go to class with or log in online with while also having a study buddy can make all the difference in how much you enjoy the courses. We want everyone to enjoy the wine classes they take, and we work to make our classes as interesting as possible, but having someone else you know in the class can make a huge difference. Ask your friends or coworkers before you register for your first wine class if it is something they might be interested in. Someone may surprise you. And even if they are not interested in getting in the wine industry, they may be willing to take some of the beginner courses with you for fun to increase their knowledge and appreciation of fine wines.

We hope these points help you decide if taking wine classes and/or The WSET courses is right for you. There are so many amazing careers that you can choose from that wine classes will help you advance further in your career, and we would love to help you learn more about wine and all it entails. You can view our online course schedule here. From beginner wine classes to advanced courses in The WSET, we cover it all and look forward to sharing our knowledge of fine wines with you.