After school or university, most of us jump into our careers, rarely getting the opportunity to broaden our knowledge. I recently had the opportunity to be a student again, enrolling for the WSET Level 2 course with The International Wine Education Centre.
Why?
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” Working in the wine industry, tasting wines on a weekly basis, you start thinking you know enough. It's a great way to learn about the industry but without a sound and solid foundation, you will be building a wonky frame of reference. I got to work on my foundation, over the course of a weekend of intensive learning and tasting with some of the best wine minds and educators in the industry.
Wines tasted during WSET Level 2 course
The Level 2 course takes place over the course of a weekend, with class from 08h00 to 17h00 on both Saturday and Sunday. 2 Weeks later, an exam follows. This may not be the perfect picture of how to spend your weekend but it's a WINE course and although intense, with lots of study material to get through, there is always an element of fun as the wines you will taste is already an experience by itself.
What else has been gained through my WSET journey? Knowledge, confidence, accreditation and contacts in the industry. Proud as I am of my certificate and lapel pin, I am more excited by the tastings my colleague, Yoliswa Masekwana, has been presenting to our team. She also holds a WSET Level 2 qualification. Soon, I will be presenting a tasting to our team, something I didn't have the confidence or knowledge to tackle before.
Clients of The International Wine Education Centre include top wine farms such as: Creation, Warwick, Hartenberg, Jordan and many other big names in the hospitality industry, including the Mount Nelson Hotel and Cape Grace. These clients see the value of having their staff WSET trained, adding to visitors' experience and helping to raise the South African wine industry.
Next dates for the Level 2 course in Cape Town: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 August (enrolment deadline: 23 August) - BOOK HERE
Johannesburg: Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September (enrolment deadline: 30 August)
Additional Cape Town dates in October and November.
Get studying!