ISG Sommelier Certification
Online, Classroom
Course Offerings

Advanced Wine Certificate (AWC)

Online Learning: $1,150.00
Classroom: $1,450.00
(Tuition includes all examinations)

Advanced Wine Certificate – an advanced course designed to build on your knowledge from the ISG IWC using a regional approach. It covers a broad spectrum of knowledge and understanding of wine, spirits, and ales, including viticulture, vinification, regional appellation laws, and more.

What You Learn

  • Extensive and deep knowledge of both old and new world wine regions—including sparkling, fortified wines, spirits, and ales.
  • This course prepares you for a professional start in the wine business and industry.
  • Enhances your blind tasting skills.
  • Develops service skills, food and wine pairing techniques, as well as proper storage and wine management practices.

Materials and Course Introduction

Our structured and clear learning materials are designed and built by our board of education. The ISG is the only Sommelier educational body that offers its own learning materials, published books, and standardized curriculum.

You will be introduced to the most important wines and grapes from around the world and gain insights into both major and minor wine regions. This course advances your understanding of wine and winemaking, preparing you for Sommelier accreditation.

Course Structure and Requirements

Entrance Requirements: Completion of IWC is mandatory. Successful completion of AWC requires a minimum of 60% in each of the three examinations, while SDP entrance requires 70% in each.

The course consists of 13 sessions totaling 48 clock hours (with a recommended additional 5 hours of home study per session), delivered online or in a classroom. Each session includes a Lecture, Tasting, Review, and Quiz. Session 16 is an exam session lasting 5 hours (2 theory exams and 1 practical exam).

Syllabus: (View Syllabus)

Additional Information

Note: You will receive ALL LEARNING MATERIALS, standardized and structured, as the ISG is the only Sommelier educational body with its own learning materials, published books, and standardized curriculum. AWC examinations may be challenging; please review our policies for further details.

Examination Breakdown: (View Topics)

For more detailed information, please email us at info@internationalsommelier.com.

Advanced Wine Certificate (AWC)

Exam (Session 16): 240-minute examinations consisting of:

  • Theory Exam 1 – 100 multiple choice questions (90 minutes)
  • Theory Exam 2 – 6 essay questions (180 minutes)
  • Practical Exam 3 – Blind Tasting: 2 red wines, 2 white wines (30 minutes)

Successful completion of AWC is required for admittance into SDP.

The following is an outline of the general guidelines for essay writing and the level of knowledge expected upon completion of AWC. Below you will find a sample essay that demonstrates a perfectly written example.

Please note: In order to meet the educational entrance requirements for Sommelier certification, you must attain no less than 70% in each of your three examinations.

Essay Expectations for Students

Essay sections on the ISG’s AWC and Degree exams are crucial measures of a student’s understanding of class topics. Unlike multiple choice questions that test recognition, the essays are designed to demonstrate a coherent and comprehensive grasp of an issue.

What is an Essay?

Many students find essay writing challenging due to a confusion about its purpose. In its simplest form, an essay is a written attempt to make sense of an issue by taking a position and arguing its validity using supporting factual details. The term “thesis” is typically used to describe the position taken, and a strong thesis is essential as it provides structure and coherence. Students are advised to draft a brief outline before writing the thesis and full essay.

The ISG recognizes that our students are not professional writers; however, minimum essay requirements are set to ensure a baseline competence.

AWC Essays

  • Clear, logically developed communication of an idea
  • Essays must be written in full sentences and paragraphs (bullet points are not acceptable)
  • Correct spelling and grammar are required; up to 10% deduction for errors in essential wine terminology
  • An effort to understand the wide variety of wine languages
  • The essay should include a clear introduction, followed by the main statements/thesis, and a proper conclusion (750–900 words minimum)

Essay Sample

Compare and contrast Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella.

Though Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella are derived from the same geographical area, the wines differ radically in style. Amarone is a DOC that results from the appassimento process—the partial drying of grapes prior to fermentation, yielding passito wines common in many Italian regions. Despite its relative youth (first marketed by Bolla in the 1950s), Amarone is arguably Italy’s best-known style. It is specifically the dry-fermented variation, and its name (derived from Italian "Amaro" for “bitter”) hints at its flavor profile.

The Veneto’s Valpolicella DOC is one of Italy’s simplest yet most diverse regions. Although this may seem contradictory, its complexity arises from a multifaceted approach to vinification. The raw materials for both Valpolicella and Amarone are similar— primarily the holy trinity of Venetian black grapes (Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara)—but the finished products differ markedly. Corvina, which typically constitutes 40–70% of the blend, is prized for its floral and cherry notes and its thick skin that aids in drying. Smaller Rondinella grapes are favored for drying due to their faster dehydration.

The stylistic diversity within the region can be confusing. Valpolicella is generally produced as a basic, high-volume wine, while Amarone commands higher prices due to the labor-intensive appassimento process. In this way, Valpolicella is to the Italian trattoria what Beaujolais is to the French bistro—exceptions exist, but they are not the norm.

A partial solution to the issue of Valpolicella’s relative lightness has been the development of the Ripasso method, where a fully fermented Valpolicella is passed over the lees of an Amarone fermentation. This process imparts additional flavor and body.

Advanced Wine Certificate (AWC) – Course Topics Overview

All grapes address the full 6 factor approach.

Session 1

Viticulture

Session 2

Vinification

Service

Session 3

Appellation Laws

Bordeaux

Session 4

Burgundy

Session 5

Alsace

Rhone

Languedoc

Loire

Session 6

Review of France

Italy

Session 7

Spain

Portugal

Session 8

Germany

Austria/Switzerland/Hungary

Session 9

North America

South America

Session 10

Australia

New Zealand

South Africa

Session 11

Fortified Wines

Session 12

Sparkling Wines

Session 13

Beer

Responsible Beverage Service

Spirits

Session 14

Review

Session 15

Review

Session 16

Examinations

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