WSET classes at Linfield offer an approachable entry to a globally recognized wine program
It’s not every day you walk into a modern science classroom and see the tabletops set with white placemats and rows of freshly cleaned wine glasses. Four at each setting, to be exact. But early on a recent Saturday morning, ten people walked into Linfield University’s state-of-the-art science complex to learn about and taste wines as part of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 Award in Wines course.
“Linfield started offering WSET qualification courses as an enhancement to the wine studies program and to educate the Willamette Valley wine industry and consumers. Everyone wins when they choose Linfield University to take their WSET courses.”
–Stephanie Mitchell ’23, WSET instructor
“Because of the affordability of the program, the Level 1 class attracts a wide range of students,” instructor Stephanie Mitchell ’23 said. “It really is a place for everybody – not just the professional or the major enthusiast – to learn more about wine and the wine industry.”
That turned out to be true of the diverse group of students assembled on this day.
Among them was a tasting room employee looking to advance her career, a real estate agent wanting to make a career change, a doctor whose friend – a winery owner – recommended the class, a server from a Portland restaurant, a casino food and hospitality manager, and an enthusiast who just wanted to learn more.
Throughout the day, this group of strangers would bond over testing their ability to taste sourness via pH strips, reciting in unison the various mnemonic devices to remember facts for their exam (“it’s Blended in Bordeaux” and “CHablis is made from CHardonnay”) and exploring pairings of salty, sweet and savory snacks on ten wines.
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust is a globally recognized provider of wine, spirits and sake education and qualifications (a type of educational certificate). The organization was founded in the United Kingdom in 1969, and started offering programs in the United States in the 1990s. Today, there is a worldwide network of more than 900 WSET course providers in 70 countries, known as Approved Programme Providers (APPs). Linfield, which has been an APP since June 2019, is one of only four in the Pacific Northwest offering such courses.
“Linfield started offering WSET qualification courses as an enhancement to the wine studies program and to educate the Willamette Valley wine industry and consumers,” Mitchell said. “Everyone wins when they choose Linfield University to take their WSET courses.”
Different from the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) certification, the WSET qualifications are designed for a broader range of individuals. While many consider the CMS as a service-oriented pathway, WSET is viewed as more communications-oriented, appealing to enthusiasts, sales representatives and educators.
Linfield has a team of 10 instructors leading WSET courses. This includes Linfield wine studies’ instructor Toni Ketrenos, who earned her Diploma in Wines – the highest WSET qualification offered – and other leading wine industry professionals.
Since 2019, more than 500 people have taken WSET courses through Linfield. Mitchell estimates that around 200 students took courses during 2023 alone.
“Our class offerings more than doubled [in 2023],” Mitchell said. “But there is definitely still room for expansion.”
In June 2024, Linfield began offering Level 1 and Level 2 courses at satellite locations in the Columbia Gorge.
Some other ideas floating around? Linfield’s team is exploring adding qualifications in spirits, sake and beer. They are also considering teaching courses in Spanish as well as English.
“We’re being really intentional in the way we want to move forward,” Mitchell said. For now, the program continues to be a way for the Linfield University Center for Wine Education to offer high quality wine-related programming to the community, both near and far.
“We get people from all over the area taking WSET courses through Linfield,” Mitchell said. “A couple even flew in from Utah for the Level 1 Award in Wines and make a wine tasting weekend out of it.”
Learn more about the WSET qualifications at linfield.edu/wset.
WSET courses taught by Linfield
Level 1 Award in Wines
One-day weekend intensives or weekly classes.
In-person sessions in McMinnville or the Columbia Gorge.
Also available in an online go-at-your-own-pace course.
Level 2 Award in Wines
Two-day weekend intensives or weekly classes.
In-person sessions in McMinnville or the Columbia Gorge.
Also available in an online course with a live instructor.
Level 3 Award in Wines
Four-day intensive sessions or weekly classes.
In-person sessions in McMinnville.
Also available in an online go-at-your-own-pace course.
See registration and course dates at linfield.edu/wset
