WSET 1 Siena, Italy course description

The Level 1 WSET course teaches the student the fundamentals about wine - it is an empowering course intended for those who have a little, or no prior knowledge of wines. It is designed to provide a sound but simple, engaging and fascinating introduction to wines.

The course covers:

• The main types and styles of wine

• How the vine grows and how wine is made (for this we will venture into the vineyards and into the ‘cantina’ the winery of the property)

• What the "Noble" grape varieties are

• How to select a wine off a wine list and shop shelf

• How to correctly serve and store wine

• How to spot a faulty wine

Food and wine matching workshops on Saturday morning help students to understand how certain foods can increase or decrease their appreciation of wine (when and when not to spend up therefore when out for dinner).

The course includes a minimum of 6 hours course time and a very straightforward 45 minute multiple choice exam.

The course will be begin at 9:30 with a walk through the vineyards of Le Tolfe to see how the vine grows and how Le Tolfe are employing animals (they have amazing working conditions!) to improve the quality of their land and thus their wines. We will then work through some beautiful bottles to understand the world’s most important grape varieties, the session will close at 13:30. On Thursday morning we will head at 9:30 into the winery to understand the process from grape to wine, before getting back to the bottles, the session will close at 13:30 following the exam at 12:45. There WILL be BUBBLES (academic/celebratory).

What you will learn:

• The main types and styles of wine

• Common wine grapes and their characteristics

• Tutored tasting of over 12 wines

• How to store and serve wine

• The principles of food and wine pairing

• How to describe wine using the WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® (SAT)

By the end of the course you will be able to taste wine using a globally recognised approach, identify key styles of wine and characteristics of important grape varieties. You’ll also learn the key principles of food and wine pairing and how to apply these to your own food and wine choices.

The wines you will taste

Some examples of the wine you’ll taste in Emily’s WSET 1 are:

• Prophet’s Rock ‘Home Vineyard’, Central Otago, N.Z

• Billecart-Salmon NV Champagne, France

• Chateau Rayne Vigneau, Sauternes, France

• Le Torre alle Tolfe, Chianti Colli Senesi, Italy

Siena, Italy course location: La Torre alle Tolfe

This WSET course is taught at the Villa, La Torre alle Tolfe, Siena. La Torre alle Tolfe is an agricultural estate centred on an eighth century watch-tower and 17-bedroom villa, built on the hilltop of Le Tolfe, a hamlet just 3km from the remarkable medieval city of Siena.

The Villa was furnished by the Castelli family over several decades, and their love for the Tuscan history and art is reflected in the furniture, art and artefacts throughout the Villa. Spacious rooms on the ground floor include an elegant dining hall and two comfortable sitting rooms. Upstairs, guests can enjoy a large billiards room with views over the garden. Each of the 17 spacious bedrooms has been named after one of the 17 contrade (districts) of Siena. The rooms are spread over three floors, with lift access. The traditional, thick, stone walls help to keep the house cool through the summer months. By contrast, in the winter the central heating and a large open fire create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

The estate covers 100 hectares, including vineyards, olive groves, arable fields and forests, extending over rolling hills towards Siena and out towards the heart of the Chianti region. There are spectacular views in every direction. The entire property is run as a certified organic farm, producing a variety of wines, and premium olive oil, with the arable land producing a variety of organic grains and pulses. The lack of pesticides and other intensive agrichemicals means that the fields and forests are also home to a rich fauna and a remarkable variety of wildflowers.

About your instructor, Emily O’Hare

Emily feels very strongly that wine study should be pleasurable, and that learning about wine - even in the context of a “serious” exam like the WSET - should spark pleasure and creativity. Wine knowledge is wonderful, and the wine world a magical, mystical place to enter in to, courtesy of an intelligent glass of wine. And in just a few days, thanks to the excellent WSET programme it is possible to feel really empowered regarding the wines of the world. The WSET Systematic approach - applying attention to the look, smell, taste and aftertaste of a wine helps the student to really lock information in about a wine - and get over that problem of always forgetting the wine one likes - or how to describe the kind of wine most enjoyed. Emily has extensive experience in the wine world and teaching the WSET - learn more about her here.

How to sign up for our WSET 1 course in Siena, Italy

Course cost and How to sign up for our WSET 1 course in Siena, Italy

The cost of the course is €290 per person.

If you would like to combine the course with a 2 or 3 night stay including breakfast at La Torre alle Tolfe, arriving Tuesday 5th May from 16:00 please contact the hospitality team hospitality@latorrealletolfe.com . When booking do mention you are a student on the WSET course as there are prices set for the rooms not subject to change/algorithms!

Maximum of 14 participants, Currently 8 spaces available

Once payment is made for the course Emily will send out to you your Level 1 ebook - if you can read through before the course starts you can then focus wholeheartedly on the wines and usually what the wines have to tell you via your sight, smell and taste is much easier to understand and more beautifully expressed than anything in the book!

PLEASE NOTE There can be no refunds. Should you need to cancel four weeks before the course starts, course costs can be transferred to another Level 1 Course with Emily at a later date. Any cancellations made within 28 days of the course starting cannot be refunded or transferred as late applications to sit the exam are now not accepted by WSET and your space cannot be taken by another guest.

If you would like to sign up please fill out the form below - or if you would like to email us with any questions you might have: emily@emilyoh.wine