WSET Level 2 Award in Wines: die Ergebnisse sind hier

Back in June, in my first ever blog post, I talked about why I enrolled in the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 Award in Wines and what I’d learnt so far.

Following that blog post, I completed the final modules on sparkling wines and fortified wines. I even got to share the different sparkling wines I tasted with my neighbours on a summer’s evening.

After hours of revision, I sat the exam at the end of June. Then I just had to sit and wait patiently for the results.

And wait.

And wait.

But they finally came in, and guess what?

My hard work paid off and I got a Pass with Distinction. I couldn’t believe it! I was hoping to pass, but I didn’t expect to do quite so well.

So what’s next?

This course gave me a good understanding of wine and the winemaking process.

But you never stop learning, right?

So this isn't the end of my wine-related Continuing Professional Development (CPD) journey, by any means. There’s so much more to discover about wine.

Here’s what I’ve been up to since finishing the course and how I’m planning on improving my knowledge of wine from here on out:

● Wine tasting festivals

As luck would have it, I live in a wine-growing region in southwest France, so finding new wines to try is nice and easy.

At the beginning of August, a nearby town held a wine festival where a dozen local vineyards brought a selection of their wines for people to try (and buy!).

I went to a wine festival in a local town and tasted delicious wine.

COVID-safety was tight, and I got to try wines made using different grapes and methods.

There was a medium white wine that had just a hint of acidic citrus fruits to balance out the sweetness, an off-dry rosé with the sweetness of blossom perfect for a summer’s afternoon and a rich red with powerful tannins.

My favourite wine from that afternoon was a blend of Marselan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Arinarnoa and Cabernet Franc. It was a little lighter in body than the reds I normally go for, but the fruitiness and lightness of it were perfect for a hot summer’s day.

Needless to say, I very much enjoyed my afternoon trying more local wines and came away with a bottle or two to enjoy at a later date.

● Webinars

To build on what I learnt during the WSET course, I’ve attended webinars on Australian Shiraz, South African wines and how you can taste stones in wine.

Webinars are a brilliant way for me to keep expanding my knowledge month on month, as they’re short and sweet bursts of information that I can easily organise my translation projects around.

Attending the Franck Thomas wine talk show ‘Et si on dégustait des cailloux ?’

● Reading

I make a point of reading as much as I can about wine, whether it’s in the form of books, magazines or online articles.

This keeps me up to date with current issues in the industry and helps me discover new wines to look out for.

There are so many different wine-growing regions spread around the world, and I find it fascinating to read about them.

Yes, this is me wrapped in a blanket reading ‘The Wandering Vine’ with a glass of wine.

● Translating

There’s no better way of cementing your knowledge than putting it into practice, is there?

I’ve been working on plenty of wine-related projects that have helped me keep everything I learnt on the course fresh in my mind and even pick up a new word here or there.

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If you have any questions about my CPD or wine industry translation services, just get in touch via my contact form. It’d be great to hear from you!