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September 2, 2016

Hallelujah, We Have Been Fortified!

Forgive me if there are a lot of exclamation points in this post, but I have received word that I passed the Fortified Exam I took back in June!  Whoo hoo!!!

I wasn’t sure about this one.  I even kept my big wall infographics in case I had to re-take the exam.  But alas, I have passed!

Here is where I stand:

Unit 1: The Business of Wine and Spirits

Case Study PASSED

Research Paper PASSED

Unit 2: Viticulture & Vinification PASSED

Unit 3: Still Wines of the World SESSIONS BEGIN IN OCTOBER; EXAM JUNE 2017

Unit 4: Spirits PASSED

Unit 5: Sparkling Wines PASSED

Unit 6: Fortified Wines PASSED

As you can see, all that remains to complete my Diploma certification is a passing grade on the Unit 3 exam, which is the most difficult one.  This test is about 3x the size of the other exams I have taken.  It consists of 12 blind tastings, about 4 short answer questions, and 1 long essay.  The exam isn’t until June of 2017, so I have close to 10 months to study.

Our classes begin in October, and from there, our tasting group and theory group will commence.  I am also working one-on-one with a classmate and we are reviewing the entire viticulture/vinification unit in order to prepare for Unit 3.  The viti/vini unit is the backbone of the entire diploma.  The content in that unit is used to understand the ideas in each of the other units.

So there you have it.  I am now just one exam away from my Wine & Spirits Trust Diploma certificate.  Just one little test!

Have you taken on any wine certification?  If so, from which school?  Was it a doozy? Or a breeze? Post your comments below so we can compare notes!

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you’re looking to Up Your Wine Game and Drink Better, consider booking a private in-person or virtual wine tasting experience.
Brianne Cohen Wine Educator
Brianne Cohen is a certified sommelier, wine educator, consultant, and writer based out of Los Angeles.

Since March 2020, Brianne has educated and entertained over 5,000 people through her “Virtual Vino” online wine tastings.

Brianne holds the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) Diploma certificate, one of the most coveted wine certifications in the world. When she’s not helping others Up Their Wine Game, she can be found judging at international wine competitions.

Brianne aims to make wine approachable and conversational, to surprise and delight with unexpected, distinctive wine finds, and to give people knowledge (and confidence) about wine in their everyday lives.

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Sample Policy

As a wine writer, I frequently accept samples for review on my  website and on my social media channels. Please contact me at brianne@briannecohen.com to discuss sending samples for review. I promise to always be honorable with the samples. I will evaluate all wines in good tasting settings and with no distractions.

All reviews are my opinions, and mine only. Because of the volume of samples I receive, I cannot promise that all samples received will be reviewed, but I will do my best.

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