From grape to glass

What's inside a grape, how fermentation works and why red, white and rosé are made differently. Simple science, explained in plain English.

Grapes, places and labels

Meet the six grapes you'll see everywhere, discover how terroir shapes taste, travel the world's key wine regions and learn to read any label.

Taste like a pro

Master the AWS four-step tasting method with two wines at home, then use two easy rules to match wine with food.

What you'll learn

✓  What wine is made of, and what the pulp, skin and seeds each bring to your glass ✓  How fermentation turns grape juice into wine, and how red, white and rosé are made ✓  The six grapes to know: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon ✓  How terroir and climate shape style, and where the world's key wine regions are ✓  How to read a wine label and tell dry from sweet (including what Brut really means) ✓  The AWS four-step tasting method (Look, Nose, Palate, Conclude) and two simple food-pairing rules

Who it's for

Anyone who enjoys wine and wants to understand it better. No experience needed: just curiosity and one or two bottles. It's ideal for curious wine lovers, people who want to order and shop with confidence, and new hospitality and restaurant staff who need a friendly first step. No jargon, no snobbery: just Liquid Lively Fun – One Glass at a Time™. You must be of legal drinking age (18+ or the legal age where you live) to take part in the tastings.

What's included

14 video lessons, reading and activities

Short, friendly videos with Christian Esser, easy lesson notes and hands-on tasting and pairing activities with your own wines. About 90 minutes, at your own pace.

4 printable guides

Six-grape cheat sheet, world wine map, dry-to-sweet label guide and an AWS tasting note card to keep and use for every bottle.

Final quiz and AWS certificate

A 15-question final quiz (70% to pass, one free retake). Pass it to receive your AWS Wine Explorer™ certificate of completion.

Your instructor: Christian Esser

Christian Esser is the founder and Director of Education of the Academy of Wine & Spirits in the Cayman Islands. He is a Wine & Spirits Educator, holds a viticulture degree from Lincoln University in New Zealand and was Wine Director at the Grand Old House in Grand Cayman. For more than a decade he has trained hospitality teams and wine lovers across the Caribbean and beyond. In 2026 the Academy won two LUXlife Hospitality Awards: Best Luxury Beverage Education Provider and the Hospitality Training Excellence Award (Caribbean & USA). His goal is simple: to make wine clear, practical and fun.

Curriculum

6 Chapters · 15 Lessons

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Wine is for everyone

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      What's in our glass today

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      What is wine made of?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The grape skin

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Fermentation explained

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      The winemaking process

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Grape varieties and styles

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Terroir

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Key wine regions of the world

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Sweetness and labels

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Tasting technique

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Wine and food basics

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      The story of wine

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Take your skills further

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Final quiz

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take? About 90 minutes in total. Study at your own pace, on any device, and pause whenever you like. Do I need wine? It's more fun with two bottles: a crisp, unoaked white (such as Sauvignon Blanc) and a fruity red (such as Merlot or Malbec). You can still complete the course without them. Is there an age requirement? Yes. You must be 18 or older, or of legal drinking age where you live, to take part in the tastings. Please taste responsibly. Do I get a certificate? Yes. Score 70% or more on the 15-question final quiz (you get one free retake) to receive your AWS Wine Explorer™ certificate. What's next? Continue with AWS Level 1 in Wines. As a Wine Explorer graduate you get 10% off AWS Level 1 in Wines (online) — email [email protected] with code WINEEXPLORER10 to claim it.

Pour a glass and start exploring

90 minutes, 14 short video lessons, printable guides and your AWS certificate. Wine made clear, practical and fun.

$29.00

Enrol now – US$29