Level 4 Diploma in Wine
If you’re ready to become an expert in all aspects of wine, the Diploma is for you.
The WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines is an expert-level qualification covering all aspects of wine.
Building on the knowledge and skills gained from the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, the Diploma deepens your understanding of how and why wine production and business factors influence the style, quality, and price of wines. Your expertise is built both theoretically, through comprehensive study of a large number of wine regions, and practically, by developing your wine tasting skills to an expert level. Successful graduates acquire exceptional analytical skills and proficiency in evaluative wine tasting, gaining global recognition as authoritative wine specialists. Should you wish to progress to the Master of Wine programme, you will be well-prepared.
What you'll learn
The Diploma is delivered in six mandatory units covering a broad range of topics including wine production, wine business, and still, sparkling and fortified wines of the world.
D1 – Wine production
Vine requirements
Anatomy of the vine and grape
Grape growing options, explaining and evaluating the different approaches and how these options affect grape yields, quality and the final wine produced
Natural factors in the vineyard and how they influence the vine’s ability to produce grapes for wines of different styles, quality levels and price
Winemaking and post-fermentation options and how they influence the style, quality and price of wines
D1 – hours of study weighting 20%
D2 – Wine business
The types of businesses engaged in wine production and the options for getting wine to the point of sale
Factors that contribute to the price of wine
Key considerations in wine marketing
D2 – hours of study weighting 10%
D3 – Wines of the world | D4 – Sparkling wines | D5 – Fortified wines
In each of these Units you will learn:
How grape-growing, winemaking, maturation, wine law and wine business influence the style, quality and price of the principal still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) of the world.
How to taste and evaluate still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) using the WSET Level 4 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine®(SAT)
D3 – Wines of the world: hours of study weighting 50%
D4 – Sparkling wines: hours of study weighting 5%
D5 – Fortified wines: hours of study weighting 5%
D6 – Independent research assignment
How to research a specified wine-related subject
D6 – hours of study weighting 10%
Total study time required for Diploma: 500 hours. Find more details here: WSET Level 4/Diploma Wine Specification
Additional notes
* Hybrid Classes take place over Zoom with PhillyWine Educators; corresponding tastings are in-person on Saturday mornings at the Fitler Club.
* Self Paced classes will allow you to go at your own pace. You will receive all materials, mock exams, and feedback from PhillyWine Educators. You will be invited to all corresponding in-person tastings. Self-Paced classes are only available for D1 & D2.
* Online Classroom classes are offered by WSET. You will still be included in PhillyWine correspondence and invited to in-person tastings. However, you’ll have a WSET-provided online instructor and can create your own schedule for classes. We strongly recommend attending all in-person tastings with PhillyWine if you’re in WSET’s Online Classroom.
* Exams: Please confirm with PhillyWine that you’ll be taking your exam by the appropriate date. Your exam is covered in your tuition, however, if you’re resetting an exam, or cannot attend an exam for which you’ve already been registered, you will have to have to sign up and pay for a ‘resit’ exam which incurs an additional fee.
Your enrollment includes a $50 non-refundable deposit.
Course Details
This qualification has a minimum requirement of 500 hours of study time:
116 hours of delivery time with a WSET course provider (classroom or online)
370 hours of personal study and revision, including preparing an independent research assignment (D6)
Examinations for each unit (excluding D6) totalling 11 hours 50 minutes.
It normally takes between 18 months and 3 years to complete the Diploma. Each unit is weighted differently in terms of hours of study required, the table below shows the minimum guided learning time, private study time and the weighting applied against each unit.
Assessment
To complete the Diploma you must pass all six units, successfully meeting the rigorous assessment requirements across the syllabus. Assessment varies by Unit:
D1 – Wine production
1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions
D2 – Wine business
1 hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions
D3 – Wines of the world
A theory and tasting examination to be held over two consecutive days:
Day one – A two-part theory exam formed of open-response questions to be completed in 3 hours 20 minutes (one 2-hour paper and one 80-minute paper).
Day two – A two-part blind tasting examination of 12 wines to be completed in 3 hours (two papers of 1½ hours)
D4 – Sparkling wines
1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions and a blind tasting of three sparkling wines
D5 – Fortified wines
1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions and a blind tasting of three fortified wines
D6 – Independent research assignment
One research assignment of 3,000 words
Those who successfully complete the Diploma will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin and will be able to use the post-nominal “DipWSET” and associated WSET certified logo. You will also become a member of our Alumni Body, with access to our quarterly reports and a number of exclusive events.
Additionally
1. PhillyWine reserves the right to refuse to administer exams to in-person and online students who do not meet minimum grade, participation, or attendance requirements.
2. Exams must be taken within one year of completion of the unit. If the exam is not completed in that timeline, students must resit the class (at a reduced price) or take a qualifying exam.
3. If a student signs up late (pass the published deadline) or ‘no-shows’ for an exam, PhillyWine reserves the right to charge additional late/no show fees as set forth by WSET.
4. Students cannot be added to exams with tasting components past the ‘sign up by’ deadline.
Prerequisites
Candidates must hold either the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines or the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits to enroll in the WSET Level 4 Diploma and must be of legal drinking age.
Feedback Tests
The feedback tests are designed to prepare students for the examinations at the end of each unit. The tests are comprised of questions that are examples of those used in their final assessments.
For D1 and D2, these example questions are based on theory only.
For D4 and D5, these are a mix of example questions based on both theory and tasting.
For D3 feedback tests are delivered weekly, each comprises 10 theory questions and four tasting questions.
Cancellations/Refunds
50% refund only for Diploma cancellations with less than two weeks’ notice. Please contact PhillyWine for the option of applying tuition toward a future class. Tuition includes a non-refundable $50 deposit. If PhillyWine cancels the class, you will be given the option for a full refund or reschedule date.
Diploma 2024-25 Schedule
Fees for Hybrid and In-Person classes include a non-refundable registration fee ($50 per class), access to the Diploma Dashboard, ebooks, wine samples at live tastings, and the exam.
*OLC prices include an online tutor, ebooks, and the exam. OLC prices do not include wine samples, but online students are invited to all in-person tastings at no extra charge. Learn more about WSET’s Online Classroom.
D1 Wine Production
HYBRID Class (Zoom Classes & In-Person Tasting)
Jan 7 - Feb 4
Tuesdays 7-9PM, Zoom classes
➡️ Sign up by Jan 3
Self-Paced Class
Self-paced with guidance from PhillyWine Educators. You will receive materials, mock exams, instruction, and feedback from our instructors but will be allowed to go at your own pace.
Cost for D1 Hybrid and Self Paced Class: $1,300
Includes enrollment into WSET Diploma program
D1 Exam only (resit/reschedule): $300
Online Classroom
Jan 6 - Feb 16
Sign up by Dec 12March 17 - April 27
Sign up by March 7June 2 - July 13
Sign by May 23
Cost: $1,200
➡️ Click here for the 2024-2025 Exam Schedule
D2 Wine Business
HYBRID Class (Zoom Classes & In-Person Tasting)
Feb 6- Feb 20
Thursdays 7-9PM, Zoom classes
➡️ Sign up by Feb 2
Self-Paced
Self-paced with guidance from PhillyWine instructors. You will receive materials, mock exams, instruction, and feedback from our instructors but will be allowed to go at your own pace.
Cost for D2 Hybrid and Self Paced Class: $900
Exam only (Resit): $300
Online Classroom
Nov 25 - Jan 5
Sign up by Nov 15Jan 6 - Feb 16
Sign up by Dec 12April 7 - May 18
Sign up by May 28
Cost: $800
➡️ Click here for the 2024-2025 Exam Schedule
D3 Wines of the World
HYBRID Class (Zoom Classes & In-Person tasting)
Oct 28 - April 21
Mondays 7-9PM Zoom Classes
No class Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 31
Theory Exam: May 13, 2025
Tasting Exam: May 14, 2025
Sign up for the exam by Mar 10
Cost: $3,500
Theory Exam Only (Resit): $400
Tasting Exam Only (Resit): $500
Theory and Tasting Exam (Resit): $900
Online Classroom
April 21 - Oct 5
Sign up by April 11
Cost: $3,000
➡️ Click here for the 2024-2025 Exam Schedule
D4 Sparkling Wines
HYBRID Class (Zoom Classes & In-Person tasting)
April 8 - April 22
Wednesdays 7-9PM, Zoom Classes
Cost: $900
Exam: Jan 22, 2025
Sign up for the exam by Nov 10, 2024
Exam only (Resit): $300
Online Classroom
March 3 - April 6
Sign up by Feb 22July 14 - Aug 17
Sign up by July 4
Cost: $800
➡️ Click here for the 2024-2025 Exam Schedule
D5 Fortified Wines
HYBRID CLASS (Zoom Classes & In-Person tasting)
April 29 - May 27
Tuesdays 7-9PM, Zoom Classes
Exam: Jan 22, 2025
Sign up for the exam by Nov 10, 2024
Exam only (Resit): $300
Online Classroom
Jan 13 - Feb 16
Sign up by Jan 3April 14 - May 18
Sign up by April 4
Cost: $800
➡️ Click here for the 2024-2025 Exam Schedule
D6 Independent Research
Submissions due Jan 16 & July 16
Cost: $500
Candidates must take the exams in-person with PhillyWine