VIA Certification Course

VIA SPECIALIZATION COURSES
FIRST LEVEL - ITALIAN WINE AMBASSADOR (VIA - IWA CERTIFICATION)
SECOND LEVEL - ITALIAN WINE EXPERT (VIA - IWE CERTIFICATION)
SCIENTIFIC COMMETTEE
Stevie Kim – Managing Director of Vinitaly International
Ian D’Agata - VIA Scientific Director
INTRODUCTION
Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) is the first certification available for Italian
wine lovers and professionals run by world-renowned wine experts and backed by the
professional and organizational skills of Vinitaly, the world’s largest wine fair.
Given the great diversity of Italian grapes and terroirs (330 DOCs, 73 DOCGs and
over 541 native grape varieties), there is often little standardization in what wine
writers and educators say and oftentimes the information offered is neither precise
nor accurate.
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected] 2 VIA has been created by Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly international,
who believes that education is the key to broadcasting the great diversity and richness
of Italian wines in a more accurate and scientifically rigorous manner. With this
intent, VIA offers standardized courses and two certification levels that will greatly
enable all those who love Italian wine to speak of it in a unified, organized manner
with true in depth knowledge of each specific Italian grape variety, wine and
production zone. With 49 years experience in the filed of Italian and international
wines, Vinitaly represents the gold standard for Italian wine culture and
business. The huge amount of know-how accumulated over the decades is supported,
forwarded and kept alive by individuals who have worked long-time for and with
Italian wines virtually guaranteeing that the Vinitaly International Academy's wine
educational sessions are the state of the art in Italian wine courses. No other course
on Italian wines offers a similar level of knowledge and credibility.
VIA’s courses have been devised and are taught by the VIA Scientific Director, Ian
D’Agata, famous Italian wine expert who writes regularly for Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar and Decanter Magazine, and is the author of over ten
books and guides on Italian wines. His most recent book, Native Wine Grapes of Italy
(University of California Press, 2014) has already been hailed as one of the most
rigorous books ever written on Italian wine and has been the subject of rave reviews
in the Boston Globe, the LA Times, Decanter, The World of Fine Wines,
wineanswers.com, the wineeconomist.com and many others.
Ian will be helped in teaching the courses by university professors and teachers in
possession of an IWE certification.
OBJECTIVES
The two certification levels of VIA should not be considered an alternative to the
other many excellent educational programs offered around the world, as for example
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected] 3 the Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET). These are, instead, strongly recommended
and to be considered preparatory to VIA courses.
VIA courses offer candidates the opportunity to further increase their knowledge on
Italian wines and the attainment of VIA certifications will provide students with an
additional title and greater job opportunities in the wine market.
COURSES
There are two levels of certification:
First level certification - Italian Wine Ambassador (IWA)
Second level certification - Italian Wine Expert (IWE)
VIA offers easy to follow, intensive four six-hour days (9.00 -12.00 and 13.30-16.30,
with lunch break) of classroom lectures and wine tastings (roughly 24 hours of
lectures and 12 of wine tasting).
At first all courses will be held in Verona and a calendar will be provided at the
beginning of each academic year in order to allow all candidates to schedule their trip
to Italy.
Course content:
- ampelology
- Italian native grapes
- wines made from international varieties
- specific Italian terroirs
- trends and updates in the world of Italian wines
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected] 4 - Italian wine history
Eventually, once a body of VIA Expert Wine Expert (IWE) graduates is formed, they
will be able to hold courses in their home countries in collaboration with Vinitaly
International Academy.
THE EXAMS
Courses and written exams are the same for both certification levels.
Sessions will be structured as follows:
FIRST LEVEL - ITALIAN WINE AMBASSADOR (IWA Certification)
The written exam consists in 100 multiple-choice questions. A passing grade of
75/100 is required.
Benefits:
Students who pas the exam will receive a certificate attesting their acquired
competences and knowledge of Italian wine.
Further benefits include:
- free entry to the next edition of Vinitaly (22 – 25 March 2015)
- a guided winery tour during Vinitaly
- free entry to Vinitaly International initiatives in Italy and around the world (Opera
Wine, Walk Around Tastings, conferences and educational sessions)
-
a
20%
discount
on
all
wines
bought
on
Vinitaly
Wine
(http://www.vinitalyclub.com)
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected] Club
5 The Italian Wine Ambassador certification will remain valid for up to three years. At
the end of this term Ambassadors will be required to attend a refresher course.
SECOND LEVEL – ITALIAN WINE EXPERT (IWE Certification)
Candidates wishing to acquire an IWE certification will need to pass both the written
test and an oral exam.
The written exam consists in 100 multiple-choice questions. A passing grade of
90/100 is required to hold the oral exam.
The oral exam consists in two separate questions and a blind tasting of 10 different
wines. In the oral exam, potential graduates will be required to identify the grape type
and the wine in at least five and eight samples.
Therefore, passing the blind tasting does not require identifying all the grape varieties
or wines poured blind, but rather a logical analysis of what each wine might be made
with and where.
Benefits:
Candidates will receive a certificate attesting their qualification as VIA teachers. As
such they will be in the position to hold courses in their country of origin and
contribute to the formation of future IWA and IWE students.
Further benefits include:
- free entry to the next edition of Vinitaly (22 – 25 March 2015)
- guided tour of some wineries during Vinitaly
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected] 6 - free entry to Vinitaly International initiatives in Italy and around the world (Opera
Wine, Walk Around Tastings, conferences and educational sessions)
-
a
20%
discount
on
all
wines
bought
on
Vinitaly
Wine
Club
(http://www.vinitalyclub.com)
All lectures and exams are held in English only.
Students are required to attend 80% of the lesson hours.
CONDITIONS:
a) candidates who have failed to pass the oral exam will be able to sit the
following sessions without having to repeat the course. The course remains
valid for maximum two years. Should candidates fail to pass the exam within
this time they will be required to follow the course again. For more information
about costs and conditions we kindly ask you to write to [email protected].
b) IWA certification students who wish to obtain a second level certification can
do so by sitting the exam during following sessions without loosing the
benefits acquired from their first level certification. For more information
about costs and conditions we kindly ask you to write to [email protected].
WHO CAN FOLLOW THE COURSES
The course is ideal for professional sommeliers, operators, educators, wine writers,
oenologists and wine lovers.
Though not a strict requirement, holding a WSET diploma is strongly encouraged.
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected] 7 Nevertheless all candidates are required to have a good knowledge of Italian wine
and grape varieties.
All courses and exams will be held in English. It is therefore necessary to have a
good knowledge of the language.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The Scientific Committee represented by Doctor Ian D’Agata and Stevie Kim will
select candidates following criteria that reflect the objectives of the course.
SUGGESTED AND REQUIRED READING
- Native Wine Grapes of Italy (Ian D’Agata, University of California Press)
- From Valpolicella to Zibibbo (Nicolas Belfrage, Faber and Faber)
- The World of Sicilian Wine (Bill Nesto, Francis Di Savino, University of
California Press)
- Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
(www.internationalwinecellar.com)
Certificate candidates are strongly encouraged to taste Italian wines on their own to
better prepare for the VIA courses and exam and to attend the Executive Wine
Seminars organized by the Vinitaly International Academy throughout the year
during its stops around the world.
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected] 8 THE VIA EXECUTIVE WINE SEMINARS
During the many Vinitaly International tour stops, VIA runs Executive Wine
Seminars (EWS) all over the world specifically devoted to Italian wines. These are
divided into three categories: introductory, advanced and focused and all three
provide invaluable information and knowledge relative to Italian wines.
The EWS may be devoted to a generalized overview of Italian wines, or be
specifically dedicated to a single wine production area (for example: “The wines of
Franciacorta” or “Brunello di Montalcino”) or to wines made from single vineyards
only (for example: “The Barolos of the Cannubi vineyard”). The EWSs are similar to
university laboratories or tutorial classes and have much the same function: it is
strongly encouraged for certificate hopefuls to attend the EWS that are organized in
their home cities during the annual Vinitaly International tour stops since many of the
wines tasted in these sessions will also be present in the final exams. The EWS
provide certificate hopefuls with a chance to taste and learn about wines and grape
varieties that may not be as prevalent in home countries of course attendees.
For more information please write to [email protected] or call 0039 0458101447
Vinitaly International -‐ www.vinitalyinternational.com -‐ [email protected]