Wine & Spirit Education Trust


The Wine & Spirit Education Trust, often referred to as WSET, is a global organisation which arranges courses and exams in the field of wine and spirits. WSET was founded in 1969, is headquartered in London and is generally regarded as one of the world's leading providers of wine education. In 2016, it opened its first international office, WSET Asia Pacific, in Hong Kong in response to high demand for wine and spirit education across Greater China.

History and management

WSET grew out of the Wine & Spirit Association’s Education Committee and was set up with the financial assistance of the Vintners’ Company. The management of the WSET reports to a Board of Trustees made up of 8 members; three from The Vintners’ Company, three from the Wine & Spirit Association, one from the Worshipful Company of Distillers and another one from the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Courses

The courses given by WSET were originally intended for people in the wine & spirit trade. The WSET programmes have increasingly been attended also by non-professional connoisseurs. The WSET offers professional certification in more than 70 countries worldwide, and have been favorably reviewed by the US-based trade group SOMM.