International Wine Steward Certificate

INTERNATIONAL WINE STEWARD CERTIFICATE 2026

Take your hospitality career to the next level!

 

Course information

If you’re excited about starting a career in the hospitality industry and aspire to be part of wine service, the International Wine Steward Certificate is the perfect way to begin. This program utilizes classes and practical exercises to teach you about wine and how to serve it effectively. Upon completing the one-day course, you’ll feel more confident and skilled in your role, impressing your customers. Facilitated by professional sommeliers, this course provides extensive knowledge about wine and service, boosting your confidence to become a skilled wine steward on the floor. This is the base to prepare for the ASI Prep. Examination organized by the national sommelier association.

 

Course Pre-requisites

You don’t need to already know about wine before taking this course, as it’s covered in the program. However, having a basic understanding could be helpful. It’s good if you’ve worked with customers in places like restaurants, hotels, or other hospitality spots.

 

Syllabus

This course starts by talking a little about the history of wine all over the world. You’ll learn about growing grapes and the simple process of making wine. We’ll pay special attention to climate, the main types of internation wine, and the important types of grapes. This will help you feel confident when you talk to customers about mainstream wines of the world.

Next, we’ll talk about how you should act and behave when working in places like restaurants. We’ll even practice in pretend situations to make sure you understand. After that, you’ll learn how to open and serve wine the right way. We’ll also teach you some basic skills for tasting wine properly at work, including the theory of food pairing. The protocols of service used in the course will follow the internationally accepted ASI Guidelines (asi.info/education)

 

Outcome

After completing the training course, there will be a MCQ questionnaire to test the knowledge the students have gained. Those who pass the exam will get a printed diploma and a metal lapel pin to show off their accomplishment. This certification as an International Wine Steward is the first step to becoming a fully-fledged sommelier.

 

Price

USD 175 for the full day at our Harare, Victoria Falls campus and includes the final exam. Courses begin at 08.30am promptly and run until approximately 17.00pm

 

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL WINE STEWARD CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM

One day course on campus

 

 

Programme Structure & Content

 

 

 

Session 1 – Alcohol Awareness

Responsible service, legal drinking age, alcohol units, ABV, health considerations, and duty of care.

 

Session 2 – What Is Wine?

History of wine from antiquity to the modern era, global expansion, and the cultural role of wine.

 

Session 3 – Growing Grapes (Viticulture)

The vine lifecycle, climate and latitude, altitude, ocean influence, sunshine, and vineyard practices.

 

Session 4 – Winemaking

Fermentation principles, white, red and rosé winemaking, oak ageing, fortified wines, and sparkling wine methods (carbonated, tank, and traditional).

 

Session 5 – Key Wines & Grape Varieties

EU wine law basics (PDO/PGI), international standards, and an introduction to major white and red grape varieties with global benchmarks.

 

Session 6 – Wine Service

Professional wine service standards, glassware, temperature, presentation, and guest interaction in quality hospitality environments.

 

Session 7 – Tasting & Food Pairing

Structured wine tasting, understanding balance and quality, and fundamental food and wine pairing principles.

 

Final Exam

 

 

 

 

 

T&C valid for the 2026 at our Cape Town Campus

Results available within 7 working days.