The Best Online Wine Courses (Free and Paid)

The best online wine course depends on your goal. For a recognised certificate, take WSET Level 1 or Level 2 online with a WSET course provider; for a structured university-style course, look at the University of Adelaide's World of Wine on edX or UC Davis on Coursera; for a fun daily habit, use a wine app or a podcast; and for deep study of one country, the Wine Scholar Guild is the specialist choice.

Disclosure: this guide is written by Winelingo, and one of the courses below is our own. We have tried to be fair, and we tell you where others are a better fit. Details were checked on each provider's own website in October 2026; prices change and differ by country, so we leave them out.

The best online wine courses at a glance

A certificate matters if you work, or want to work, in wine; a free option lets you test the teaching style first.

A MOOC (massive open online course) is a university course open to anyone online. Audit means you can watch and read the course for free but do not get a certificate. Courses that teach tasting are for adults of legal drinking age, and wine is best enjoyed in moderation.

The best online wine courses, reviewed

WSET Level 1 and Level 2 Award in Wines (online)

Format: taught online or in a classroom by a WSET course provider, then a closed-book multiple-choice exam.

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is one of the best-known wine qualification bodies, and it does not teach you directly: independent course providers do. Level 1 asks for at least six hours of study and ends with a 30-question exam. Level 2 asks for at least 28 hours, including 16 hours of provider-led teaching, and ends with a one-hour, 50-question exam. Neither level has entry requirements. Formats vary: Napa Valley Wine Academy, for example, runs a fully self-paced Level 1 with the exam taken online under remote supervision.

Who it suits: anyone who wants a widely recognised certificate. What you get: a WSET qualification if you pass. Free or paid: paid. Drawback: online versions mean tasting on your own, so you have to buy the wines or a tasting kit. Our guide to WSET levels explained covers what each level involves.

Court of Master Sommeliers Americas: Introductory Sommelier Course (online)

Format: self-paced video lectures, 18 wines in guided tastings, then a 70-question exam taken online with live webcam supervision.

This is the first step of the sommelier pathway run by the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas. The online version is taught by Master Sommeliers and covers the world of wine, the Court's deductive tasting method (a structured way to work out a wine from its look, smell and taste) and its service standards. You have 180 days to finish, you must be 21 or over, and a score of 60 per cent earns a certificate and lapel pin.

Who it suits: people working in, or heading for, restaurants and wine service. Free or paid: paid, with the wine kit sold separately. Drawback: it moves fast for a complete beginner, and the 180 days cannot be extended. The higher levels add in-person exams, so the online course is a start, not the whole journey. See how to become a sommelier for the full route.

Wine Scholar Guild: French, Italian and Spanish Wine Scholar

Format: independent online study with a study guide and e-learning platform, or live online classes with an educator, then a multiple-choice exam.

The Wine Scholar Guild specialises in one country at a time. The French Wine Scholar programme, for example, covers grapes, vineyard work, winemaking, French wine law and every French region, and ends with a 100-question exam you can take online. There are also Italian, Spanish and German Wine Scholar programmes. It is a natural next step once France, Italy or Spain has caught your imagination.

Who it suits: serious enthusiasts and professionals. What you get: a certificate and the right to use the title after your name. Free or paid: paid, with free sample chapters. Drawback: the Guild describes the French programme as advanced and expects many hours of study, so it is too much as a first course.

University of Adelaide: World of Wine, From Grape to Glass (edX)

Format: a self-paced video course of about six weeks at two to three hours a week.

This long-running MOOC from the University of Adelaide explains how grapevines grow, how different wine styles are made, and how to describe what you taste in clear, formal language. It has an Australian slant, which is a bonus if you drink a lot of Australian wine.

Who it suits: beginners who like the science behind the glass. What you get: an edX certificate if you pay for the verified track. Free or paid: free to audit, with a paid certificate. Drawback: it has not always been open for enrolment, so check the edX listing for the next session before you plan around it.

UC Davis: Wine Tasting, Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis (Coursera)

Format: four self-paced beginner courses on Coursera.

The University of California, Davis is one of the best-known wine science universities, and this series focuses on tasting: how your senses work, how aromas and flavours arise, and how to judge a wine in a structured way. No prior experience is needed. It pairs well with our guide on how to taste wine.

Who it suits: anyone training their palate. What you get: a shareable certificate from UC Davis. Free or paid: paid, with financial aid available. Drawback: you are expected to buy the red and white wines listed for each course, plus suitable glasses, so the real cost is more than the course itself.

Wine Folly online courses

Format: self-paced online lessons with video, from a beginner Wine 101 course up to regional and advanced courses.

Wine Folly is known for clear wine maps and charts. Wine 101 needs no experience and covers styles, major grapes, regions, tasting, food pairing and service. You keep lifetime access, and passing the final exam earns a digital Wine Folly certificate.

Who it suits: visual learners who want to study at their own pace. Free or paid: the courses are paid, while many articles on the website are free. Drawback: the certificate is Wine Folly's own, not an industry qualification such as WSET.

Wine for Normal People (podcast)

Format: a weekly podcast hosted by Elizabeth Schneider since 2011, plus paid live online classes.

Friendly episodes on grapes, regions and history make it easy to learn while you walk or commute. Recent episodes are free in podcast apps, and the back catalogue sits behind a paid Patreon membership.

Who it suits: people who learn by listening. What you get: knowledge, but no certificate. Free or paid: free, with paid extras. Drawback: there is no structure, practice or testing, so it is easy to listen for months and remember little.

Winelingo (browser and iPhone)

Format: 166 short interactive lessons in 26 units, in English, Danish, Spanish and German.

This is our course. It works in the browser at winelingo.app/course and in the iPhone app with the same account. The first unit, Tasting & senses (10 lessons), is free in the browser, and you can try a lesson without an account. The iPhone app is free to download, with Premium for unlimited label scans; see pricing for the rest.

Who it suits: beginners who want a daily habit rather than a weekend of study. What you get: no certificate. Drawback: Winelingo is not a certification and does not prepare you for, or award, WSET or Court of Master Sommeliers qualifications. If you need a certificate for work, choose one of the options above.

Free online wine courses

Free online wine courses do exist, but most are a free taster of something larger. These are the genuinely free routes from the list above:

• Audit a MOOC. The University of Adelaide's World of Wine on edX has been free to audit when a session is open.
• Listen to a podcast. Recent Wine for Normal People episodes cost nothing.
• Read sample chapters. The Wine Scholar Guild offers free chapters from its country programmes.
• Start a free unit. Winelingo's first unit, Tasting & senses, is free in the browser.
• Test yourself. Our free wine quizzes show what you already know and where the gaps are.

Our guide on how to learn about wine sets out an order to tackle things in, and wine for beginners covers the basics in one sitting.

Online sommelier courses and wine certification online

A sommelier is a trained wine professional in a restaurant who builds the list, advises guests and serves the wine. So an online sommelier course adds service skills that a general wine course leaves out.

Online, the two clearest starting points are the WSET Level 1 or 2 exam route and the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas Introductory Sommelier Course. WSET is about wine knowledge and tasting for any wine job; the Court's pathway is built around restaurant service. Both offer a recognised certificate after an online exam.

For wine certification online, check who sets the exam, whether you can sit it from home, and whether employers in your country know the name. A course company's own certificate rarely carries the same weight.

How to choose an online wine course

Start with what you want to be able to do in six months.

• I want a certificate for my CV. WSET Level 1 if you are new, Level 2 if you already know the main grapes.
• I want to work as a sommelier. The Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory course, ideally alongside a job on a restaurant floor.
• I want a proper introduction without exams. The University of Adelaide MOOC, or Wine Folly's Wine 101.
• I want to taste more precisely. UC Davis on Coursera, together with regular tasting practice at home.
• I love one country. The matching Wine Scholar Guild programme.
• I want to learn a little every day. An app such as Winelingo, or a podcast on the way to work.

Whatever you choose, learn the vocabulary early. The wine glossary and our list of words to describe wine make any course easier to follow, as does our guide to types of wine.