Immersive Wine Certification
Join a 7-day in-person French Wine Scholar program that blends academic depth with real-world immersion. Study with a certified instructor, meet winemakers, and connect theory to terroir.
About the French Wine Scholar Program at Paris Wine Academy
Study French wine in the regions that shaped it.
This is more than a classroom course. It’s a deep dive into French wine culture, built on trust, connection, and context.
Offered in partnership with the Wine Scholar Guild, our 7-day French Wine Scholar program prepares you for the internationally recognized FWS certification while immersing you in the people and places behind the curriculum.
What makes our program different?
Taught in English by a certified French wine educator born and raised in France, the course blends academic rigor with real-world experience.
Here’s how the program with us unfolds:
You begin studying as soon as you enroll.
First, we get on a call together. We’ll send you study materials and design a personalized study plan. You’ll also take part in three online prep sessions to build your foundation before arriving in Lyon.
You’ll alternate between classroom days and wine region travel.
One day, you’ll be mapping out the soils of Côte-Rôtie in the classroom, the next, you’ll be in the vineyard talking to growers about how they farm it.
You’ll taste in cellars, walk vineyard slopes, and share meals with the people who live the traditions you’re studying.
In Beaujolais, Burgundy, and the Northern Rhône, you’ll meet multi-generational winemakers and artisans whose lives are shaped by wine. These aren’t staged visits. They’re cultural exchanges rooted in respect and curiosity.
Cohorts are capped at six.
This keeps the group intimate and the dialogue meaningful between you, your instructor, and the winemakers and artisans we visit.
- Once a year, we offer the FWS in a classroom-only format in Paris. In session, the cohort is capped at 10.
You can study wine anywhere.
But meaning comes when you are at the source.
Upcoming Sessions
8 – 14 JUN 2026 – (classroom and wine trips)
French Wine Scholar, Lyon
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TBA
French Wine Essentials, Lyon
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FAQs
What is the French Wine Scholar certification?
The French Wine Scholar (FWS) is an internationally recognized certification from the Wine Scholar Guild, designed for advanced students of wine. It’s ideal for sommeliers, educators, buyers, collectors, and committed enthusiasts looking to deepen their knowledge of France’s wine regions, grapes, laws, and traditions.
What does the day-to-day schedule look like for the French Wine Scholar program with Paris Wine Academy?
We alternate between classroom instruction and travel days throughout the week, so you’re constantly connecting what you learn to what you taste, see, and experience in the regions. This rhythm allows for a deeper, more integrated understanding of French wine.
Our itinerary is carefully crafted and finalized in collaboration with our regional partners, which means it may vary slightly based on seasonal availability and producer schedules. What stays consistent is the balance:
- Structured classroom study
- Thoughtful visits to wineries, artisans, and cultural sites
- Time to absorb, connect, and reflect
This is not a rushed tour; it’s an immersive academic experience supported by people who live and work in the French wine world every day.
What’s included in the program fee?
- FWS classroom instruction, textbook and printed study materials
- One-on-one study session with your Nicolas
- One-on-one travel prep session with Emily
- 3 online prep sessions
- All tastings and producer visits
- Transportation during regional travel
- Chef-prepared lunch in the vineyard
- Select meals (welcome apéro, lunches)
- Exam and certification fees
- Instructor support throughout
What’s not included?
- Travel to and from Lyon or Paris, depending on the program.
- Most dinners (we’ll offer plenty of recommendations)
- Lodging but we’ll share trusted options near the classroom base and help you navigate booking, including train travel if you’re arriving from CDG airport
We aim to make the logistics easy and the experience seamless, even for those new to France or traveling solo.
Paris Wine Academy 