WSET relaunched its website earlier this year

New product development manager Nicholas King said the revamped course, which has been in development for three years, would give students a better understanding of the factors that influence wine style, quality and price, essential for those working in the wine industry, as well as wine enthusiasts outside the trade.

揥e want to encourage students to apply knowledge and principles in order to explain the style, quality and price of the principal wines of the world. The development of such skills is key for ongoing learning; it means that when our students come across a new wine they can hopefully use these skills to make a good prediction of what the wine will be like and, importantly, why. This is far more useful than simply being able to recall lots of facts.?he told db.

The new course has dropped the spirits element, which allows a deeper exploration of grape growing and winemaking.

The teaching programme is now organised thematically. The key focus is on wine styles and linking these back to factors and choices in the vineyard and winery. For example, there is now a session grouping Germany, Alsace and Austria, focusing on the production of aromatic white wines. Likewise, the session on the red wines of Burgundy and the northern Rhone looks at whole bunch fermentation techniques. This will make it easier for students to apply their learning, and avoids a "dull journey around a map" King said, making the course more invigorating from a learning point of view.

"We are trying to look for common themes so people will be able to apply their understanding. As the students progress through the course they are able to make links more easily and it all becomes more dynamic,"he said.

Although the theory exam will follow the same format-a 50 question multiple choice followed by four written answers ?the second section will ask for students to display their skills of explanation and application, while the tasting exam has been redesigned to more accurately assess tasting ability.

The course, which was developed by King, research and development manager, Victoria Burt MW and director of education Karen Douglas who has already been trialing the course for a year. The qualification will roll out globally in August.

The WSET is also launching a revamped Level 1 Award in Spirits and a new Level 1 Award in Sake this year and will pilot a revamped Level 2 Spirits from August 2017. It is also currently consulting on the development of a Level 3 Spirit course.