WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines

WSET Level 4 Diploma

The WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines is an expert-level qualification covering all aspects of wine. It is a key milestone for those aspiring to become a Master of Wine, providing the foundational knowledge and skills required to pursue this prestigious title.

Building on the knowledge and skills gained from the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, the Diploma deepens your understanding of how and why wine production and business factors influence the style, quality and price of wines.

Your expertise is built both theoretically, through comprehensive study of a large number of wine regions, and practically, by developing your wine tasting skills to an expert level.

Successful graduates acquire exceptional analytical skills and proficiency in evaluative wine tasting, gaining global recognition as authoritative wine specialists. Should you wish to progress to the Master of Wine programme, you will be well-prepared.

What you’ll learn

The Diploma is delivered in six mandatory units covering a broad range of topics including wine production, wine business, and still, sparkling and fortified wines of the world.

D1 – Wine production

Vine requirements
Anatomy of the vine and grape
Grape growing options, explaining and evaluating the different approaches and how these options affect grape yields, quality and the final wine produced
Natural factors in the vineyard and how they influence the vine’s ability to produce grapes for wines of different styles, quality levels and price
Winemaking and post-fermentation options and how they influence the style, quality and price of wines

D2 – Wine business

The types of businesses engaged in wine production and the options for getting wine to the point of sale
Factors that contribute to the price of wine
Key considerations in wine marketing

D3 – Wines of the world | D4 – Sparkling wines | D5 – Fortified wines

In each of these units you will learn:

How grape-growing, winemaking, maturation, wine law and wine business influence the style, quality and price of the principal still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) of the world.

How to taste and evaluate still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) using the WSET Level 4 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine®(SAT)

D6 – Independent research assignment

How to research a specified wine-related subject

Timeframe for studies

This qualification has a minimum requirement of 500 hours of study time:

116 hours of delivery time with a WSET course provider (classroom or online)
370 hours of personal study and revision, including preparing an independent research assignment (D6)
Examinations for each unit (excluding D6) totalling 11 hours 50 minutes.

At Wine School Perho PRO It normally takes 12-18 months to complete the Diploma. Each unit is weighted differently in terms of hours of study required, the table below shows the minimum guided learning time, private study time and the weighting applied against each unit.

Assessment

To complete the Diploma you must pass all six units, successfully meeting the rigorous assessment requirements across the syllabus. Assessment varies by Unit:

D1 – Wine production

1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions

D2 – Wine business

1 hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions

D3 – Wines of the world

A theory and tasting examination to be held over two consecutive days:
Day one – A two-part theory exam formed of open-response questions to be completed in 3 hours 20 minutes (one 2-hour paper and one 80-minute paper).

Day two – A two-part blind tasting examination of 12 wines to be completed in 3 hours (two papers of 1½ hours)

D4 – Sparkling wines

1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions and a blind tasting of three sparkling wines

D5 – Fortified wines

1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions and a blind tasting of three fortified wines

D6 – Independent research assignment

One research assignment of 3,000 words

Those who successfully complete the Diploma will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin and will be able to use the post-nominal “DipWSET” and associated WSET certified logo. You will also become a member of our Alumni Body, with access to our quarterly reports and a number of exclusive events.

Entry requirements

Candidates must hold either the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines or the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits to enrol on the WSET Level 4 Diploma.

Candidates whose first language is not English are strongly recommended to have an IELTS score of 6.5 or above or be able to demonstrate an equivalent ability level.

Course information

For more information and full details on the course requirements, please download the course Specification below.

Next course will start in August 2026. Link to next course timetable.

Price and terms of cancellation

The study fee is 9300 € (incl. VAT 25,5 %). The price includes lectures according to the programme in Wine School Perho PRO and on the study trip, samples in tastings, practice exams and essays, WSET materials and exams. Retakes of exams are charged separately. Billing is done in four installments during the studies, two installments in the autumn and two in the spring. Participation in the course is binding after confirmation of starting the course.

The study trip (travel and accommodation): is paid by the students.
Wine School Perho PRO will not reserve flights or act as official travel organizer of the trip, students will take care of these costs themselves.

To book and for all inquiries contact Sirpa Vaahti sirpa.vaahti@perho.fi or +358 50 310 0787