Sommelier Diploma

Postgraduate Sommelier Program.
8 months program by Spain’s best sommelier in 2016, to learn about and experience the best wines around the world, with a special focus on the Spanish and Catalan wines and vineyards.

1. Context. History, cultural aspects, and traditions

This course provides a unique opportunity to learn and contextualize Catalan Wines through its history from the Middle Ages to nowadays, and its relationship with the culture and traditions of the region.

Included in this course content, is the understanding of taste physiology.

2. Viticulture

This course will focus on learning the process of grape growing, the terroir, the climate, latitudes, and soils, that shape the local grape qualities. The student will learn all the way the process, from the vine, and the harvest practices (“la verema”), to the bottle.

3. Oenology

This course will offer the opportunity to learn the winemaking process, in the best way possible, making it. The students will be in the best scenario possible, they will make wine on-site, in well-known local wineries.

4. Taste: Wine Tasting techniques. How and why we taste wine

The student will focus on why and how we taste wine; examining the wine’s appearance, aroma, flavors, and textures to understand how and where it was made, as well as its quality. This course offers the opportunity to learn the tasting techniques and the sensory distinctions; so the student will be able to use those skills from now on, in each tasting they are involved in.

5. Grapes

Topics covered in this course include the most important grape varieties, based on different geographical areas of Catalunya, and the Mediterranean region in general.

6. Wine Regions

The student will learn in-depth the 12 wine regions of Catalunya, visiting all of them and learning the wine that is being made in each area.

7. Wine Services

The student will be introduced to the concepts involved in food and wine pairing, using sensory abilities to recognize those elements in food and wine that complement each other. The focus of this course will be on wine service as well.

Methodology

Theoretical basis and practical hands-on learning experiences to solve professional and personal challenges, encouraging self-reflection and conversations about Catalan gastronomy.

To understand our cultural background, our learning tools and strategies will be focused on real-life demands that involve the student’s contact with the people who are launching these requests (other students, external collaborators, companies, local producers, chefs, etc…). Using different techniques and methodologies, all participants will create elaborations, ranging from traditional to modern, to experience authentic Catalan everyday cuisine.

The program will follow many common and interdisciplinary experiences, such as lectures, show cooking, producer visits, workshops, problem-solving learning, and activities that involve adaptability to changes or promote content creation through collaborative learning and personal background.