The curriculum

Three levels.
One progression.

A sequenced wine education — from first principles to comparative reasoning. By the end you can place a wine, defend a quality call, and talk any list with confidence. Levels build on each other; modules gate by demonstrated knowledge, not pages viewed.

At launchVOL · I
Levels
3
Modules
10
Lessons live
44
Mock exams
8
Foundations: Live now · The Wine World: Live now · Intermediate Application: Live now

Four knowledge domains

Viticulture & Vinification
World Wine Geography
Grape Varieties & Styles
Tasting & Evaluation

The progression

Each level builds the next.

Click any level to expand its modules. Every module ends in an assessment. Every lesson tags to one or more knowledge domains — that's how progress is measured.

018 – 10 weeks

Foundations

Live now

The beginner spine: what wine is, how it is made, how structure works, and how to start tasting with confidence.

Domain emphasisViticulture & VinificationGrape Varieties & StylesWorld Wine GeographyTasting & Evaluation
Expand

Learning outcome

Build the base layer: what wine is, how grapes become wine, and which variables create style. Start systematic tasting and the practical habits hospitality workers need immediately.

  1. 01

    Wine fundamentals

    4 lessons~1 hr
    • What wine is
    • Growing grapes for wine
    • How wine is made
    • Core structural language
  2. 02

    Tasting and service basics

    4 lessons~51 min
    • Introduction to the tasting grid
    • Recognizing common wine styles
    • Food and wine pairing logic
    • Storage, temperature, and faults
0210 – 12 weeks

The Wine World

Live now

Geography, appellations, and classic regions become the organizing framework for understanding wine styles.

Domain emphasisWorld Wine GeographyGrape Varieties & StylesViticulture & Vinification
Expand

Learning outcome

A guided pass through the most important French regions, styles, grapes, and label logic. A practical pass through Italy's most useful study anchors: Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Veneto, and the logic of regional diversity. Build a first-pass frame for Iberia through Rioja, Tempranillo, Atlantic freshness, and the Douro-Port framing move. Build a first-pass frame for Germany, Austria, and Hungary through Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, Tokaji, and the tension between sweetness, dryness, and acidity. Build a first-pass frame for Greece, Cyprus, and Lebanon through Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Agiorgitiko, Commandaria, and Bekaa Valley altitude logic. Build a first-pass New World map through the United States, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa using named regions and benchmark grapes rather than one flat style script.

  1. 01

    France: core regions

    6 lessons~1.7 hr
    • Bordeaux basics
    • Burgundy basics
    • Champagne basics
    • Loire Valley basics
    • Northern Rhone basics
    • Southern Rhone basics
  2. 02

    Italy: classic anchors

    4 lessons~1.1 hr
    • Tuscany and Chianti basics
    • Piedmont basics
    • Veneto basics
    • Southern Italy and islands basics
  3. 03

    Spain & Portugal foundations

    4 lessons~1.1 hr
    • Rioja basics
    • Ribera del Duero and Tempranillo
    • Albarino and Atlantic Spain
    • Douro and Portugal basics
  4. 04

    Germany & Central Europe foundations

    4 lessons~1.1 hr
    • Mosel and Riesling basics
    • Germany dry Riesling basics
    • Austria and Gruner basics
    • Tokaji and Hungary basics
  5. 05

    Eastern Mediterranean foundations

    5 lessons~1.4 hr
    • Santorini and Assyrtiko basics
    • Northern Greece and Xinomavro
    • Nemea and Agiorgitiko basics
    • Cyprus and Commandaria basics
    • Lebanon and Bekaa basics
  6. 06

    New World classic anchors

    7 lessons~2.0 hr
    • California and Napa basics
    • Oregon and Willamette basics
    • Argentina and Mendoza basics
    • Chile basics
    • Australia and Shiraz basics
    • New Zealand basics
    • South Africa basics
0310 – 12 weeks

Intermediate Application

Live now

Comparative analysis, stronger quality judgments, and more defensible arguments about style, place, and readiness.

Domain emphasisTasting & EvaluationGrape Varieties & Wine StylesWorld Wine GeographyViticulture & Vinification
Expand

Learning outcome

Move from single-wine recognition into quality judgments, comparative tasting frames, and more disciplined style calls. Use place, production, and style evidence together to make cleaner regional arguments without overclaiming.

  1. 01

    Comparative tasting & style

    3 lessons~1.0 hr
    • Quality and readiness logic
    • Comparative white wine frames
    • Comparative red wine frames
  2. 02

    Comparative regional reasoning

    3 lessons~1.1 hr
    • Bordeaux and Burgundy comparison
    • Italy through classic contrasts
    • Iberia and fortified logic

Beyond lessons

The curriculum is one surface in a connected system.

The Study Path is sequenced. Everything else exists to keep that material active and put it to work — the atlas, the practice modes, the exam center, the notebook, and the tools you reach for on the floor.

On the floor

Mid-shift Search & My List

Where the curriculum pays off in service. Every grape and region you study becomes a guest-ready answer you can pull up mid-rush — and a prep sheet for exactly the bottles you're pouring tonight.

Try the live search

Reference

Wine Atlas

The atlas mirrors the countries, core regions, subregions, and grapes used throughout the curriculum. Lesson cross-links open the relevant atlas entry in context.

Tour the Bordeaux preview

Practice

Tasting Lab

Lessons in Domain 4 are paired with the deductive grid. The Tasting Lab provides guided and timed modes for building real evaluation discipline alongside theory.

See the platform surfaces

Retention

Spaced repetition

Every lesson has a linked flashcard deck. The review schedule adapts to recall confidence so short sessions keep lesson material active without cramming.

How the loop works

Assessment

Module gates & mock exams

Modules end with assessments that draw from every lesson inside them. Readiness scores combine lesson, module, mock-exam, flashcard, and atlas-quiz signals to point the next study move.

What's included in Pro

The path begins at Level 1

The first six lessons are free.

Create an account to start the guided path, take the placement quiz, and let the system route you to the right starting module. No card required.

Placement quiz routes you to the correct module — beginners begin at Level 1, returning students may start later.
First six lessons are open to free accounts. The full path — plus Mid-shift Search and My List — opens with Pro.
Resume from exactly where you stopped. Nothing resets between sessions.

Begin

Step into the
Study Path.

The lesson sequence is mapped, the atlas is connected, and the practice layers are designed to work together from the first session.