Exploring the wines of Switzerland at the WSET school in London

Wednesday 08 Feb 2023

London, February 8, 2023. Swiss Wine in the UK organised the first ever tasting of Swiss wines at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) school in London.

The world’s leading provider of wine qualifications

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust is a teaching institution devoted to the development and delivery of qualifications and courses in wines and spirits. Established in 1969 for the UK wine trade, the WSET has grown to become the global industry leader. Its qualifications are available through a network of over 800 Approved Program Providers working in over 70 countries and in 15 languages.

Until a few years ago, Switzerland used to be taught as part of the syllabus for the WSET Diploma (Level 4). Demand for this qualification was continuing to grow, and it was being taught in more and more countries, and increasingly online. However, it was proving harder to source quality Swiss wines in so many different places, since their availability outside Switzerland is relatively limited. As a result, the WSET removed several of the smaller producing countries such as Switzerland from the Diploma syllabus.

Putting Swiss wines back on the agenda

To ensure that Switzerland remained accessible to both students and alumni, the WSET school in London agreed to add a Swiss-themed tasting to its regular program of events. Simon Hardy DipWSET gave an introductory presentation to Switzerland’s six wine regions, its unique Alpine terroir and wide diversity of climates, as well as its treasure trove of indigenous grape varieties.

After serving a traditional Chasselas aperitif, he poured eight more wines, including Chasselas and Petite Arvine whites, Cornalin and Humagne Rouge reds, and world-class Pinot Noir and Merlot. The wines were accompanied by a selection of fine cheeses from Käseswiss, a London-based specialist in Swiss cheese.

The level of interest in the event resulted in a sell-out and a long waiting list. Based on this overwhelming response and the very positive feedback to the actual event, the school has asked Simon to repeat the event in the autumn and vary the selection of wines.

The wines presented :

White

Red

Switzerland. Naturally.