Already a lecturer on wine vintages at Vatel Bordeaux, Annabelle Mispelblom Beijer has graduated with a Diploma in Wines (WSET Level 4) and can now indulge her passion further by sharing her love of wine while preparing our students for WSET Level 3.
The Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) is the most widely recognized wine, spirits and sake qualification in the world. Anabelle’s love affair with the ‘drink of Dionysus’ started in Australia in the early 2000s. Read on to learn about her wine teaching philosophy.
Teaching wine: Annabelle’s participation method
At the start of each term, Annabelle Mispelblom Beijer asks an open question in order to:
– Create an atmosphere of dialogue and discussion with her students
– Assess her audience’s level of knowledge
– Subsequently adapt the knowledge being taught
So she might start the lesson with:
- What do you think a grape variety is?
- What do you know about Cabernet Sauvignon?
- Which sparkling wines can you name?
Delivering wine training by podcast: a three-fold challenge
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and unreliable internet connections, the Bordeaux wine university graduate has chosen to share her knowledge in podcasts during the past few months. She records her entire class in one go. Thanks to her wealth of experience, “It takes me two hours in total for one hour of lesson.” You must be:
– Precise: Students cannot ask for additional information in real time while listening to the podcast. So you need to give them as much information as possible
– Concise: Take care not to lose the students by drowning them in numbers, for instance
– Interesting: ‘I always try to illustrate my words with interesting examples such as the most expensive wine in the world: 1 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru 1945.’
WSET 3 studies: For wine professionals & enthusiasts
– Being able to recognize wines in a blind tasting
– Being able to speak about all wines
– Having a solid knowledge of grape varieties and vineyards around the world
And this Vatel Bordeaux lecturer is excited to hold the WSET 4 qualification because she can now prepare our students for the WSET 3 exam. “I will be able to share my knowledge with wine enthusiasts,” Annabelle happily confirms. In fact, the WSET 3 includes a blind tasting to confirm each student’s ability to evaluate wines with precision.
This includes an analysis of the:
- Appearance (clarity/brightness and color
- Aroma and bouquet (intensity, aroma characteristics, stage of aging)
- Taste and texture (acidity, tannin and alcohol levels, flavors, aftertaste
- Quality (acceptable? Good? Excellent? Or mediocre)
Those who achieve the WSET therefore have a lot of experience.
Would you like more information about wine courses and employment opportunities in this field? Tracey Dobbin can provide more details.