Wines of South Africa

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Estimated study time?

Individuals differ, learning styles differ, and the individual time factors and learning speeds differ so it would be hard to place a precise time so we suggest a range of between 19-25 hours of study. This includes reading through the material and completing the quizzes and the final examination. There is no time constraint nor limit, of utmost importance is you enjoy this journey of knowledge and you indulge your curiosity and thirst for knowledge.

How long do I have to complete the course?

Human beings never complete anything without a target. We may believe this to be untrue but if you were to silently contemplate yourself with unbridled honesty you would admit this is a truth, unpleasant it may be but still the truth. At APWASI we encourage you to complete this course within six months from registration. As the course recommendation is between 19-25 hours, a six-month period of completion is an exaggerated premium of time for you as we want you to do other more constructive things in life than procrastinate.

Who is it for?

Our courses are for the dedicated, determined, belief in themselves and wanting to succeed. If you have these qualities you will succeed at anything you want not only these courses.

These courses, by the nature of their content are aimed at wine professionals currently in the industry and those who are intending to join the industry, and enthusiasts. The kaleidoscope of career options is many. This would include retail, importing, exporting, distributing, and perhaps even producing. Additionally, if you are in the hospitality industry, hotel, airline, cruise ship, high-medium end restaurants, this course would give you a firm and unquestionable structure of wine and spirit knowledge to further your career. Following our 5 C’s philosophy we believe our courses are for those who treasure knowledge and have a thirst to make their mark in life.

Where can I do this?

Anywhere in the globe, on the sunny beaches of Hawaii or the secluded jungle of South America or even the salubrious atmosphere of a private club in London, literally it is anywhere you wish. Our courses are available world-wide, 365/ 24/7, in 23 different languages. All you need is an internet connection! These courses can be accessed on your mobile device, tablet or on your computer.

Why us?

We are all accustomed to choices and with choices there are set parameters that we set before making a decision. Education is not an inanimate object it is not a pair of lifestyle shoes, shirt, blouse or meal. Education is the keystone of your life and we encourage you to choose as you see fit. Our criteria suits those that are openminded, cultural adept, eager to learn on a holistic basis and not just facts and figures- regurgitating them out like an antiquated calculator with a paper roll attached. We want, we demand, our graduates to be beacons of openness, approachable and wanting to share experiences and knowledge with all within the industry. We all begin our life with the currency of youth and this applies to not only APWASI but also other organizations like us across this globe. We bring fresh beginnings with new education methods to match the new trends, embrace the plethora of learning styles and together our courses are definitive in character that are matchless in the devotion given to their creation. If you value the future as we state, “learning for the future” then we are your future.

How can I learn this without tasting?

One cannot learn to swim without water and neither do we expect you to learn without tasting . We have at the end of each course a selection of wines we recommend you to try using the skills you have acquired on the wine essentials course we offer. Through this method you can increase your practical wine tasting skills. Our courses allow you to evaluate the wines by understanding the “why” and “the how”.

I don’t know how to taste.

The ability to taste wine is universal. The methodology to understanding wine and appreciating wine is not universal and that needs to be understood through concept, tasting and recording. This we achieve by having you take the wine essentials course we have as a prerequisite to any courses you select. Within this course lie the secrets to identifying, nosing and tasting wines and finally evaluate wines. It’s our pleasure to join you on this journey of adventure and bountiful knowledge. After taking this course you will learn and be able to taste wine with comfort.

Final Exam Information

For information on final exam procedures, please visit this link.

Dr. Clinton LeeDr. Clinton Lee has attained the highest qualification from the Wine Spirit and Education Trust based in London, the WSET Diploma and the Certified International Educator. He has over 80 million views globally on TikTok and Instagram about his wine and etiquette lessons.

He is an international wine lecturer, writer and critc. He has taught WSET programs and other wine courses both in Canada and internationally in China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan Argentina, France, Hungary and Italy.

Course Feedback Form

Lessons

1.0 Introduction

Author: Dr. Clinton Lee

IntroductionIntroduction Introduction South Africa is one of the most enticing wine regions, notably for premium and ultra-premium wines. The winemaking tradition of South Africa reaches back to the 1600's. Recent progress in the wine industry, owing largely to the opening up of export markets in the 1990s, has sparked a search for quality that is [...]

2.0 History of South African Wine

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

History of South African WineSuggested VideoHistory of South African Wine History of South African Wine South African wine production really began with the landing of Dutch settlers in 1652 In 1655, Jan van Riebeeck, navigator of the Dutch East India Company, founded Cape Town and established its first vineyard The subsequent planting of its first [...]

3.0 Geography

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

GeographyGeography Geography South Africa occupies the African continent's southern tip, stretching from latitude 22° S to 35° S and from longitude 17° E to 33° E The country's northeastern section sits in the tropics, atop the Tropic of Capricorn South Africa occupies 1.2 million sq. km of ground About 4,900 kilometres of international borders divide [...]

4.0 Climate/Soil/Wine Regions

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

ClimateSoilRegionsSummary of Main Wine Regions & Main VarietiesSuggested VideoClimate Climate Climate is at the forefront of very media, including newspapers, and is the most pressing concern. Its importance cannot be stressed enough. As climate has a major impact not only on a global scale that affects our lives, we must certainly understand how climate effects [...]

5.0 Grapes of South Africa

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

GrapesAdditional ResourcesSuggested VideoGrapes Grapes Red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon: Most planted red variety in South Africa Used as a single variety wine, but is also blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc Medium-high tannins, medium acidity Full bodied with notes of dark fruits, woody, baking spices, and granite Merlot: An early maturing variety that has historically been [...]

5.0A – Wine Tasting Equipment and Tasting List

Length: 30 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton LeeComplexity: Standard

IntroductionWine Tasting EquipmentAPWASI Wine Tasting MethodologyWine Tasting ListIntroduction Congratulations on your decision to learn even more about different cultures and people through your wine studies with APWASI Wines of South Africa. For some of you the wine adventure began with Wine Essentials I and then Wine essentials II. By now you are familiar and confident [...]

6.0 Cuisine

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

CuisineSuggested VideoCuisine Cuisine The history of South African cuisine and the growth of South African culinary tradition are as varied as the people who make up South Africa's population, a concoction of Eastern and Western foods and tastes closely associated with the subcontinent's past To fully appreciate the multi-cultural aspect of cuisine in South Africa, [...]

7.0 Pairings

Author: Dr. Clinton Lee

IntroductionPairingsSuggested Wine ListSuggested VideosIntroduction Introduction  In order to pair any meal with wine you must know the local / regional culture and tradition of serving food. This is a universal rule and it would serve you well to consider; strange customs are like finding a rare diamond. Don't be offended, but think of it as [...]

8.0 Culture and Etiquette

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

Culture and EtiquetteBusiness Culture/Etiquette in South AfricaBusiness Culture/Etiquette in CanadaSuggested VideoCulture and Etiquette Culture and Etiquette Culture In fact, although there are 11 official languages, English is the second or third language of most people The word "Mzansi" is Xhosa slang, used to refer to South Africa The society of South Africa is not homogeneous; [...]

9.0 How to Read the Label / Bottling / Packaging

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

How to Read the Label / Bottling / PackagingSuggested VideoHow to Read the Label / Bottling / Packaging How to Read the Label / Bottling / Packaging Bottle Shapes The advent of glass for wine containers propelled the marketing, durability and commercialization of wine. There are four main styles of wine bottles. They are: The [...]

10.0 Future

Author: Dr. Clinton Lee

FutureSuggested VideoFuture Future If you're not acquainted with South Africa's wines, you're not alone The simple reality is, there are very few exported South African wines, although the wine making of the country dates back to the 17th century The separation of South Africa from the Western world, the Depression, World War II and its [...]

11.0 Summary

Length: 0 minutesAuthor: Dr. Clinton Lee

SummarySummary Summary South Africa draws millions of visitors every year, a popular destination being the Western Cape. Tourism is one of the economy's fastest growing regions. The Department of Tourism aims to increase the number of foreign tourist from seven million, in 2009, to 15 million by 2020, and from 14.6 million to 18 million [...]

12. Course Feedback

Author: Dr. Clinton Lee

Course Feedback Did you enjoy the content of the APWASI preview course? * YesNo 1. How would you rate the quality of this course? PoorAcceptableGoodVery GoodExcellentN/A 2. How did you find the course length & detail? ShortJust RightToo LongN/A 3. Were the course questions easy? EasyJust RightHardVery HardN/A 4. Would you recommend this course? YesNoN/A [...]

13. Final Exam

Author: Dr. Clinton Lee

Congratulations on your wonderful achievement of completing the course. The next step is to successfully pass the Final Examination. This examination is timed and there are 100 multiple choice questions with 65% being the pass mark. We strongly urge you, encourage you to study hard before you attempt to take the examination. Ensure you know […]