NIAGARA FALLS

OKANAGAN BOOTCAMP

Get your WSET Level 3 over seven days of immersive learning

Hosted by Geoffrey Moss, Master of Wine

Join us in Canada’s premier wine region with visits to multiple benchmark wineries while completing your WSET Level 3 certification.

This seven-day bootcamp combines classroom learning with winery visits. In the classroom, Geoffrey Moss MW leads the sessions, joined by guest lecturers who are accomplished winemakers and specialists in the topics covered each day. At the wineries, we are hosted by vineyard managers and winemakers, enjoying extensive tastings of both international and Okanagan wines.

This bootcamp is the ideal way to learn about wine in a condensed format. The theory you learn in the classroom is brought to life during the winery visits.

Penticton

September 13th - 19th 2025

Hosted by Geoffrey Moss MW

$3,495 CAD per person

Click here to learn about our registration, payment, and cancellation policies.

COURSE OVERVIEW

Before the bootcamp begins, join us for two essential Zoom sessions to lay the groundwork. Seven in-person course days take place at Okanagan College, located at 583 Duncan Ave W, Penticton, BC.

COME AND LEARN ABOUT:

THE ART OF BLIND TASTING with more than 70 different classic international wines tasted in class valued at more than $3,000 plus dozens of Okanagan wines at multiple wineries.
THE GROWING ENVIRONMENT AND VINEYARD MANAGEMENT with in-class sessions followed by a vineyard visit hosted by a vineyard manager.
THE WINEMAKING CRAFT with first-hand experience learning from winemakers after a classroom session on the key elements of winemaking.
CLASSIC WINE STYLES from around the world, featuring benchmark tastings, private tasting sessions, and visits to leading wine producers.
STORAGE AND SERVICE SKILLS including food and wine matching with a 3-course pairing dinner hosted by a leading Okanagan winery.

STUDY MATERIALS

Upon registration you will receive access to your online textbook and workbook. To supplement your studies, you will also receive a PDF list of practice review questions and FREE access to a Fine Vintage online course of your choosing. Prior to attending the course, you must read the textbook at least 3 times and spend a minimum of 55 hours of private study time to successfully pass the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines course.

PRE-REQUISITES

There are no prerequisites to register for this course. However, we do strongly recommend having achieved the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines certificate to ensure you have a solid foundation of knowledge.

EXAM

On the afternoon of the last day of the course, you will write 2 sets of exams:

PRACTICAL TASTING EXAM consisting of a 30-minute blind tasting of one white wine and one red wine
WRITTEN THEORY EXAM consisting of a 2-hour hand-written exam involving 50 x multiple-choice questions and 4 x multi-part short answer questions.

The exam is restricted to the information contained within the textbook sent to you at registration. Results are released approximately 12 weeks after the exam. Students are required to achieve a grade of 55% on each exam to pass the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines certification.

PRICING

The total cost of the course is $3,495 Canadian dollars.

ABOUT THE BOOTCAMP

Pre-Course Zoom Sessions

Before the bootcamp begins, join us for two essential Zoom sessions to lay the groundwork. These sessions will provide a strong theoretical foundation to enhance your in-person learning and winery visits:

First Session: Viticulture – Delve into the fundamentals of grapevine cultivation, exploring key factors like grape varieties, soil, climate, and vineyard management.
Second Session: Winemaking – Gain an overview of the winemaking process, covering fermentation, aging, and the role of winemakers in shaping wine.

Naramata Bench

Structured Tasting

Day 1 – LEARN TO TASTE: VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING REVIEW

Start your day at Okanagan College (Penticton campus), where you’ll meet your classmates and learn how to taste and evaluate wine in-depth. The morning continues with a focus on grape growing and vineyard management.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit two top Naramata Bench wineries. The emphasis is on viticulture, with vineyard managers and winemakers sharing their expertise. The day wraps up with a welcome dinner at a benchmark winery.

Day 2 – SPARKLING & FORTIFIED WINES

The morning session will cover key sparkling and fortified wine production methods, paired with tastings of classic examples.

After a lunch break, we’ll visit two leading producers in Garnet Valley, a new, emerging sub-region of the Okanagan. The day includes a vineyard tour at a leading sparkling wine producer, focusing on sparkling wine production, followed by another exclusive tour and tasting at another stunning winery in the region.

Day 3 – WINES OF FRANCE

This day will focus on the benchmark wine regions of France. Alsace with its powerful Rieslings, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminers; the Loire Valley with its electric Sauvignon Blancs, Chenin Blancs, Cabernet Francs, and Muscadets; and Bordeaux with its stunning Classified Growths – and, of course, sweet Sauternes.

We’ll have special sessions with guest lecturers in the afternoon, followed by an optional tasting of leading wines from the Oliver-Osoyoos region in the evening.

Day 4 – WINES OF ITALY

The morning will focus on the wines of Italy, including Piemonte, Veneto, Tuscany, and other classic regions that showcase the country’s diverse styles. The session will feature a fun comparative tasting.

In the afternoon, we’ll tour Okanagan Falls and Skaha Bluffs, visiting three prominent wineries in the area. Each visit will include an insightful winery tour, showcasing the unique characteristics of this renowned wine region.

Day 5 – WINES OF NEW WORLD

This day highlights New World wine regions, covering New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the Americas (Argentina, Chile, USA, and Canada). We’ll have guest lecturers to share their insights on these regions.

In the evening, an optional tasting of exceptional wines from Kelowna and Lake Country will be available.

Day 6 – WINES OF CENTRAL EUROPE, GREECE

Beginning with the wines of Germany, the morning session will take us over the Alps to Austria, south to the warm waters of Greece, and finish with the deliciously sweet wines of Hungary’s Tokaj region.

In the afternoon, we’ll tour the Similkameen Valley (a 35-minute drive), visiting benchmark wineries in the region.

Day 7 – Exam

The morning begins with a tasting journey through Spain and the session will then highlight Portugal’s diverse and distinctive wines.

In the afternoon, you’ll take the Tasting Exam: 30 minutes to blind-taste one white and one red wine. After a 15-minute break, you’ll tackle the 2-hour Theory Exam.

MEET YOUR HOST

Our WSET Level 3 Bootcamp is guided by Master of Wine, Geoffrey Moss.

PENTICTON

GEOFFREY MOSS, MW

Your host in the Okanagan

MEET GEOFFREY

Geoffrey earned his Master of Wine in Fall 2020. He was awarded the prestigious Villa Maria Trophy for his outstanding knowledge of viticulture and the Robert Mondavi Winery Award for the best performance across all the theory papers in the MW exam. This is an extremely rare achievement.

His resumé includes working with Don Triggs at Culmina Family Estate Winery before leading the marketing team at Phantom Creek Estates.

Geoffrey founded Lithica Wine Marketing in 2019, a boutique agency that helps wineries develop effective, customer-centric business and marketing strategies. He runs the wine consulting business from Penticton in the heart of the Okanagan Valley along with Søren Wine. He is one of ten Masters of Wine in Canada.