SANTA BARBARA

SANTA BARBARA BOOTCAMP

Get your WSET Level 2 in Wines
over four days of immersive learning

Hosted by Amy Christine, Master of Wine

Come and explore Southern California’s premier wine region, with visits to seven benchmark wineries, whilst doing your WSET Level 2 certification.

This four-day wine bootcamp combines mornings in the classroom with winery visits in the afternoon. At the wineries, we are hosted by vineyard managers and winemakers, and enjoy extensive tastings of both international and Santa Barbara wines side-by-side.

This bootcamp is the ideal way to learn about wine. The theory you learn in the classroom is brought to life during the winery visits. It’s lots of fun and we have a 97% pass rate at the WSET Level 2. There are no prerequisites, but we do recommend starting with the Level 1 to ensure you have a solid foundation of knowledge.

Santa Barbara

April 21st - 24th 2025

Hosted by Amy Christine MW

$1,995 US per person

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

COURSE OVERVIEW

You will spend four days in the beautiful Santa Barbara wine region discovering several of the leading local wineries and also learning about the major international regions. Our vineyard visits, winery tours, and presentations will take you on a vinous journey around the world. The classroom sessions take place at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott. You can stay here, or anywhere you wish, be it at another hotel or at home.

You will learn about:

The art of tasting in detail
Growing grapes and the role of terroir
Making and maturing all types of wine
Classic and regionally important grape varieties
Major regions in France & Italy
Classic regions in Germany & Spain
New World wine regions
Sparkling and fortified wines
The art of food & wine pairing

TASTINGS & INSTRUCTION

Fine Vintage is well known for our expert instruction, high pass rates, and the exceptional quality of our tastings. Your instructor is Amy Christine, Master of Wine, a resident of Santa Barbara and owner of Holus Bolus. She knows the region in-depth. You will taste over 45 different wines valued at over $2,000+. Fine Vintage is considered to be the Harvard of wine education.

CERTIFICATION

At 4:30pm on the last day of your bootcamp there is a 50 question multiple choice exam with a pass mark of 55%. Upon successful completion you will receive a WSET certificate which is a formal qualification in wine with international recognition. You can always re-sit the exam if necessary, but we have a 97% pass rate.

All bootcamp students will receive a FREE Fine Vintage online course (value of $99-299 depending on the course) plus FREE access to our extensive video library.

ABOUT THE BOOTCAMP

Day 1 – Monday

Start your day in the classroom at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott. You will meet your fellow classmates and then learn how to taste and evaluate wine in-depth. The rest of the morning is focused on grape growing and vineyard management.

Lunch is on your own, and in the early afternoon we set off in our luxury bus to visit two leading wineries in the Sta. Rita Hills. The focus is on viticulture, with vineyard managers explaining their craft. We also enjoy extensive tastings, before heading to a gourmet food and wine pairing dinner to welcome you to this special experience.

Stainless Steel Tanks

Structured Tasting

Day 2 – Tuesday

We start the day in the classroom learning all about the intricacies of winemaking, with more insightful tastings of beautiful wines. Lunch is on your own, and then we set off in the luxury bus to visit two more iconic wineries, this time in the Santa Maria Valley.

Your hosts, the winemakers, will walk you through the stages of the winemaking process in real-life, and you’ll sample from tank and barrel. It’s a rare experience. At each winery, we focus on a different grape variety, with tastings of international wines side-by-side with local signature wines.

We arrive back at the hotel around 6pm for a free evening.

Day 3 – Wednesday

We head off at 9:30am for a whole day exploring the Sta. Rita Hills and the Santa Ynez Valley. The first winery visit focuses on sparkling wine, with a tasting of Champagne and many more.

In the afternoon, we move on to two more classic wineries where we explore Bordeaux and Rhone varieties. A food and wine pairing lunch today will be hosted by a winery and is included in your tuition. All visits are hosted by winemakers.

We return to the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott in the early evening. Tonight is on your own to relax or study.

Day 4 – Thursday

The last day of the bootcamp is in the classroom. Get ready to dive into the world of wines from France, Spain, Australia, South America, and beyond. Naturally, we taste the classic wines. Lunch is on your own with plenty of options nearby.

In the afternoon, there is a review session before the exam. The WSET Level 2 exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions (there is no tasting exam), and is scheduled for 4:30pm. You may depart once the exam is over, or stay for a glass of bubbly to celebrate the end of this incredible four-day wine experience.

MEET YOUR HOST

Our WSET Level 2 Santa Barbara Bootcamp is guided by Master of Wine, Amy Christine.

SANTA BARBARA

AMY CHRISTINE, MW

Your host in Santa Barbara

MEET AMY

Amy became a Master of Wine in 2013. She owns Holus Bolus winery in Lompoc, California with her husband, Peter Hunken, producing cool climate Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and Roussanne.

In addition to her winery work, Amy has been a sales representative for Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Los Angeles and a partner at the technology company, Wine Ring Inc. She has taught WSET Diploma classes on Champagne and Burgundy since 2013. Outside of the wine world, Amy is a die-hard Prince fan and an advocate for children in foster care in Los Angeles, sitting on the board of The Academy Project.