Certified Rioja Wine Educator - November 2025

Only available for people selected by the Regulatory Council of the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin

Application deadline: 30th June 2025

Dates of study trip: 10th - 14th November 2025

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This course is an initiative to train specialised instructors on the wines of Rioja, guaranteeing their level of knowledge, the rigour of their training discourse, the ability to convey their passion for Rioja and above all the ability to educate trainees by delivering courses about Rioja face-to-face and online via training centres, wine schools and other educational platforms.

The course is divided into three phases:

• Phase One: Online course. The accepted educators, having first passed through a selection process, will access online study modules and take a final exam that they have to complete successfully within a time limit. They will have to achieve a minimum score to continue to the next stage.
• Phase Two: Trip to Rioja. A 5-day English language course in the Rioja region, in which they will get to know other trainees and take part in technical workshops, wine-tastings, visits to wineries and vineyards, etc. This course will take place from Monday 10th to Friday 14th November 2025. Students are expected to organize and fund their own transport to Logroño. The course includes accomodation, local transport in Rioja, and lunches during the visits. 
• Phase Three: Final Project. The trainees will have to send in a final written project on a topic that is set by the Control Board and thus demonstrate first-hand what they have learned throughout the training. The project must be completed by a submission deadline.

If you are someone involved in wine education and training, with at least two years’ experience, command of languages and keen to be a Rioja ambassador, you are the ideal candidate for this role. You will be asked to submit your CV, have proven experience and provide a cover letter.

Estimated duration of the online course: 30 hrs.

Assessment

A first selection process will be made based on the CV of the candidates, with a possible online interview in English.

Selected candidates will be required to take the online course within 4 weeks of being selected. During the online course, there will be a set of review questions at the end of each module relating to the content. To progress to the next modules, you will need to answer 100% of the questions correctly and you will have a limited number of attempts.

There will then be a final exam consisting of 30 questions, which you will have to answer within a time limit of 30 minutes. In order to be able to continue on with the second phase of the course, you must answer 75% of the questions correctly. You have a maximum of 2 attempts.

Requirements

• Proven experience and active involvement in the wine industry for at least 2 years
• Already involved in wine education, training or writing
• Languages - strong command of English
• WSET 3/4 or equivalent strongly recommended
• Completed WSET educator training is a plus
• Good communication skills
• Strong commitment

Certified Rioja wine educators will make several commitments to be eligible for the renewal of the Rioja Wine Educator Certificate. More info here.

To apply, simply click the "Request Access" button at the top of the page. Questions about the program can be directed to academy@riojawine.com.