WSET Level 4 Diploma Coaching
WSET Diploma coaching · Tasting exam preparation
From tasting to reasoned judgement
Coaching for students working towards the WSET Level 4 Diploma, with a particular focus on preparing for the tasting exams. The aim is to make your assessments more precise, well-reasoned and clear, including under exam conditions.
JC Viens guides you through an approach developed over more than twenty years of teaching: start with wine style, assess quality in context and connect every conclusion to evidence in the glass. The work goes beyond recognising aromas to building a reasoned argument and expressing it precisely.
Grande Passione provides supplementary coaching, not the Diploma course or examinations. Registration for the qualification and exams remains with your WSET-approved Diploma provider.
What we’ll work on
- Analyse wine style by connecting sensory observations, structure and balance.
- Assess quality and ageing potential, supporting each conclusion with specific evidence.
- Compare wines blind to identify meaningful differences and test your hypotheses.
- Write clear, coherent tasting notes in English that address the exam questions.
- Manage your time and use feedback from JC Viens to identify where to focus your preparation.
How coaching works
Format
Individual or small group sessions, at Atelier del Vino in Verona or online.
Tailored to your needs
We agree on the goals, number and length of sessions based on your current preparation, the challenges you face and the exams you are preparing for.
Tasting and feedback
Sessions combine tasting, a review of your assessments and feedback from JC Viens to sharpen your reasoning and identify your study priorities.
Practical arrangements and fees
Dates, session format, fees and arrangements for the wines are agreed before you confirm your booking.
Diploma coaching FAQs
No. Grande Passione offers supplementary coaching for Diploma students, with a particular focus on preparing for the tasting exams. It does not replace the official course or include registration for the qualification or exams. These remain with your WSET-approved Diploma provider.
For those preparing for the WSET Level 4 Diploma who want targeted support in tasting: to make their assessments more precise, justify their conclusions, and write clear answers in English. It is also useful for those who need to retake a tasting exam and want to identify the areas of their preparation that need work.
Developed over more than twenty years of teaching, JC Viens’s approach starts with wine style and grounds each assessment of quality in evidence from the glass. Through comparative tastings and discussion of your notes, he helps you distinguish observations from hypotheses, check that your conclusions are consistent and support them with precise evidence. The aim is to develop your independent judgement and express it clearly, including under exam conditions.
Online sessions are available individually or in small groups. Before each session, we agree on the goals and exercises. If a tasting is planned, we also agree on which wines you’ll need and how to prepare them. During the session, we review your observations and written notes, with focused feedback on your reasoning and the precision and clarity of your answers.
Before you start, tell JC Viens which exams you are preparing for, your planned exam dates and the difficulties you encounter when tasting. If available, share some of your written tasting notes and any feedback you have received. This helps identify your coaching priorities and agree on exercises to complete before the sessions.
Email contact@grandepassione.com with the Diploma exams you are preparing for, your goals and whether you prefer individual or small group sessions, in Verona or online. Together, we’ll agree on the coaching plan, dates, fees and arrangements for the wines before you confirm your booking.
Let's talk about your preparation
Which exam are you preparing for, and what are you finding most challenging? Get in touch to discuss coaching tailored to your goals, in Verona or online.