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All our students benefit from exclusive discounts on products from Riedel, Coravin and more, plus discount on subsequent WCB WSET course bookings! / Todos nuestros estudiantes reciben descuentos exclusivos en productos de Riedel, Coravin y más, además de descuentos en las siguientes reservas de cursos WSET con WCB!
Wine Courses
Barcelona WSET
Students of the Year 2020/21
Published: 29/09/2021 Versión en castellano aquí
It’s that time of year again when the results are all in and we applaud all our wonderful students. 2020/21 was an incredible year for Wine Courses Barcelona, with a 100% pass rate across all Level 2 classes and Merits and Distinction galore. Gabriela Di Nardo began teaching our courses in Spanish and we couldn’t be happier to be a bilingual school with a more multinational student body than ever. There has been a real celebratory mood to classes; after the strictest lockdown in Europe last year, Barcelona’s residents are ready to expand their knowledge and boost their skills, and we’re delighted to see them all face-to-face. In spite of ongoing restrictions, WCB students know how to make our classes serious fun and we can’t wait to see what 2021/22 will bring.
But before we rush headfirst into the new year, let’s take the time to say a huge WELL DONE to our WSET Students of the Year 2020/21. These exceptional students achieved the highest marks across the board through their hard work, dedication and unending enthusiasm for wine. Each wins a super prize, including 2 Coravin Model 3’s for our top Level 2 and 3 students, courtesy of our partners at Euroseleccio. So who are the lucky three this year…
WCB’S WSET Level 1 Student of the Year 2020/21: Cliodhna McGirr
Cliodhna moved to Barcelona from her native Dublin in January 2021, looking forward to sunnier climes, Catalan culture and, of course, great wine. She took the Level 1 online course in June following a recommendation from a friend and achieved an unbeatable 100% in her exam. She’s already registered for Level 2 in Spanish and is flexing her wine skills at work in a wine bar in Eixample. She wins a VacuVin Corkscrew Twister and a discount on her upcoming WSET course.
“Having worked in the hospitality industry for over 4 years… I decided it was time to advance my career by specialising in wine. I wanted to enhance my skillset with wine pairing, wine tasting, giving recommendations, and so on. A personal love of wine and wine culture of course helped this decision! Taking a WSET course has been the first step in what I hope will be a very long journey of constantly expanding my knowledge of the world of wine, and I look forward to completing Level 2″
WCB’S WSET Level 2 Student of the Year 2020/21: Ángel Martínez
Ángel is the perfect definition of a #winelover. For many years, the world of wine has been his favourite pastime and he has dedicated countless hours to reading, tasting and visiting various wine regions. His desire to expand his knowledge led him to register for WSET Level 2, in order to formalise what he had learnt so far and acquire a more systematic approach to tasting to better assess wines.
“The WSET Level 2 experience was fantastic, because the content and structure of the course allowed me to grow and also consolidate my knowledge of the world of wine. Wine Courses Barcelona’s teachers help you through the whole process to ensure you get the most out of the learning which is included in WSET Level 2.”
It was a total pleasure to have Ángel on one of our courses and, without a doubt, we hope to see him back soon. We’re sure he’ll make great use out of his Coravin Model 3, which he wins for having obtained the highest mark in a Level 2 exam.
“It was a huge surprise to learn I was the Student of the Year and it’s motivated me to further deepen my knowledge about this wonderful world of wine. I’m really looking forward to doing the next level of WSET to learn and enjoy it even more.”
WCB’S WSET Level 3 Student of the Year 2020/21: Nick Andrews
It’s full steam ahead for translator Nick Andrews, who began his Level 2 online course in October 2020 which he passed with Distinction, then tackled Level 3 in November achieving Distinctions in both tasting and theory parts of his exam and a fantastic overall Distinction grade. Then in early 2021? He began the WSET Level 4 Diploma with The Austrian Wine Academy and already has one exam under his belt! Originally from Boston, he spent two years travelling and freelancing before choosing Barcelona as home, for its Mediterranean climate, great food and wine, and opportunities to indulge his other great love of hiking.
“Although I work with clients in a range of industries, my favourite assignments have always been in the culinary sector. Food and wine are the key to understanding a culture, and it’s an area that often gets neglected: I think we’ve all had that experience of staring at an inscrutable menu and wondering what will end up on our plates! My journey with WSET started during the pandemic as a step towards specializing in wine translation, and I was immediately drawn by the diversity of topics, cultures and languages involved. After finishing Level 3 last fall with Sharon, I’m currently studying for the WSET Diploma at the Weinakademie in Austria. Apart from Spanish, my other main language is German, so this is an opportunity to make contacts in the German-speaking world as well.”
Nick was a total pleasure to have in class; always prepared and full of smiles, we’re sure he’s headed toward more exam success with the Diploma. He wins a Coravin Model 3, courtesy of our friends at Euroseleccio, which we’re sure will come in handy along his wine education journey. Salud, Nick!
“Thank you for your encouragement and for convincing me to take the plunge to pursue the Diploma! I really appreciate not only the energy you put into teaching, but also your ability to explain difficult concepts clearly. Now that I’m mostly studying on my own, I miss coming to your classes! So far, my WSET experience has been fantastic and I’m looking forward to diving even deeper into the world of wine.”
So, have these guys got you inspired to grab a glass and get involved? Do you think you could be the next Student of the Year? Then register for one of our upcoming WSET Level 1, 2 or 3 wine courses and start your own wine education journey. More details can be found here and registration is via our Online Booking page. And check out the previous Students of the Year via the links below, including new head of wine tourism at Parés Baltà, Erin Van de Hey. Where will your WSET journey take you? Vamos!
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