| Course | Capstone California |
| Institute | Wine Insitute |
| Instructor(s) | Tim Gaiser MS, Evan Goldstein MS, Wayne Belding MS, et al. |
| Date | 2021 (press release) |
| Duration | – 101 – 45 minutes – Level 1: Introductory – 6 hours – Level 2: Intermediate – 20 hours – Level 3: Advanced – 50 hours – Level 4: Expert/Ambassador – 120 hours |
| Cost | See Certification. Check the School Locator for local prices. |
| Format | Online with onsite tasting |
| Certificate | Yes |
About the Course
Capstone California is a comprehensive study of California Wine presented by the California Wine Institute. The program offers four levels of study, from novice to expert, each building on the level prior. Capstone covers history, lore, geography, climate, soils, grapes, viticulture, vinification, aging and maturation, wine laws, official classifications, producers, vintages and the business of wine – capstonecalifornia.com/about
For more information about the different levels of certification, see
To get started, go to
Capstone Certification Program
When you sign up, you get access to the Capstone Certification portal
Each level features chapters, quizes, and final exam.
Capstone California
The Capstone California website supports the certification with study guides for varieties, regions, plus additional resources (videos, aerial maps, etc.). This material is available at no charge.
Videos are also posted on YouTube in the Capstone California Wine Education playlist on the California Wine Institute channel.
Online and Onsite
You can take the program online or at a participating school.
For the Netherlands
About the Wine Institute
Wine Institute (WI), established in 1934, is the leading advocate for the California wine industry – wineinstitute.org/about-us
For more information and background,
Discover California Wines
The consumer website Discover California Wines provides an overview of the regions, wine 101, food parings, and recipes.
Winery Finder
A directory maps the 4200+ associated wineries.
California’s Winegrowing Regions
For a map (PDF) of the AVA’s,
Latest list (time of writing)
Socials
Follow California Wines to stay up to date
- instagram.com/california.wines
- instagram.com/californiawineseurope
- linkedin.com/company/californiawineseurope
- linkedin.com/company/capstone-california
California Sustainable Winegrowing Ambassador Course
A bonus course on sustainable winegrowing, courtesy of the Wine Institute
