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Bridging Course in Napa, California
Pathways to knowledge
Preparing for the MW
Is the Master of Wine study programme right for you?
The transition from WSET Diploma to the MW study programme is one of the biggest steps in wine education. Our Bridging Course helps you to understand the expectations, develop the right mindset and decide whether you’re ready before making the commitment. Ready to make the commitment?
Already an MW Student
Develop the skills that matter most
Whether you’re preparing for your Stage One assessment or your Stage Two exams, our coaching is designed to help you refine your tasting technique, think more critically, communicate more effectively, and approach the examinations with confidence.
Wine Travel
Discover wine with those who know it best
Travel beyond the cellar door with thoughtfully curated wine experiences led by Masters of Wine. Meet producers, explore great wine regions, and gain insights that simply aren’t available on a conventional wine tour.
Corporate & Private Events
Bring world-class wine expertise to your event.
From executive tastings and client hospitality to bespoke educational programmes, we create memorable wine experiences tailored to your audience, objectives and level of knowledge.
What they say…
Partners
Napa Valley Wine Academy
Napa Valley Wine Academy (NVWA) is America’s premier online and in-person wine education provider, offering students nationwide access to world-class wine, spirits, beer, and sake education. A two-time WSET Global Educator of the Year, NVWA combines expert instructors, innovative online learning, and industry-recognized certifications to help professionals and wine enthusiasts deepen their knowledge and expertise.
Liberty Wines
Liberty Wines is a multi-award-winning wine distributor offering a range of exceptional wines and unrivalled service to trade customers in the UK and Ireland.
Gérard Basset Foundation
Master Classes proudly assists the Gérard Basset Foundation by supporting its Barca-Velha Golden Vines® MW Scholarship and bursary recipients as they prepare for either for their MW journey or to sit their examinations. This is achieved through the creation and delivery of two bespoke courses, an online mentoring scheme, and preferential rates on its Bridging and Master Classes.
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The Gérard Basset Foundation is the world’s leading charitable foundation dedicated to using the wine, spirits and hospitality industries as a vehicle for change. Gérard Basset (7th March 1957 – 16th January 2019) OBE MS MW MBA OIV MSc ASI World’s Best Sommelier 2010 was without question one of the greatest wine professionals of his era. During his lifetime, Gérard mentored and trained a generation of young sommeliers who sought out his expertise and guidance to launch their own successful careers. Many of those protégés are now connected with the Foundation and remain instrumental in keeping Gerard’s legacy alive and flourishing. The Gérard Basset Foundation was co-founded in 2021 by Gérard’s wife Nina and their son Romané who also serve as trustees alongside Jancis Robinson OBE MW and Ian Harris.
Upcoming Courses
2026
Date
Course
Location
Places
26-29 October
Bridging Course: For WSET Diploma graduates considering or preparing for the Master of Wine programme.
Napa Valley Wine Academy, Napa
Limited
2-5 November
MW Master Class: Advanced practical and theory tuition designed for current MW candidates.
Napa Valley Wine Academy, Napa
Limited
2027
Spring of 2027
Bridging Course & MW Master Class
Asia
Limited
20-23 April 2027
Bridging Course
For WSET Diploma graduates considering or preparing for the Master of Wine programme.
Liberty Wines, London
Limited
26-29 April 2027
MW Master Class
Advanced practical and theory tuition designed for current MW candidates.
Liberty Wines, London
Limited
There are many courses offered privately for MW candidates, often referred to as bootcamps. These are usually based on the standard 12-wine tasting paper and feedback format offered by the official IMW study programme and play an important role in many candidates’ preparation for the exam.
Master Classes offers a different approach. Practical sessions break the tasting paper down into small flights focused on specific aspects of the wines and the questions that are asked in the exam. Clues in the wines are identified and evaluated as a group, and that information is used collectively to workshop effective arguments based on the insights expected by the examiners.
The Bridging Course and Master Class also include theory sessions. These provide insights into all five papers, covering the key skills required by candidates, from sound analysis to clear communication and evidence of critical thinking. You’ll learn how to analyse questions, write compelling introductions and conclusions, and how to gather and use examples to make your essays demonstrate your knowledge and its relevance to the business of wine.
Natasha Hughes MW
Natasha Hughes MW graduated as a Master of Wine in 2014, winning four out of the seven prizes awarded that year, including the Outstanding Achievement Award.
Natasha began her wine trade career as the deputy editor for Decanter’s website but left in 2001 to begin freelancing as a journalist, and has since written for numerous publications, including Decanter, Club Oenologique and Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine. Her online work has been published by The World of Fine Wine, Wine Scholar Guild, jancisrobinson.com and timatkin.com, among others. Natasha has contributed material for a number of books, and her first solo effort, The Wines of Beaujolais, was published in September 2025 as part of the prestigious Wine Library series.
Natasha has taught tasting and theory to Master of Wine students for more than a decade, and leads trips to wine regions for both private clients and members of the wine trade. She served terms on both the Institute of Masters of Wine’s Education Committee as well as that body’s Council, and still chairs its Trips Committee, setting up visits to wine regions around the world for groups of Masters of Wine. She also hosts wine events, seminars and tutored tastings for both consumers and wine trade professionals, consults for restaurants, retailers, private clients, wine producers and generic bodies, and judges at wine competitions around the world.
Cathy van Zyl MW
Cathy became a Master of Wine, the first to do so while resident on the African continent, when she passed the examination in 2005.
She immediately volunteered to assist the Institute of Masters of Wine deliver its candidate support programme and, after organising the Stage 2 seminar in Bordeaux for seven years, was appointed Chair of the Education Committee. Four years later, she was voted onto the IMW’s Council and, after six years as a Council member, was elected as Chair of both Council and the IMW for a two-year term that ended in September 2024.
At the same time as ‘giving back’ to the Institute, Cathy begun presenting wine courses for the Cape Wine Academy in South Africa, and more recently for WSET. She has delivered masterclasses on South African wine in Japan and China, and regularly travels abroad to judge.
Cathy has been a taster for Platter’s SA Wine Guide since 2005, and Associate Editor for close to 15 years. She occasionally contributes to wine journals and websites around the world, is a Director of South Africa’s Old Vine Project, a Member of The Golden Vines Academy, Chair of the Land of Hope Trust, and the ‘on-the-ground MW’ in South Africa for Fine Vintage Tours. In 2019, Cathy was named as the Institute of Cape Wine Masters’ Personality of the Year for her passionate promotion of South African wine.