About the course

The Introduction to Wine course is designed with the beginner in mind, but is also a great learning tool for more experienced drinkers. If you want to perfect the meaning of that elusive term "terroir" or become an expert at wine evaluation and the basics of food and wine matching, this course is for you. 

It’s broken up into eight modules, each focusing on a single, broad topic. 

Completing the course will give you more confidence to navigate a wine list or bottle shop, describe wine, judge quality and perhaps even invest in a few special bottles for the cellar. 

Introduction To Wine

Curriculum

    1. Welcome to Halliday Wine Academy

    2. Learning about wine online

    3. Introducing Ned Goodwin MW

    4. About James Halliday and Halliday Wine Companion

    1. Introduction: Grapes and vineyards

    2. Why vineyards matter

    3. The origin of flavour

    4. Wine regions & the grape varieties that suit them

    5. Climate & influence on wine style

    6. Weather & vintage variation

    7. Soil, aspect & slope – the elusive ‘terroir’

    8. Farming grapes

    9. Ripeness & wine style

    10. Module 1: Test questions

    1. Introduction: Learning how to taste wine

    2. Wine tasting fundamentals

    3. Wine structure: sugar, acid, tannin & alcohol

    4. Tasting exercise with lemon juice and black tea

    5. Flavour: using a tasting wheel

    6. A technical approach to wine evaluation

    7. Beyond technicality: the big picture

    8. Module 2: Test questions

    9. Learning how to taste wine guides

    1. Introduction: White wine

    2. Making white wine

    3. An overview of weight, style & flavour in white wine

    4. Chardonnay

    5. Riesling

    6. Pinot gris & grigio

    7. Sauvignon blanc

    8. Semillon

    9. Lesser-known varieties

    10. Module 3: Test questions

    11. Reference material

    1. Introduction: Drink the rainbow

    2. The anatomy of a grape

    3. Amber (or orange) wine

    4. Rosé

    5. Natural wine

    6. Tasting exercise with rosé and amber wines

    7. Module 4: Test Questions

    1. Introduction: Red wine

    2. Making red wine

    3. Extraction

    4. Using Whole Bunches

    5. Oak

    6. Spotlight on: Winemaking decisions – crush or press?

    7. Spotlight on: Winemaking decisions – extraction

    8. Spotlight on: Winemaking decisions – oak

    9. Spotlight on: Winemaking decisions – handling post-fermentation

    10. Spotlight on: Winemaking decisions – stylistic manipulation

    11. An overview of weight, style & flavour in red wine

    12. Pinot Noir

    13. Shiraz / Syrah

    14. Cabernet sauvignon

    15. Grenache

    16. Common red blends

    17. Lesser-known red grape varieties

    18. Tasting exercise with red wine

    19. Module 5: Test Questions

    20. Reference material

Introduction To Wine

  • $199.00
  • 95 lessons

How does the course work?

The course is a combination of written notes and videos produced and presented by our team of experts at Halliday Wine Companion. 

Once you complete each of the eight modules, you'll be asked to answer a short quiz testing your knowledge on what you have just learned before you move onto the next module. 

Upon completion of all the modules, you become a Halliday Wine Academy graduate and receive a certificate showcasing your new-found wine skills. Something for the CV, that’s for sure.

The course should take about 3-4 hours to complete, but we recommend splitting your modules over a few different sittings to let the lessons absorb properly (and to put your knowledge to the test).

You can sign up to the course at any time.

All About Halliday Wine Academy

With Erin Larkin

Secure your spot in the Halliday Wine Academy

Perfectly Paired Wine Academy Pack

Elevate your experience with a selection of six 94+ point Halliday-rated wines for just $225 + shipping

To get the most out of your ‘Introduction to Wine’ course, we’ve curated an optional six-pack of highly rated wines. Featuring some of the key varietals covered in the course, these wines will aid in your educational journey. As well as complementing your learning, these wines represent great value and drinking – 94+ point wines at an excellent price point. Be sure to add the Wine Academy Pack to your cart once you’ve enrolled. 

Wine Academy Pack includes:

  • Delamere Vineyards Non Vintage Cuvée Tasmania
  • Rieslingfreak No.2 Polish Hill River Riesling 2022 Clare Valley
  • Xanadu Wines Chardonnay 2022 Margaret River
  • Medhurst Estate Vineyard Rosé 2023 Yarra Valley
  • Onannon Pinot Noir 2023 Mornington Peninsula
  • The Willows Vineyard G Seven Shiraz 2022 Barossa Valley


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Instructor(s)

Halliday Wine Companion

For almost 30 years, the Halliday Wine Companion, founded by James Halliday, has served as the definitive guide to Australian wine. Today, a dedicated team of wine authorities collectively taste around 9000 wines each year. With more than 160,000 tasting notes from over 3500 wineries, winecompanion.com.au is Australia's most comprehensive collection of wine reviews and ratings. Halliday magazine is printed bi-monthly and offers a uniquely approachable take on wine, food and travel, and in 2022 both Halliday Wine Club and Halliday Wine Academy were launched to serve the Australian wine community. We also publish the Halliday Wine Companion guide – the bestselling annual which sets the benchmark for winemakers, collectors and wine lovers alike. With Halliday Wine Companion, you'll never drink a bad bottle of wine again.

Ned Goodwin

Master of Wine

Born in London, raised in Australia and educated in Tokyo and Paris, Ned splits his time between Tokyo, where he lived for 14 years, and his beloved Sydney. Ned is a dux of the Len Evans Tutorial, Japan’s first Master of Wine, an educator, consultant, judge, critic and motivational speaker and presenter. He has served as wine director for one of Asia's largest restaurant groups and was also the ‘wine face’ for All Nippon Airways. In addition, he is an Asian-focused ambassador for a Champagne house, the host of Langton’s TV, has had his own TV wine show in Japan, is on the Wine Committee at Italy’s illustrious Biondi-Santi, and has his own import company, Wine Diamonds. Before Japan, Ned was a sommelier, including at Michelin-starred Veritas in New York, which had arguably the finest wine list in the world. Ned is a valued member of the Halliday Tasting Team, he's been tasting for the annual Halliday Wine Companion since 2016.

Erin Larkin

Wine Expert

Erin is an independent wine writer, judge and presenter based in Perth, Western Australia, with an individual, grass-roots approach to her work. Multi-skilled when it comes to the business of wine, she is a prolific presenter and educator across multiple platforms, and an Australian wine show judge, with a focus on, and curiosity for, WA specifically. Erin is also an active consultant for retail and private clients, with a keen eye for quality and creativity in wine, marrying classic and contemporary perspectives. She has a weekly newspaper column and a YouTube channel where she opens and discusses a vast array of wines, releasing up to two videos a week. Erin was a part of the Halliday Tasting Team up until 2022 when she joined Wine Advocate as its first Australian reviewer for Australian wines.

What our students are saying

5 star rating

Very well structured wine course

Peter Shiels

As an introduction into wine or better put, a "practical guide" this was excellent. Each module was well set out and focused on the practical elements that help to expand your knowledge, reinforce understanding and importantly, stimulate one's in...

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As an introduction into wine or better put, a "practical guide" this was excellent. Each module was well set out and focused on the practical elements that help to expand your knowledge, reinforce understanding and importantly, stimulate one's inquisitive self to further research those areas that were of particular interest. I found it interesting and easy to follow. I think it was good value for money.

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5 star rating

Introduction to Wine

Gary Dunn

Very good. Even as a long time wine enthusiast I learnt more about wine than I expected and will become more adventurous in my selections in future. Some phrases used would require definition for less experienced students but overall a very appr...

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Very good. Even as a long time wine enthusiast I learnt more about wine than I expected and will become more adventurous in my selections in future. Some phrases used would require definition for less experienced students but overall a very approachable and useful course.

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5 star rating

Well Done!

Allan Yung

The course is well structured. Great sharing by MW Ned and Erin. Complements what I learnt from WSET L2 Wine.

The course is well structured. Great sharing by MW Ned and Erin. Complements what I learnt from WSET L2 Wine.

Read Less

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is this course created for?

    This course is created with the beginner in mind, but is also a great learning tool for more experienced drinkers. If you want to perfect the meaning of that elusive term "terroir" or become an expert at wine evaluation and the basics of food and wine matching, this course is for you.

  • Do you have any other courses available?

    We are currently working on more courses and will let you know once they’re available. For now, it is just the ‘Introduction to Wine’.

  • Do I have to complete the course in a certain period?

    The course is entirely self-paced and you can complete this in your own time. Once you've purchased the course, you can access it anytime for six months.

  • What do I get when I complete the course?

    You will be provided with a digital certificate you can use for your own personal satisfaction, or even include on your CV.

  • Do I need to buy the Wine Pack to complete the course?

    No, you don't. The Wine Pack is optional and is there to give you a selection of wines we think well represent their varietal. They will be perfect to taste while you’re learning about that varietal but you can equally open something you have already, visit a local wine bar or buy something yourself. We just thought this would make it easier.