Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute

WSET is globally recognized, but what do they teach?

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the world’s leading provider of drinks education, offering internationally respected qualifications in wine, spirits, and more. Here's what each level focuses on:

Level 1 – Build a foundation: key wine styles, basic tasting techniques, and simple food pairings.
Level 2 – Go deeper: major grape varieties, global regions, label reading, and more detailed tasting skills.
Level 3 – Think critically: understand how production, region, and climate influence style, quality, and price.
Level 4 (Diploma) – Expert-level knowledge for those pursuing advanced mastery in the wine industry.

From your first introduction to wine to professional-level expertise, WSET builds knowledge, confidence, and real-world skills every step of the journey.

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/wset/index.php #

CAREER OPPORTUNITY - Bull Lion Ranch & Vineyards in Hico, Texas, is hiring a Part-Time Event Coordinator Manager / Tasting Room On-Duty Manager.

What we're looking for:
🍇 Passion for wine and hospitality
🍇 POS experience
🍇 Wine Club experience is a plus
🍇 Strong communication and organizational skills
🍇 Sunday availability (plus occasional Saturdays)
🍇 A team player willing to pitch in where needed

This is a part-time position, but for the right person, the opportunity can grow as big as your ambition.

Why Bull Lion? You'll be part of an award-winning winery and a family winemaking tradition that began in Italy nearly 200 years ago. From events and tastings to vineyard life, no two days are exactly the same.

Interested?
📧 [email protected]
📞 254-977-4322

Know someone who'd be a great fit? Please share with anyone who may be interested.

Bull Lion Ranch & Vineyard

DTC Tips

These days, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) success in the wine industry starts with connection.

Marketing is still essential, but today’s consumers want more than promotions and product features. They want to know the people, passion, and purpose behind the bottle.

Share your story. Show what happens behind the scenes. Let customers connect with your brand on an emotional level.

Simply put: if you're not talking to your customers, someone else will be.

How are you building relationships with your wine club members and customers?

Are you growing...or staying comfortable in your wine career or business? The wine world isn’t standing still, and neither should you.

To stay ahead, you need more than passion for wine. You need to understand current trends, market shifts, and the business side of wine.

At Texas Tech University :
- Earn a Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) certification
- Learn wine business skills like wine club management, and distribution
- Gain insights from research driving today’s wine industry

Whether you’re in hospitality, retail, or building your own brand, these classes help you stay competitive.

Don’t just keep up — get ahead of the curve.
Enroll today: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/texaswine/index.php

🍇 NOW HIRING: Entry-Level Winemaker 🍷

Landry Vineyards, https://www.facebook.com/landryvineyards/, is seeking an Entry-Level Winemaker to join our team in West Monroe, Louisiana. This is a full-time position with a hands-on opportunity to continue learning the craft of winemaking in a working vineyard and winery environment.

Some winemaking experience is a plus, but we're also looking for motivated individuals who are eager to learn, detail-oriented, and passionate about wine.

At Landry Vineyards, you’ll gain real-world experience working with wines that are produced, fermented, and aged on-site.

Interested candidates should contact Landry Vineyards directly for details regarding the total compensation and benefits package.

📍 West Monroe, LA
📞 318-557-9050
🌐 https://landryvineyards.com/

🎓 WSET® Certificates Have a Fresh New Look

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has rolled out a new design for its digital certificates following its recent brand refresh, and it applies to all certificates, including those issued before 1 May 2026.

So, if your certificate in Accredible suddenly looks a little different… no need to worry, it’s simply a visual update. Qualifications, results, and all details remain exactly the same.

🍷 On another note, Texas Tech University has a WSET® Level 1 Award in Wines course scheduled for this September, and registration is officially open: https://registration.continuinged.ttu.edu/ttu/course/course.aspx?catId=68 . Cheers to that!

For more news about WSET's rebranding: https://www.wsetglobal.com/news-events/news/2026/wset-announces-new-brand-refresh-signalling-next-chapter-in-global-drinks-education

We are excited to announce that the 2026 Hill Country Wine Industry Scholarship Application, https://www.facebook.com/TexasHillCountryWineries/, is now available! Applications may be submitted through the form link on their website and will be accepted through November 1, 2026.

https://texashillcountrywineries.org/

Texas Hill Country Wineries

Job Opportunities
Lost Draw Wines https://www.facebook.com/LostDraw is currently hiring a Tasting Room Ambassador (full-time), and a Welcome Center Ambassador (part-time) in Johnson City, Texas.

Details:
Location: JOHNSON CITY, TX 78636
Department: TASTING ROOM
Job Status: Full-Time, & Part-Time (respectively)
Compensation & Days Worked: See website

Apply through: https://lostdraw.com/careers/
Accepting applications until: June 30, 2026

https://lostdraw.com/

We are proud to celebrate Melissa Herrera Miller, recipient of a 2026 Wine Society of Texas Scholarship Award.

Melissa is currently pursuing the Winemaking Certification Program (our 'sister' program) at Texas Tech University while advancing viticulture research in the Texas Hill Country. She recently established experiential grapevine plots in Jonestown, Texas, to evaluate site suitability and growing conditions for a future winery venture.

In addition to her studies, Melissa serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas, combining education, research, and industry innovation to support the future of Texas wine.

Congratulations, Melissa, on this well-deserved recognition!

See other recipients: https://www.winesocietyoftexas.org/scholarship-2026

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/pss/VandE/index.php