d4 Sparkling wine
D4 Sparkling Wines explores the production, styles, and diversity of sparkling wines. Students examine key regions, grape varieties, and production methods—from traditional method to tank and beyond—while developing the ability to assess quality and style through structured tasting.
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Before studying D4, you must first study and test for D1 and D2.
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The D2 Sparking Wines Course combines study in several formats to ensure you learn the material at the deepest level and are ready for the exam. In our in-person Diploma Days sessions, you’ll dive into deep exploration of sparkling wines through investigative tasting with the support of your educators, combined with on-site visits with sparkling wine producers. Your learning is also supported with online lectures for all topics, critical thinking questions, and practice exams graded with high-level feedback.
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The D4: Sparkling Wines exam, assesses both theoretical knowledge and tasting ability across global sparkling wine styles. The exam is designed to measure deep understanding of how sparkling wines are made and how those choices shape what is in the glass.
The 90-minute exam combines blind tasting of 3 sparkling wines with multiple open response questions.
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The D4 Course is offered once per year.
November 1 – December 13, 2026
In-person Diploma Days: Saturday/Sunday, November 7 (9:30am to 5:30pm Saturday; 9:30pm to 1:30pm Sunday)
Exam date: Wednesday, January 20, 2027; 1:30pm to 3:00pm
Registration deadline: October 15, 2026