Beyond the concise patterns and inspiring messages of the Texas Wine Ambassador Certification course comes a true celebration of the terroir of Texas, and the practices that bring the land’s expression to shine in the glass. In the Advanced Texas Wine Ambassador Certification, you will reason out varietal selections, study modern vineyard practices, and scratch beneath the surface, examine how winemakers respond to multiple major terroirs within the state, and workshop the service and market techniques that will help guide the way for the eminent surge of the Texas wine industry. Over 11 learning hours and several comparative tastings of wines crafted from grapes grown across the state, discover the depths of Texan terroir.
This course takes approximately 11 hours to complete, excluding breaks:
– A tasting of 15 wines and various exercises will guide our discussion, focusing on comparative samplings.
– Pin & certificate awarded upon passing.
– Designed to complement WSET in Wine training.
Price: $375
Please fill out the form below to register your interest and to get access to full information about each course, date, and location.
This certification course is exclusively offered through Hill Country Wine Academy and was created to support and sustain a region during its era of explosive growth.
Lunch Included for Full Day Courses
Upcoming Cohorts:
Advanced Ambassador Course OCTOBER 2025 CohortSaturday, October 18th from 12 pm – 6 pmSunday, October 19th from 9 am – 4 pm | Lunch provided on this day
Held at Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa in Johnson City
Advanced Ambassador Course DECEMBER 2025 CohortMonday, December 15th from 12 pm – 6 pmTuesday, December 16th from 9am – 4 pm | Lunch provided on this day
Held at William Chris Vineyards in the Oak Room
Advanced Ambassador Course FEBRUARY 2026 CohortMonday, February 23rd from 12 pm – 6 pmTuesday, February 24th from 9am – 4 pm | Lunch provided on this day
Held at William Chris Vineyards in the Oak Room
Advanced Ambassador Course JULY 2025 CohortSaturday, July 18th from 12 pm – 6 pmSunday, July 19th from 9 am – 4 pm | Lunch provided on this day
Held at Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa in Johnson City
Prior level of knowledge or wine industry experience?
There is no prerequisite requirement for this course; however, a strong understanding of wine, including how grapes ripen, basic winemaking techniques, and wine tasting assessment, is highly recommended. Courses such as WSET Level 1 in Wines or the Texas Wine Ambassador Certification course can help cover helpful fundamentals of wine. No wine industry experience or association with the wine industry is necessary.
Who is this course recommended for?
Those who complete the Texas Wine Ambassador program will possess a range of valuable skills and knowledge that can be applied to various ventures. You may find this course helpful if you are:
– Currently working in the wine industry as a server, sales rep, or distributor of Texas wines
– A supervisor, manager, or beverage manager of a program that sells Texas-grown wine
– A judge of both Texas and international wines
– A member of a Texas wine industry group
– An educator or trainer for Texas wines
– A promoter of Texas-grown wines
– A forever learner who has or intends to take WSET 2 or higher
Course transfers can be made up to 15 days before the course start date on payment of a $50 administrative fee plus the cost of any additional study materials, which may be required upon course transfer. Course transfers may not be able to be carried forward to a subsequent academic year. Any requests for transfers must be sent in writing via email kelseykr@williamchriswines.com and to info@hcwineacademy.com.
Student Cancellations
Students who cancel within 14 business days of registration, and at least 14 business days before the start of the course will receive a full refund of payment minus a $50 non-refundable registration fee, providing any student-received course materials are returned unmarked. Cancellations after this time will forfeit all payments made. Any cancellation requests must be sent via email to: kelseykr@williamchriswines.com and info@hcwineacademy.com.
Cancellations by the Hill Country Wine Academy
The Hill Country Wine Academy reserves the right to cancel any class session or exam and will strive to do so within 48 hours of the beginning of the class session or exam whenever possible. Upon cancellation, all students will be immediately notified. If any candidate is not able to attend the session once it is rescheduled, the student will be considered for a full refund if a suitable alternative is not able to be found.
The Hill Country Wine Academy seeks to make wine education accessible to all regardless of special needs or requirements. During enrollment, students should utilize the appropriate section on the enrollment form to denote special requirements and/or disabilities, or communicate via email with the Education Director at: kelseykr@williamchriswines.com. The Education Director will discuss potential accommodations with the student and together assess which education accommodations are preferred while maintaining a fair and equal learning environment for all.
Examples of reasonable accommodations in the classroom are:
– Classroom located on the main floor and as such, has sufficient ADA access
– Certified assistance animals are allowed on the premises
– For those with visual impairments, students can be placed in the front of the room, and all electronic visual aids available on an additional laptop for viewing
– For those with auditory impairments, students can be placed in the front of the room and recording and/or amplification devices may be utilized to assist with material delivery
For those with learning disabilities, the main contact and educator will meet with the student to determine what modifications can be employed to address these needs.
A native of the Texas High Plains, ANDREW SIDES’ path in winemaking began while working at the family farm (vineyard) alongside Uncle Andy Timmons during his high school summer breaks. After earning his degree in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech, Andrew took a 9-5 job in San Antonio but couldn’t resist being pulled back toward the passion he’d cultivated for growing and making wine. In 2012, Andrew and Andy partnered with Troy Ottmers, Andrew’s father-in-law, to launch Lost Draw, a winery focused on growing and sharing wines from the Texas High Plains. Since then, the Lost Draw portfolio has expanded to feature wines from several other Texas AVAs and has captured the attention of local and national press along with many adoring fans.