Program at Greystone Campus Paves The Way To Careers In Wine

The Accelerated Wine and Beverage Program (AWBP) at the CIA's Greystone campus has proven to be a path to a successful career in the wine and beverage industry. Graduates have landed highly coveted positions with some of the world’s best restaurants, wineries, and distributors, as well as in other segments of the industry.

Half the students in the most recent class took the Court of Master Sommelier Level 2: Certified Sommelier Exam, and all passed. AWBP graduates earn pass rates 20 percent higher than the national average on that exam.

In the four years of the AWBP, 82 students have completed the program. Graduates are working as sommeliers in high-end restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park and Per Se in New York City; Gary Danko and Hakkasan in San Francisco, CA; and Meadowood Napa Valley in St. Helena, CA. Others run wine programs at places like Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA and Sons & Daughters and Nopa in San Francisco, CA; hold high positions in Napa Valley wineries; are front-of-the-house managers in restaurants; and are wine writers.

Over the course of the eight-month AWBP, held in the heart of the Napa Valley, students taste more than 1,000 wines, take dozens of field trips, and learn from the CIA's expert wine faculty and guest speakers. Classes focus on wines of the world, sensory analysis, spirits, mixology, and the business of wine. Information about enrollment can be found at the CIA's website.