THE WINE EDUCATION CENTRE
The educational arm of Wines of Western Australia
The Wine Education Centre (WEC) is the prime provider of wine education for consumers and trade in Western Australia.
It has been providing quality wine education for well over 40 years. The Wine Essentials Course is designed to increase your wine knowledge and develop your palate. The only prerequisite is a love of wine. It is also an appropriate course for those about to enter the wine trade, with a Certificate of Merit awarded upon completion. Throughout the year, Old Bridge Cellars also hosts the Wine Education Centre’s specialty wine courses. These are short courses which focus on a particular style or region. All courses are managed by Blair Hill, who comes with a wealth of wine industry experience.
Wine Educator – Blair Hill
BPE, Dip Ed (UWA), Grad Dip Bus (Marketing) (ECU) DIP WSET (WSET-UK)
In addition to his longstanding role as Director at the WEC, Blair’s wine education experience includes the delivery of Level 2 and 3 of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses, and a sessional lecturer at Curtin University in Sensory Evaluation 202, a second-year Oenology and Viticulture unit. In his ‘day job’, Blair consults to a number of Western Australian boutique wineries in strategic sales, marketing and business development across domestic and international wine markets. He is a Director of Vintage Fine Wine Distributors (VFWD), which imports and distributes exclusive French, Italian, South African and ultra-premium Australian wines of provenance and regionality. Blair has been the wine reviewer for ABC 720 radio’s ‘Afternoons’ for ten years, for which he won the Court Wine Bar/Wine Press Club Media Award. He has judged at a number of regional wine shows including the Geographe, Swan Valley, Perth Hills and the WA Boutique Single Vineyard Wine Shows.
Courses 2026
Wine Essentials Course - March 2026
Venue: By Old Bridge Cellars North Fremantle
March Dates: Commences Tuesday 3rd March – 24th March, 2026
6.30PM – 8.30PM (four weeks – two hours per week)
Price – $395 pp (15% off for WoWA Members and their staff)
The Wine Essentials Course is held over four consecutive weeks, the course covers six wines per session.
The course provides the necessary information for all wine enthusiasts who are looking to increase their wine knowledge and approach to tasting. It is also an appropriate course for those about to enter or are in the wine trade.
Read more
- Week One – Learn how to taste and assess a range of wine styles and understand the wine show system in Australia.
- Week Two – White wine production, styles and botrytis cinerea (noble rot).
- Week Three – Red wine production, styles, importance of oak and cellaring potential of wine.
- Week Four – Food and wine matching to be held at Samsons Paddock restaurant, Mosman Park.
- Plus a Saturday vineyard visit to the Swan Valley or Perth Hills and the Essential Wine Tasting Guide.
Contact Person: Blair Hill
Telephone: 0417 987 461
Email enquiries: [email protected]
Champagne Masterclass with Tracy Mann - 31 March 2026
A very special ‘deep dive’ into the Champagne region hosted by Tracy Mann on March 31st 2026. Tracy is one of Australia’s most experienced Champagne educators and consultants.
Winner of the highly coveted Vin de Champagne Award in 1996, Tracy was nominated by the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de la Champagne (CIVC) and subsequently inducted into the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne in 2003 as a Dame Chevalier.
This accolade was in recognition of her work to promote Champagne and educate Australians about all matters Champenois.
If you would like to register for this masterclass please click on the link below. More details to come.
Wine Essentials Course - June 2026
Venue: By Old Bridge Cellars North Fremantle
June Dates: Commences Tuesday 2nd June – 23rd June, 2026
6.30PM – 8.30PM (four weeks – two hours per week)
Price – $395 pp (15% off for WoWA Members and their staff)
The Wine Essentials Course is held over four consecutive weeks, the course covers six wines per session.
The course provides the necessary information for all wine enthusiasts who are looking to increase their wine knowledge and approach to tasting. It is also an appropriate course for those about to enter or are in the wine trade.
Read more
- Week One – Learn how to taste and assess a range of wine styles and understand the wine show system in Australia.
- Week Two – White wine production, styles and botrytis cinerea (noble rot).
- Week Three – Red wine production, styles, importance of oak and cellaring potential of wine.
- Week Four – Food and wine matching to be held at Samsons Paddock restaurant, Mosman Park.
- Plus a Saturday vineyard visit to the Swan Valley or Perth Hills and the Essential Wine Tasting Guide.
Contact Person: Blair Hill
Telephone: 0417 987 461
Email enquiries: [email protected]
Wine Essentials Course - September 2026
Venue: By Old Bridge Cellars North Fremantle
September Dates: Commences Tuesday 2nd September – 22nd September, 2026
6.30PM – 8.30PM (four weeks – two hours per week)
Price – $395 pp (15% off for WoWA Members and their staff)
The Wine Essentials Course is held over four consecutive weeks, the course covers six wines per session.
The course provides the necessary information for all wine enthusiasts who are looking to increase their wine knowledge and approach to tasting. It is also an appropriate course for those about to enter or are in the wine trade.
Read more
- Week One – Learn how to taste and assess a range of wine styles and understand the wine show system in Australia.
- Week Two – White wine production, styles and botrytis cinerea (noble rot).
- Week Three – Red wine production, styles, importance of oak and cellaring potential of wine.
- Week Four – Food and wine matching to be held at Samsons Paddock restaurant, Mosman Park.
- Plus a Saturday vineyard visit to the Swan Valley or Perth Hills and the Essential Wine Tasting Guide.
Contact Person: Blair Hill
Telephone: 0417 987 461
Email enquiries: [email protected]
Sparkling Wines of the World
Explore the wonderful world of sparkling wines. You will be guided through a range of the world’s best sparkling wine styles including Champagne, Cava, Prosecco and others.
Blair Hill DipWSET will discuss the regions of origin and the methods of production for each of the styles. There will be up to eight wines tasted throughout the two hour session and some premium cheese plates provided.
- Date: Tuesday 24th November 2026
- Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
- Venue: By Old Bridge Cellars North Fremantle
- Price: $99pp
- Contact: Blair Hill 0417 987461 [email protected]
Testimonials
I loved that course! Never have I looked forward to Tuesday evenings so much. Blair is such a good teacher!