What you'll learn
✓ The four rules behind every good match: weight, acid and fat, salt and fruit, and “what grows together goes together” ✓ How to match sparkling, white, rosé and red wines with fresh, soft, hard and aged cheeses ✓ Why tannin and fat get along, and why big reds can clash with soft bloomy-rind cheese ✓ How honey, fig jam and quince paste bridge a wine and a cheese ✓ The milk, origin and flavour of 14 classic cheeses ✓ How to build and serve a wine and cheese board with confidence
The four pairing rules
Match the weight, let acid cut fat, pair salt with fruit and sweetness, and remember that what grows together goes together. Plus how honey, fig jam and quince paste bridge a tricky match.
14 classic matches
Sparkling, white, rosé, light reds and bold reds, each with the cheese that makes it sing: Champagne and triple-cream, Sancerre and goat's cheese, Rioja and Idiazábal, Malbec and Manchego and more.
Build your board
Choose three to five cheeses, serve them from light to strong, pick one wine for each and put the condiments on the side. Host with confidence at home or behind the bar.
Who it's for
Food and wine lovers, hosts who love a good cheese board, and hospitality staff who build boards and recommend pairings. No experience needed. You must be of legal drinking age (18+ or the legal age where you live) to take part in the tastings.
Curriculum
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Not your average cheese class
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About your educator
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Wine and cheese pairing: the four rules
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Why condiments matter
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Prosecco and Asiago
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Champagne and triple-cream cheese
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Sauvignon Blanc and fresh goat's cheese
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Oaked Chardonnay and aged Comté
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Rosé and burrata
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Rosé and feta
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Beaujolais and Camembert
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Pinot Noir and Gruyère
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Merlot and Havarti
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Chianti and Pecorino Romano
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Tempranillo and Idiazábal
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Syrah and aged Gouda
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Malbec and Manchego
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Cabernet Sauvignon and aged Cheddar
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Bonus: Syrah and Comté
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Culinary confidence: build your board
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Final quiz
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Your certificate: AWS Wine & Cheese Explorer™
Pass the final exam and you receive your AWS Wine & Cheese Explorer™ certificate, signed by Christian Esser, Director of Education, Academy of Wine & Spirits. Add it to your CV and LinkedIn profile and show guests and employers what you know.
Meet your educator: Christian Esser
Christian Esser is the founder and Director of Education of the Academy of Wine & Spirits, winner of two LUXlife Hospitality Awards 2026 (Caribbean & USA): Best Luxury Beverage Education Provider and Hospitality Training Excellence Award. A Wine, Spirits & Sake Educator with formal training in viticulture and winemaking, he brings 20+ years of experience across 43 countries. He founded The Rum Ambassador, the first international rum certification, with WIRSPA, and led wine programmes at Grand Old House, Ortanique and Cayman Spirits Co. Liquid Lively Fun
Christian Esser is an official Cheese Educator
This is one of Christian’s personal educator titles. The course itself is created and certified by the Academy of Wine & Spirits.
Award-winning education
LUXlife Hospitality Awards 2026 · Caribbean & USA ★ Best Luxury Beverage Education Provider 2026 ★ Hospitality Training Excellence Award 2026
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have access? Lifetime access. Once you enroll, the course is yours to revisit whenever you like. Can I start anytime? Yes. The course is 100% online and self-paced: start the moment you enroll and study on any device, whenever it suits you. It takes about 90 minutes in total, and you can pause whenever you like. What language is it in? The course is taught online in English. What do I need? Any device with internet. To taste along: three or four wines and cheeses of your choice (the course suggests classic pairs). You can still complete the course without tasting. How does the exam work? A final quiz at the end of the course. Score 70% or more to pass. Questions? Email [email protected] or call +1 (345) 938 0458. We are happy to help, including group bookings for teams.
Liquid Lively Fun
Pour, slice and pair. About 90 minutes, video lessons, printable guides and your AWS certificate. Questions? [email protected] · +1 (345) 938 0458
$29.00