Every year, WSET celebrates students who go above and beyond. Not just by completing their qualification, but by earning top marks and receiving industry recognition.
WSET Prizes and Awards span across the Level 4 Diploma in Wines and various Level 3 qualifications and include everything from bursaries toward the Master of Wine programme, to visits to top wine regions, to specialist experiences like sake judging in Japan or whisky blending in Glasgow. These awards do more than recognise results - they open doors, spark careers, and connect graduates to the global drinks community.
Whether you’re early in your studies or nearing the finish line, here’s what’s possible when passion and performance come together.
In this piece, 2024 Vintners’ Cup winner Alex Tsui shares what these prizes really mean, from regional subject awards and immersive study trips to prestigious honours like the Vintners’ Cup itself.
Every spring, the WSET graduation ceremony in London’s Guildhall marks a proud milestone for students from around the world. It’s a celebration of commitment, expertise, and a shared love for our beloved beverages. This year, hundreds of graduates of the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines will join the ranks of the 13,000 individuals who have achieved this prestigious qualification.
The Guildhall in London
A moment of recognition
For a select few, graduation day becomes even more memorable with the presentation of WSET Prizes and Awards. These honours celebrate not only exceptional subject mastery but also the future potential of individuals within our dynamic global drinks community. This year, WSET will present 47 prizes across the Level 4 Diploma in Wines and the Level 3 Awards in Wines, Spirits, and Sake. The majority of these prizes are linked to the Level 4 Diploma in Wines, and are generously sponsored by leading drinks brands, publications, and organisations. Introduced in 2022, the current prize structure ensures global recognition, regardless of whether recipients work in the wine trade.
Unit prizes in the Diploma and Level 3 Prizes
The Level 4 Diploma in Wines comprises six units assessed through seven rigorous written exams. The most demanding unit of all, D3: Wines of the World, is split into Theory and Tasting exams, with top achievers in each recognised separately. Since 2022, four prizes are awarded for each paper, one for each of the four strategic regions of WSET. These include the UK, EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, Africa), Americas, and APAC (Asia Pacific). Eligibility is automatic, based on results from any exams completed during the academic year ending in July. Notably, students do not need to have completed the entire Diploma to be considered. Prizes often take the form of bursaries, which recipients can use towards study trips or further qualifications, such as the Master of Wine programme.
On graduation day, prize winners (including some who are not part of the graduating cohort) are celebrated at a dedicated reception at Guildhall, alongside the main graduation proceedings. I was honoured to receive the Sandeman Port Prize for my performance in the D5 unit (“Fortified Wines”) in the Americas region for the 2021/22 academic year. The prize reception holds many fond memories for me – I had the chance to meet fellow candidates (many of whom were still completing the Diploma), connect with sponsors, and make new friends. It was a particularly meaningful experience to share the joys (and the challenges, naturally) of the Diploma journey with others over a few glasses of English sparkling wine. I also had the pleasure of meeting representatives from Sogrape, the generous sponsor of my award.
Later that autumn, I travelled to the Douro Valley during the harvest season for an immersive experience across a few properties of Sogrape. It was an eye-opening trip – from witnessing the iconic foot treading, to learning about the research and development initiatives both in the vineyard and the winery. I also had a fun and insightful conversation with the winemaker about which lab samples might become the next Vintage Port!
Nine graduates of the Level 3 Awards in Wine, Spirits, and Sake are also honoured at the prize reception, with nine prizes awarded. This year, WSET will recognise the top performers from each region in the Wine and Spirits qualifications, along with the highest-achieving Sake student globally.
Some of the trophies being awarded during the Prize Reception.
After the applause: what comes next after Diploma prizes
From sparkling wine to sparkling careers, I caught up with a few recent prize winners around the world to hear how their accolades helped uncork new possibilities for them.
Lisa Tsujii (Tokyo, Japan)
John Avery Vintners’ Bursary | 2023 | D4: Sparkling Wines | APAC
“Winning the WSET award not only gave me the opportunity to visit wine regions but also encouraged me to start teaching as a wine school instructor alongside my work at a beverage distributor.”
Marcos Iglesias (Hartford, Connecticut, USA)
Peter Hampson Memorial Prize | 2024 | D6: Independent Research Project | Americas
“This was an incredible honour – and a springboard for deepening my wine journey. Through my study trip to South Africa, I built meaningful connections while researching the past, present, and future of Pinotage. The recognition opened doors and added credibility to my ongoing work in wine.”
Nine Brousse (Paris, France)
Rioja Wine Academy Prize | 2024 | D3 Tasting | EMEA
Reflecting on her experience at the November 2024 edition of Rioja Camp, Nine shared: “The prize was not only a recognition of my hard work but also strengthened my credibility as a wine educator. Visiting Spain’s iconic wine regions deepened my understanding of Rioja’s landscape, people, and wines, while connecting me with inspiring professionals from around the world. I’m incredibly grateful for the experience and the opportunities it has brought.”
The Grand Finale celebrating distinction
In the Guildhall’s Great Hall, the main ceremony culminates in the announcement of the best all round performing Diploma graduates. This year, seven top graduates will be recognised on stage. Those who achieve an overall Distinction grade across all units also receive a special mention in the Yearbook. It’s no small feat – in 2024, only 9 out of 695 graduates achieved this honour.
Alex Johnson (Belfast, UK), winner of the 2023 Derouet Jameson Award, shared what the award meant to him.
“Being presented with the award was a huge surprise to me. It was an immense privilege to receive it, especially given the prestige of the Derouet Jameson Memorial Foundation and its esteemed roster of past recipients. The Foundation’s support enabled my application and subsequent enrolment in Stage One of the Master of Wine Programme – an opportunity I likely wouldn’t have been able to pursue otherwise. Moreover, the award helped me recognise my own abilities, giving me the confidence that propelled me to success in the Stage One Master of Wine exams. I have since progressed to Stage Two of the Programme. This recognition has also coincided with professional growth, as I assumed the role of Fine Wine Manager at JN Wine in May 2023 following my WSET Diploma graduation.”
The ultimate recognition: the Vintners’ Cup
The ceremony concludes with the crème de la crème of Diploma prizes – the Vintners’ Cup. It is presented to the Diploma graduate who achieves the highest overall mark across all six units. The Vintners’ Cup even predates the founding of WSET and has been awarded annually since 1946. The Worshipful Company of Vintners has been sponsoring the award since 2004.
As the most recent recipient, I can say that winning the Vintners’ Cup was a turning point. It wasn’t just a personal accolade. It gave me the confidence to step into wine education, and deepened my connection with the global drinks industry. Sharing that moment on stage and acknowledging everyone who helped me along the way was deeply meaningful. I felt truly honoured to follow the footsteps of many successful past recipients, including Jancis Robinson MW and 18 other Masters of Wine.
Recognising leadership and impact
While academic achievement takes centre stage, WSET also recognises the power of people to shape the industry itself. Two special awards do just that and deserve their own round of applause. The Outstanding Alumni Award recognises those who create positive changes in the global drinks industry, and was awarded to Sonal C Holland MW (Mumbai, India) last year, and was first bestowed in partnership with JancisRobinson.com since 2016. The Develop Prize was established last year in collaboration with The Drinks Trust, and recognises a student who is committed to their education progression in the drinks industry. The inaugural winner was Alex Preston (Nottingham, UK).
You can learn more about WSET Prizes and Awards last year from the 2024 yearbook, and stay tuned for the announcement of this year’s award winners on Wednesday. Whether you’re a current student, a graduate, or someone contemplating their first WSET qualification, these awards are a lovely reminder of just how far your wine (or beer, sake, or spirits!) journey can take you – and that there’s always another cork to pop.
