Deniz Bayram DipWSET
Wine Educator
Deniz was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, and got a head start in the wine industry while training to become a chef in the United States. He has had the opportunity to work on all sides of the trade, from retail to restaurants, conducting tastings, and even making wine. He completed his Diploma in 2022 and joined the WSET School London faculty in 2023.
Specialisms: Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean
Teaches: Level 1-3 Awards in Wines
Get to know Deniz Bayram
1. How did you get into the wine industry?
I was raised in an epicurean family filled with talented cooks, so eating and drinking well was always a top priority. I stepped into the kitchen at seven and eventually trained to become a professional chef, going to the US to study Culinary Arts at university. After being bitten by the wine bug during my studies, I immediately preferred swirling wine to chopping and sautéing for a living. So, I've been in the industry all my life!
2. What made you want to study the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines?
One of the reasons I wanted to pursue a wine career was my strong affinity for geography, nature, and the outdoors. The WSET Diploma offered just the right amount of detailed knowledge and stimulation to satisfy my curiosity and help me understand more about the science of winemaking and grape growing.
3. Do you have a favourite wine or grape variety?
A difficult question for any wine person, but I can easily say that my first love was Aglianico from southern Italy, and it holds a special place still to this day. It was assigned to me to research when I did a foundations in wine course, and Campania was the first wine region I wrote an essay about. It’s a beautiful grape from a severely underrated region of Italy.
4. Why do you think it’s important for people to learn more about wine?
Besides the obvious practical aspect of helping to navigate the wine market in every setting, I view it like learning about art. In the end, wine is a product of art made in collaboration with nature and humans. The more one learns about wine and furthers their understanding, the more doors of intellectual stimulation and pleasure open. Taking the time to appreciate a product of nature and human culminated in a single bottle adds to the quality of our lives.
5. What do you enjoy most about teaching at WSET School London?
The dynamism and the diversity, of topics and people. There’s never a dull day, even when teaching a course you have taught countless times before - there’s always something new to learn from the group or individual students who hail from all over the world! The people, as the educator team at the school is made up of the most incredibly generous, enthusiastic, and experienced educators, and frankly they are always a delight to be around.
6. What are your favourite topics to teach?
Having sold Italian wine exclusively for a year, and working a harvest in the country, I always get excited when I teach about Italy. Particularly Central and Southern Italy. But I must say, the tongue twisters of German wine law are always great fun to talk about in class!
7. Do you have any advice for people wishing to enter the drinks industry?
Talk to people. Talk to your local wine shop clerk, go to tastings, talk to winemakers. If you’re curious enough, volunteer to work a harvest in Spain, Italy, or France - it’s hard work but incredible fun. Reading is important, but pointless without talking, tasting, and doing. That’s why the WSET qualifications are so useful to gain experience in tasting but also to connect with fellow wine enthusiasts.
8. Do you have any top tips for passing WSET exams?
For lower levels, review materials regularly. For upper levels, focus on perfecting the exam technique first. Knowledge is key, but it’s meaningless without the correct exam technique. This will enable you to focus on studying the material and get the most out of the course. And finally, never hesitate to ask for help. We love to help, that’s why we are educators!
9. In your opinion, what is the future of the wine industry?
Uncomfortable change, and we should start getting comfortable with it quickly. The future can be bright, as the industry is resilient, just as the grapevine itself, but we cannot be stuck in the past or resist change in the name of tradition. The wine industry is where the effect of climate change is most evident. The sooner regions around the world take this change seriously, the smoother it will be for everyone down the supply chain, including the consumer.
10. What is your dream job?
A flying winemaker. What’s more exhilarating than traveling and making wine throughout the year! It’s also a superb title for a wine superhero.
11. What is your proudest achievement?
That must be having made out a fulfilling career on such a remarkable subject I am passionate about. We have so many credentials and qualifications thrown around in this industry that sometimes we may get blind sighted to what matters the most!
There’s never a dull day, even when teaching a course you have taught countless times before - there’s always something new to learn from the students who hail from all over the world!
Deniz recently hosted a 'Wines of Mesopotamia' tasting