Reviewed by Mathew Benoit, COO of Learn Brands · October 2026
A shopper loves Sancerre but can't find one under the budget. A guest asks what Carménère tastes like. A table wants one red that works with steak and with spicy noodles. New World wine labels lead with the grape, so the questions are simple, but the answers take knowing the grape, the place and the style, and they come up every shift.
New World Wines: From Label to Glass is a free New World wine course that teaches you to read a grape-first label, know the signature grape of each New World country, and pair and serve them with confidence. It takes about 30 minutes, self-paced, across seven short narrated lessons.
What you'll learn
Seven lessons that move from the label to the countries to the table.
How New World wine works (Lesson 1). Why New World labels lead with the grape, what an American Viticultural Area (AVA) is, the 75 percent rule for a grape name on a U.S. label, what Estate bottled and Reserve really mean, and blends like Meritage and GSM. You tap through a sample label to learn each part.
California (Lesson 2). Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma's foggy Russian River Valley for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, oaked versus unoaked Chardonnay, old vine Zinfandel from Lodi, and the warm Central Coast around Paso Robles.
Oregon and Washington (Lesson 3). Silky Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley and the red Jory soil of the Dundee Hills, then Washington's dry Columbia Valley east of the Cascades, Walla Walla Syrah and Cabernet, and Riesling from dry to sweet.
Argentina and Chile (Lesson 4). Malbec grown high in the Andes around Mendoza, floral Torrontés, Chile's Carménère, once mistaken for Merlot, and crisp whites from the cool Casablanca Valley.
Australia (Lesson 5). Bold Barossa Shiraz from some of the world's oldest vines, Coonawarra Cabernet from red soil over limestone, Hunter Valley Semillon that turns toasty with age, and why so many Australian bottles use a screwcap.
New Zealand and South Africa (Lesson 6). Zesty Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir, then South Africa's Chenin Blanc, its own red Pinotage, and Stellenbosch Cabernet and blends.
Pairing, selling and serving (Lesson 7). How to translate a guest's favorite European wine into a New World pick, simple pairing rules (match weight, let protein soften tannin, cool spice with lower alcohol and a touch of sweetness), how to recommend a bottle, and what one standard drink of wine looks like.
How the course works
Each lesson is a short narrated walkthrough with photos from vineyards in California, Oregon, Washington, the Andes, Australia, New Zealand and the Cape. Seven games keep it moving: tell a grape from a place, build a Napa and an Aussie blend, match each Northwest place to its grape, call Argentina or Chile, name the country from a clue, and ask the right questions to find a guest's need. You also sort oaked from unoaked Chardonnay, rank vineyards from highest to lowest, and call true or myth on Australian wine. At the start you pick your role, store staff, server or bartender, distributor rep, or wine fan, and the course adds tips for that role in every lesson plus a practice conversation made for it, from finding a Bordeaux fan a New World bottle to pitching wine by the glass.
It closes with a 15-question final quiz. Twelve correct passes. It is online and self-paced, and it works on a phone, tablet, or desktop.
Who this is for
Wine shop and liquor store staff, servers and bartenders who get asked about Malbec, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, and distributor sales reps who sell New World wine to stores and restaurants. It also fits anyone who wants to walk the New World aisle and know exactly what they're picking up.
What you walk away with
You'll be able to read a New World wine label, name the signature grape of California, Oregon, Washington, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, describe how each one tastes in a sentence, suggest a New World cousin for a classic European wine, pair New World wine with rich, light and spicy food, and recommend the right bottle to a guest.
Free to enroll. Self-paced. Certificate on completion.
Who built this course
New World Wines: From Label to Glass was created by the Learn Brands education team under the direction of Mathew Benoit, COO and Creative Director of Learn Brands. Mathew grew up working in his family's liquor store and spent more than ten years on the distributor side of the beverage alcohol business, including eight years as a marketing director and work representing national brands. The course is built from what store staff, servers, and sales reps actually get asked on the floor.
How we checked the facts
Label rules were checked against the TTB and Wine Australia's Label Integrity Program, and regions, grapes and history against the Wine Institute, Napa Valley Vintners, the Lodi Winegrape Commission, the Oregon Wine Board, the Washington State Wine Commission, Wines of Argentina, Wines of Chile, Wine Australia, Barossa Australia's Old Vine Charter, New Zealand Winegrowers, Wines of South Africa and the Pinotage Association. The standard drink comes from the NIAAA. Every photo was checked by eye to make sure it shows what the lesson says.
Responsible service
The course covers responsible service as general education. Alcohol service laws vary by state and city, and many states require an approved seller or server permit. Check your local requirements before you sell or pour.
Last reviewed October 2026.
New World Wines FAQ
Is this course free?
Yes. New World Wines: From Label to Glass is part of the free Core Education Suite, free to take and free to assign to your team. No cost, no subscription, no card required. A certificate is issued on completion.
How long does it take?
About 30 minutes, self-paced: seven short narrated lessons, seven games, and a 15-question final quiz. You can stop and pick up where you left off.
Do I need to know anything about wine first?
No. The course starts with how a New World label works and builds from there. If you want a general wine primer too, Wine Essentials covers the basics.
What counts as New World wine?
Wine from the countries that started making it more recently than Europe, mainly the United States, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Their labels usually name the grape first, where Old World labels like France and Italy usually name the place.
What is the difference between Shiraz and Syrah?
They are the same grape. Australia calls it Shiraz and usually makes it bold and ripe, with blackberry and pepper. Lesson 5 covers Barossa Shiraz.
Can I enroll my whole team?
Yes. Create a free company account, assign the course, and track who has started and finished from the Learn Brands dashboard.
Get certified
Selling or serving wine? TIPS Off-Premise Alcohol Server Training covers responsible sales for wine and liquor stores, and TIPS On-Premise Alcohol Server Training is the responsible service certification many bars and restaurants require. Buying for a team? Register your business free and assign seats across your whole staff.
Related courses
Keep going with French Wine: From Label to Glass, Italian Wine: From Label to Glass, Spanish Wine: From Label to Glass, German Wine: From Label to Glass, The Science of Wine and Wine Essentials: A Complete Beginner's Guide, add Cheese 101: From Milk to Board for pairings, and sharpen your palate with The Professional's Guide to Alcohol Tasting. Browse the free Core Education Suite.
About the reviewer
Mathew Benoit is COO of Learn Brands. He has a family liquor store background, spent more than eight years as Marketing Director at the distributor Vinocopia, and has represented brands nationally. Read Mathew's full bio.
