---
title: Recommended Wines for the Level 2 Certification Program
description: "To complete the Level 2 Certification Program at the National Wine School, students should source the following wines. Each is used multiple times throughout the course and is essential for both tasting exercises and exams: - **Sauvignon Blanc** – Preferably…"
url: "https://wineschool.us/help/recommended-wines-for-the-level-2-certification-program/"
updated: "2025-05-05"
category: Current Online Students / Sourcing Wines
---

# Recommended Wines for the Level 2 Certification Program

To complete the Level 2 Certification Program at the National Wine School, students should source the following wines. Each is used multiple times throughout the course and is essential for both tasting exercises and exams:

- **Sauvignon Blanc** – Preferably with notes of grass, herbs, or green vegetables
- **California Chardonnay** – Full-bodied, with notes of butter, toast, or creaminess
- **Willamette Valley Pinot Noir** – Earthy, with notes like roses, barnyard, or forest floor
- **Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon** – With descriptors such as cedar, mint, or graphite
- **Dry Riesling** – Labeled dry, trocken, bone dry, or austere
- **Pinot Grigio** – Light-bodied and clean, ideally Italian-style
- **Chianti Classico (Sangiovese)** – With notes of cedar, leather, or tobacco
- **Old World Syrah (Northern Rhône)** – Showing meat, smoke, or game aromas
- **Old World Grenache** – Herbal, floral, or garrigue-driven; look to Southern France or Spain
- **Chablis** – Unoaked Chardonnay from Burgundy
- **Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir)** – Earthy Old World style
- **New World Syrah** – Bold and fruit-forward, but still showing gamey or smoky notes
- **Haut-Médoc (Bordeaux)** – Cabernet-based blend with notes like cedar, graphite, or pencil shavings
- **Vinho Verde** – Crisp and inexpensive Portuguese white
- **California Chardonnay (Non-Malolactic)** – From producers like Forman, Chateau Montelena, or Far Niente
- **Guigal Rosé and Guigal Rouge** – From the Rhône Valley
- **Mollydooker "The Maitre D’" Cabernet Sauvignon** – Australian, aged in American oak
- **Two Hands “Sexy Beast” Cabernet Sauvignon** – Australian, aged in French oak

These wines are selected to support key learning objectives in sensory analysis, regional identification, and winemaking techniques.