The Institute was founded in November 1979, at a meeting in the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast and originally named the Northern Ireland Wine & Spirit Education Trust Association. The name was changed to the Northern Ireland Wine and Spirit Institute (NIWSI) to avoid confusion with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (
WSET) – the largest global provider of wine and spirit education and qualifications. The Institute encourages members to study for a wine qualification, but you don’t need a qualification to attend our tastings and enjoy the wines.