WSET DIPLOMA D1 PRACTICE
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What is a spur?.
Answer: Sections of one year old wood that have been cut back to 2-3 buds.
◍ too much _________ & __________ can prolong stage 1 of grape formation
and development because _____________. this can delay _____________..
Answer: water- nitrogen- these will encourage shoot growth instead- onset
of the ripening stage
◍ What marks the end of ripening?.
Answer: Harvest
◍ What are 3 negative consequences of untimely rainfall close to harvest?.
Answer: Grapes swell with water reducing must concentrationGrey rot if
grapes split due to swellingMakes harvesting more difficult
◍ what are the symptoms of phylloxera infestation?.
Answer: Vines die of drought in patches that increase in size year by year-
Vine roots are covered with the insects surrounded by yellow eggs-
Swellings on older roots- Pale green leaf galls on the under-surface of the
leaves- Slow, stunted shoot growth and leaf yellowing appears in around 3
years, the plant dies after around 5 years
◍ What is fruit set?.
Answer: Transition from flower to grape
◍ What is a negative consequence of untimely rainfall in mid-season?.
Answer: Reduce the rate of ripening
◍ when does the fastest rate of shoot growth typically occur?.
, Answer: between budburst and flowering
◍ what is enrichment?.
Answer: adding dry sugar, must, grape concentrate, RCGM- concentration
(reverse osmosis, vacuum extraction, chilling)
◍ why do vines need nitrogen? what are the effects of too much/too little?.
Answer: essential for growth- component of proteins, chlorophyll- too
much: increased vegetative growth- too little: yellowing of leaves-
restricted: higher quality grapes
◍ why do vines need calcium? what are the effects of too little?.
Answer: needed for structure of cells, photosynthesis- low: poor fruit set
◍ WHAT CAN CAUSE COULURE.
Answer: Unbalanced carbohydrates levels due to a lower photosynthesis rate
(cloud cover/water stress) orBy excessive vigour diverting carbs to shoots
(fertile soils)
◍ MILLERANDAGE.
Answer: Higher percentage of seedless grapes that are smaller. Grapes could
also be greener and not quite ready compared to other grapes.This will lead
to a drastic difference in volume.
◍ What are 5 strategies for hail?.
Answer: Fire rockets with silver iodide into clouds to make
rainNettingDiversify planting areas to prevent total lossCrop insurance
◍ What are 3 management strategies for leafroll virus?.
Answer: Remove unproductive vines and replant Nurseries can screen vines
for virus infections.Encourage the mealy bug's natural predators
◍ what is the main potential disadvantage of the saignee method?.
Answer: grapes will have been harvested for red wine production, so may be
less suitable for roses
◍ Prompt buds produce what?.
Answer: Lateral shoots
, ◍ What are sugar levels during berry formation?.
Answer: Low
◍ what is the T range for a warm ferment? what type of wine does it produce?.
Answer: 26-32C- powerful reds; high tannin & color extraction
◍ Advantages of conventional viticulture.
Answer: mechanisationreduction in competition from other plants
(monoculture)irrigationtreatment against hazards
◍ what % of new oak flavors is lost by a barrel after 1 use?.
Answer: 50%
◍ What occurs during verasion?.
Answer: Grape cell walls become stretchy and suppleGreen-colored
chlorophyll in skins is broken downBlack varietals become red in color
◍ whose work is biodynamic viticulture based on?.
Answer: Rudolf Steiner & Maria Thun
◍ What are examples of natural predators or ecosystem mechanics.
Answer: Use of Bacillus Subtilis to fight grey rotSexual
confusionPheromone tags or capsules to disrupt insect mating
◍ Moderate-climate wines.
Answer: Medium-bodiedwines fromintermediate ripeningvarietiese.g.
CabernetSauvignon, Merlot,Sangiovese
◍ anthocyanins increase most rapidly at temps between _______ and _______.
Answer: 15C and 25C
◍ temp falls by ________ for every 100 m increase in altitude.
Answer: 0.6C/1.1F
◍ what can cause cloudiness and hazes in finished wine?.
Answer: microbe growth (yeast, bacteria)- poor filtration- protein haze
◍ Other Indexes.
Answer: Huglin Index (1978)Mean temp of the warmest month (MJT)
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What is a spur?.
Answer: Sections of one year old wood that have been cut back to 2-3 buds.
◍ too much _________ & __________ can prolong stage 1 of grape formation
and development because _____________. this can delay _____________..
Answer: water- nitrogen- these will encourage shoot growth instead- onset
of the ripening stage
◍ What marks the end of ripening?.
Answer: Harvest
◍ What are 3 negative consequences of untimely rainfall close to harvest?.
Answer: Grapes swell with water reducing must concentrationGrey rot if
grapes split due to swellingMakes harvesting more difficult
◍ what are the symptoms of phylloxera infestation?.
Answer: Vines die of drought in patches that increase in size year by year-
Vine roots are covered with the insects surrounded by yellow eggs-
Swellings on older roots- Pale green leaf galls on the under-surface of the
leaves- Slow, stunted shoot growth and leaf yellowing appears in around 3
years, the plant dies after around 5 years
◍ What is fruit set?.
Answer: Transition from flower to grape
◍ What is a negative consequence of untimely rainfall in mid-season?.
Answer: Reduce the rate of ripening
◍ when does the fastest rate of shoot growth typically occur?.
, Answer: between budburst and flowering
◍ what is enrichment?.
Answer: adding dry sugar, must, grape concentrate, RCGM- concentration
(reverse osmosis, vacuum extraction, chilling)
◍ why do vines need nitrogen? what are the effects of too much/too little?.
Answer: essential for growth- component of proteins, chlorophyll- too
much: increased vegetative growth- too little: yellowing of leaves-
restricted: higher quality grapes
◍ why do vines need calcium? what are the effects of too little?.
Answer: needed for structure of cells, photosynthesis- low: poor fruit set
◍ WHAT CAN CAUSE COULURE.
Answer: Unbalanced carbohydrates levels due to a lower photosynthesis rate
(cloud cover/water stress) orBy excessive vigour diverting carbs to shoots
(fertile soils)
◍ MILLERANDAGE.
Answer: Higher percentage of seedless grapes that are smaller. Grapes could
also be greener and not quite ready compared to other grapes.This will lead
to a drastic difference in volume.
◍ What are 5 strategies for hail?.
Answer: Fire rockets with silver iodide into clouds to make
rainNettingDiversify planting areas to prevent total lossCrop insurance
◍ What are 3 management strategies for leafroll virus?.
Answer: Remove unproductive vines and replant Nurseries can screen vines
for virus infections.Encourage the mealy bug's natural predators
◍ what is the main potential disadvantage of the saignee method?.
Answer: grapes will have been harvested for red wine production, so may be
less suitable for roses
◍ Prompt buds produce what?.
Answer: Lateral shoots
, ◍ What are sugar levels during berry formation?.
Answer: Low
◍ what is the T range for a warm ferment? what type of wine does it produce?.
Answer: 26-32C- powerful reds; high tannin & color extraction
◍ Advantages of conventional viticulture.
Answer: mechanisationreduction in competition from other plants
(monoculture)irrigationtreatment against hazards
◍ what % of new oak flavors is lost by a barrel after 1 use?.
Answer: 50%
◍ What occurs during verasion?.
Answer: Grape cell walls become stretchy and suppleGreen-colored
chlorophyll in skins is broken downBlack varietals become red in color
◍ whose work is biodynamic viticulture based on?.
Answer: Rudolf Steiner & Maria Thun
◍ What are examples of natural predators or ecosystem mechanics.
Answer: Use of Bacillus Subtilis to fight grey rotSexual
confusionPheromone tags or capsules to disrupt insect mating
◍ Moderate-climate wines.
Answer: Medium-bodiedwines fromintermediate ripeningvarietiese.g.
CabernetSauvignon, Merlot,Sangiovese
◍ anthocyanins increase most rapidly at temps between _______ and _______.
Answer: 15C and 25C
◍ temp falls by ________ for every 100 m increase in altitude.
Answer: 0.6C/1.1F
◍ what can cause cloudiness and hazes in finished wine?.
Answer: microbe growth (yeast, bacteria)- poor filtration- protein haze
◍ Other Indexes.
Answer: Huglin Index (1978)Mean temp of the warmest month (MJT)
