WSET Level 3 mock exam written questions and answers

What criteria do we use to assess quality in a wine? - Answer- Balance - Concentration (Intensity) - Length - Complexity List 4 tertiary aromas. - Answer- Almond - Marzipan - Hazelnut - Walnut - Chocolate - Coffee - Toffee - Caramel Dried Apricot - Marmalade - Dried Apple - Dried Banana Fig - Prune - Tar - Dried Blackberry - Dried Cranberry Cooked Blackberry - Cooked Plum Petrol - Kerosene - Cinnamon - Ginger - Nutmeg - Toast - Nut - Mushroom - Hay - Honey Leather - Forest Floor - Earth - Game - Tobacco - Vegetal - Wet Leaves - Savour - Meaty What does umami in food increase and decrease in a wine? - Answer- Increases Perception of: Alcohol - Bitterness - Astringency - Acidity Decreases Perception of: Body - Sweetness - Fruitiness Name the 7 wine faults and the odours they produce. - Answer- TCA - damp cardboard Reduction - rotten eggs, boiled cabbage Sulfur Dioxide - recently extinguished matches Oxidation - toffee, honey, caramel Out of Condition - dull, stale Volatile Acidity - vinegar, nail polish remover Brettanomyces - plastic, animal How many positive criteria do each of the following quality statements hold - Answer- Poor - 0 Acceptable - 1 Good - 2 Very Good - 3 Outstanding - 4 List 4 main methods to combat Spring frost - Answer- Heaters - Wind Machines - Sprinklers - Vineyard Design What is meant by diurnal range and what are the benefits? - Answer- The difference between daytime and night-time temperatures. Cool nights help slow the loss of aromas and acidity in the grapes. Warm nights accelerate ripening. A large diurnal range can produce wines that are fresher and more aromatic compared with a vineyard that has a smaller diurnal range. What are the 3 main irrigation techniques? - Answer- Drip Irrigation - Sprinklers - Flood Irrigation What is the difference between a hybrid and a crossing? - Answer- Hybrid: a vine whose parents come from two different vine species Crossing: a vine whose parents come from the same vine species What are the pros and cons of using machine harvesting? - Answer- Pro: speed, work at night, efficient, less expensive Con: Can only be used on flat lands, cannot be used to pick for specialised wine styles (whole bunches, Noble Rot) Pinot Noir - name 3 premium New World regions in 3 different countries in which it is produced. - Answer- Sonoma/Los Carneros (California) - Central Otago (New Zealand) - Yarra Valley/Mornington Peninsula/Tasmania (Australia) - Walker Bay (South Africa) - Casablanca Valley (Chile) Explain what carbonic maceration is and the style of wine it produces - Answer- Whole, uncrushed bunches that are placed into vats filled with CO2 to remove oxygen. Intercellular fermentation begins and when the grapes reach 2% abv they split and release their juice. These wines are soft in tannin but full of fruit with distinctive notes of kirsch, banana, bubble gum and cinnamon. List 4 methods of concentrating the grapes sugars in the production of sweet wines. - Answer- Noble Rot - Drying grapes on the vine - Drying grapes after picking - Freezing grapes on the vine What are the 3 main techniques a winemaker uses for clarification? - Answer- Sedimentation - Fining - Filtration Describe the characteristics of the Riesling grape. - Answer- Aromatic white grape; late-budding and mid- to late-ripening; ability to accumulate sugar without losing its naturally high acidity; green fruit flavours and floral notes in cool climates; citrus and stone fruit character with richer flavour in warmer climates; flavours of honey, toast, and petrol as it ages; one of the most long-lived white wines What are the 4 noble grape varieties of Alsace? - Answer- Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Pinot Gris - Muscat Describe the climate and geographical features of Alsace - Answer- Alsace has a cool to moderate continental climate. The Vosges mountains provide shelter making Alsace one of the driest regions in France allowing for warm, sunny, and dry autumns. Alsace has a great variety of soils that can impact which grapes are grown and how they will be managed What is unique about Albariza soil? - Answer- It has a high chalk content that provides good drainage but also has excellent water holding capacity that can sustain vines during the dry, hot summers. A hard crust forms on the top of the soil in the summer that further limits evaporation What are the 3 grapes varieties used in a Sauternes and what does each grape contribute to the blend? - Answer- Semillon - thin skinned, susceptible to botrytis, and capable of aging Sauvignon Blanc- adds acidity and fruitiness Muscadelle - aromas of exotic perfume Describe a high-end wine from Saint-Émilion. - Answer- Red wines that are based on Merlot and some Cabernet Franc. They have medium to high tannins with a soft, rich mouthfeel and complex red berry fruit and plum aromas that evolve into tobacco and cedar. Where are the Côtes de Bordeaux and what type of wines are produced? - Answer- On the Right Bank of the Dordogne and combine 4 different communes. The wines are typically Merlot-based and meant for early drinking, offering excellent value for money. List the 4 sub-regions of the Loire Valley from west to east. - Answer- Nantais - Anjou-Saumur - Touraine - Central Vineyards Describe a Muscadet Sèvre et Maine wine. - Answer- White wine made from the Melon Blanc grape with a maximum 12% alcohol. The wine displays high acidity, light body, and subtle green fruit flavours. Name 2 important villages from the Côte de Nuits and 2 from the Côte de Beaune - Answer- Côte de Nuits: Gevrey-Chambertin - Vougeot - Vosne-Romanée - Nuits-St.-Georges Côte de Beaune: Aloxe-Corton - Beaune - Pommard - Volnay - Meursault - Puligny-Montrachet - Chassagne-Montrachet