WSET Level 2 exam with complete
solutions {2024/2025}
Sweetness in food can make dry wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER
More drying, more bitter, more acidic. Less sweet and fruity
Umami in food can make wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER More
drying, more bitter, more acidic. Less sweet and fruity
Salty foods can make wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER Less drying,
less bitter, less acidic. More fruity, more body
Acidic foods can make wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER Less
drying, less bitter, less acidic. More sweet, more fruity
For long term storage of wines, how should wines be stored? -
CORRECT ANSWER At a cool constant temperature
Away from sunshine and bright light
If sealed with a cork, bottle should be stored on their side
What are the optimal service temperatures for Sweet and Sparkling
wines? - CORRECT ANSWER Sweet wines - well chilled - 6-8°
Sparkling wines - well chilled - 6-10°
What are the aromas associated with the following faults:
Cork Taint
Failure of Closure
Heat Damage - CORRECT ANSWER Cork Taint - Damp cardboard, lack
of fresh fruit flavours
Failure of Closure - Honey, caramel, coffee, lack of freshness and
fruitiness
Heat Damage - Lack of fruit character and freshness
,Name the main components of a grape and what they contain: -
CORRECT ANSWER Stalk - Tannins
Skin - Tannins, Colour, Flavours
Pulp - Sugar, Acid, Water
Seeds - Bitter Oils
What is photosynthesis? - CORRECT ANSWER The process where
sunlight, carbon dioxide and water are combined to produce sugars
What are the five things a vine needs to grow? - CORRECT ANSWER
Warmth, sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, nutrients
Put the stages of grape formation and ripening in the correct order:
Ripening
Flowering
Extra ripening
Fruit set
Véraison - CORRECT ANSWER Flowering
Fruit set
Véraison
Ripening
Extra ripening
What changes in grapes as they ripen? - CORRECT ANSWER Grapes
swell with water, acidity drops, sugar increases, aromas change, in
black grapes tannin ripen
What happens to grapes when they are left on the vine for extra
ripening? - CORRECT ANSWER Grapes build up more sugar and
exaggerated ripe aromas. Eventually they turn into raisins as water
evaporates. This concentrates sugars, acids and flavours and dried
fruit aromas develop
What effect does Botrytis/noble rot have on grapes? - CORRECT
ANSWER It makes tiny holes in the skin of the grape which allows
water to evaporate. This concentrates sugars, acids and flavours.
,What are the conditions needed for noble rot to develop? - CORRECT
ANSWER Damp misty mornings followed by warm dry afternoons
What is the name given to sweet wines made from frozen grapes? -
CORRECT ANSWER Icewine/Eiswein
Between what latitudes are vineyards generally located? - CORRECT
ANSWER 30° and 50° north and south of the equator
What affect does altitude have on the temperature of a vineyard? -
CORRECT ANSWER The temperature decreases with altitude
What affect do seas have on the temperature of a region? - CORRECT
ANSWER They have a moderating influence
What affect can clouds and fog have on the temperature of a vineyard?
- CORRECT ANSWER Clouds block sunlight, fogs cool down vineyards
What affect can mountains have on grape growing in vineyards? -
CORRECT ANSWER Mountains can act as a barrier, sheltering
vineyards from clouds, rain and wind. This results in sunny summers
and long dry autumns
What affect do slope and aspect have on grape growing? - CORRECT
ANSWER Slopes facing the equator will receive more heat and light
and producer riper grapes
What affect do stony soils have on grape growing? - CORRECT ANSWER
Stones absorb heat and make the vineyard warmer, this can help with
grape ripening
What are problems associated with high levels of rain? - CORRECT
ANSWER High levels of moisture can help spread fungal disease.
Rain close to harvest can cause grapes to swell and dilute flavours
What happens to vines affected by frost? - CORRECT ANSWER Spring
frost can damage and kill the vine's new growth. This reduces the
number of grapes that can be grown
, What is the name of the process of adding water to vines? - CORRECT
ANSWER Irrigation
What are the names of the sprays used to kill fungi and weeds? -
CORRECT ANSWER Fungicides and herbicides
What does 'organic' mean for grape growing? - CORRECT ANSWER
Grapes grown without the use of most chemicals
What is the yield? - CORRECT ANSWER The amount of fruit produced
per unit of area
What are the options for harvest? - CORRECT ANSWER Hand harvest
or machine harvest
What is a GI? - CORRECT ANSWER Geographical indication - a legally
defined vineyard area
What is a PDO? - CORRECT ANSWER Generally small areas with
tightly defined regulations
What is a PGI? - CORRECT ANSWER Generally large areas with less
strict regulations
What happens to vines as they age? - CORRECT ANSWER Older vines
produce a small number of grapes which are more concentrated and
complex and can result in higher quality wines
What does the vintage on a label of wine refer to? - CORRECT ANSWER
The year in which the grape were harvested
What is the French equivalent to PDO and PGI - CORRECT ANSWER
AOC/AOP and IGP
What is the Italian equivalent to PDO and PGI - CORRECT ANSWER
DOC/DOCG and IGT
solutions {2024/2025}
Sweetness in food can make dry wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER
More drying, more bitter, more acidic. Less sweet and fruity
Umami in food can make wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER More
drying, more bitter, more acidic. Less sweet and fruity
Salty foods can make wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER Less drying,
less bitter, less acidic. More fruity, more body
Acidic foods can make wines seem: - CORRECT ANSWER Less
drying, less bitter, less acidic. More sweet, more fruity
For long term storage of wines, how should wines be stored? -
CORRECT ANSWER At a cool constant temperature
Away from sunshine and bright light
If sealed with a cork, bottle should be stored on their side
What are the optimal service temperatures for Sweet and Sparkling
wines? - CORRECT ANSWER Sweet wines - well chilled - 6-8°
Sparkling wines - well chilled - 6-10°
What are the aromas associated with the following faults:
Cork Taint
Failure of Closure
Heat Damage - CORRECT ANSWER Cork Taint - Damp cardboard, lack
of fresh fruit flavours
Failure of Closure - Honey, caramel, coffee, lack of freshness and
fruitiness
Heat Damage - Lack of fruit character and freshness
,Name the main components of a grape and what they contain: -
CORRECT ANSWER Stalk - Tannins
Skin - Tannins, Colour, Flavours
Pulp - Sugar, Acid, Water
Seeds - Bitter Oils
What is photosynthesis? - CORRECT ANSWER The process where
sunlight, carbon dioxide and water are combined to produce sugars
What are the five things a vine needs to grow? - CORRECT ANSWER
Warmth, sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, nutrients
Put the stages of grape formation and ripening in the correct order:
Ripening
Flowering
Extra ripening
Fruit set
Véraison - CORRECT ANSWER Flowering
Fruit set
Véraison
Ripening
Extra ripening
What changes in grapes as they ripen? - CORRECT ANSWER Grapes
swell with water, acidity drops, sugar increases, aromas change, in
black grapes tannin ripen
What happens to grapes when they are left on the vine for extra
ripening? - CORRECT ANSWER Grapes build up more sugar and
exaggerated ripe aromas. Eventually they turn into raisins as water
evaporates. This concentrates sugars, acids and flavours and dried
fruit aromas develop
What effect does Botrytis/noble rot have on grapes? - CORRECT
ANSWER It makes tiny holes in the skin of the grape which allows
water to evaporate. This concentrates sugars, acids and flavours.
,What are the conditions needed for noble rot to develop? - CORRECT
ANSWER Damp misty mornings followed by warm dry afternoons
What is the name given to sweet wines made from frozen grapes? -
CORRECT ANSWER Icewine/Eiswein
Between what latitudes are vineyards generally located? - CORRECT
ANSWER 30° and 50° north and south of the equator
What affect does altitude have on the temperature of a vineyard? -
CORRECT ANSWER The temperature decreases with altitude
What affect do seas have on the temperature of a region? - CORRECT
ANSWER They have a moderating influence
What affect can clouds and fog have on the temperature of a vineyard?
- CORRECT ANSWER Clouds block sunlight, fogs cool down vineyards
What affect can mountains have on grape growing in vineyards? -
CORRECT ANSWER Mountains can act as a barrier, sheltering
vineyards from clouds, rain and wind. This results in sunny summers
and long dry autumns
What affect do slope and aspect have on grape growing? - CORRECT
ANSWER Slopes facing the equator will receive more heat and light
and producer riper grapes
What affect do stony soils have on grape growing? - CORRECT ANSWER
Stones absorb heat and make the vineyard warmer, this can help with
grape ripening
What are problems associated with high levels of rain? - CORRECT
ANSWER High levels of moisture can help spread fungal disease.
Rain close to harvest can cause grapes to swell and dilute flavours
What happens to vines affected by frost? - CORRECT ANSWER Spring
frost can damage and kill the vine's new growth. This reduces the
number of grapes that can be grown
, What is the name of the process of adding water to vines? - CORRECT
ANSWER Irrigation
What are the names of the sprays used to kill fungi and weeds? -
CORRECT ANSWER Fungicides and herbicides
What does 'organic' mean for grape growing? - CORRECT ANSWER
Grapes grown without the use of most chemicals
What is the yield? - CORRECT ANSWER The amount of fruit produced
per unit of area
What are the options for harvest? - CORRECT ANSWER Hand harvest
or machine harvest
What is a GI? - CORRECT ANSWER Geographical indication - a legally
defined vineyard area
What is a PDO? - CORRECT ANSWER Generally small areas with
tightly defined regulations
What is a PGI? - CORRECT ANSWER Generally large areas with less
strict regulations
What happens to vines as they age? - CORRECT ANSWER Older vines
produce a small number of grapes which are more concentrated and
complex and can result in higher quality wines
What does the vintage on a label of wine refer to? - CORRECT ANSWER
The year in which the grape were harvested
What is the French equivalent to PDO and PGI - CORRECT ANSWER
AOC/AOP and IGP
What is the Italian equivalent to PDO and PGI - CORRECT ANSWER
DOC/DOCG and IGT
