WSET Diploma D1 Exam (2026) Exam Questions & Answers | Latest
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1. Most important North American grape species: Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis berlandieri
and Vitis rupestris
2. Four main sections of a grape vine: the main shoots, one-year-old wood, permanent wood and
the roots
3. What comprises the canopy of a vine?: The main shoots and all of their major structures - stem,
buds, leaves, lateral shoots, tendrils and inflorescences/grape bunches
4. What do the main shoots grow from, and when?: The main shoots on the vine grow in spring
from buds retained from the previous year
5. Where are carbohydrates stored in a vine?: Stems, trunks, roots
6. Define lignify: Green shoots become woody and rigid, they are then called canes
7. Where do buds form?: between the leaf stalk (petiole) and the stem
8. Define the two types of buds: - Compound buds (form in one growing season and break open the
following growing season, producing main shoots; typically a primary, secondary, and maybe tertiary)- Prompt buds
(form and break open same season, form lateral shoots)
- Prompt buds (form and break open same season, form lateral shoots)
9. What is the main function of lateral shoots? When are they desirable/unde-
sirable?: - to allow the plant to carry on growing if the tip of the main shoot has been damaged or eaten
- can provide an additional source of leaves for photosynthesis (useful if the laterals are near the ends of the main
shoots)
10. What is second crop?: Lateral shoots often produce inflorescences, which can be known as a 'second
crop'
- Growth of laterals nearer the base of the main shoot can be undesirable as they impede air flow and can shade the
fruit too much
11. What is green harvesting?: Removal of second crop during summer
12. Define one-year-old wood: the main shoots from the last growing season that were kept at pruning,
supports compound buds; cane or spur
13. Define permanent wood: woody parts of the vine that are older than one year, including the trunk
14. where are most roots found?: top 50cm of soil
15. what distinguishes PN clone 115?: low yield, small grapes, good for high quality of red wines
16. what distinguishes PN clone 521?: high yield, bigger grapes, good for sparkling wine production
17. When is leaf fall and dormancy?: Nov-March
, WSET Diploma D1 Exam (2026) Exam Questions & Answers | Latest
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18. When is budburst?: March-April
19. When is shoot and leaf growth?: March-July
20. When is flowering and fruit set?: May-June
21. When is grape development?: June-Oct
22. When is harvest?: Sept-Oct
23. How does the vine support itself during dormancy?: starch in the roots, trunk, and
branches
24. Below what temp can vines be severly damaged? die?: -15C, -25C
25. What factors determine the timing of budburst?: - air temp (>10C)
- soil temp (higher encourages earlier budburst)
- variety
- human factors (e.g. winter pruning late -> later budburst)
26. Why is high continentality good for budburst?: marked differences in temp can result in
uniform budburst
27. what determines the vigor of a vine?: rate of shoot growth
28. when does the fastest rate of shoot growth typically occur?: between budburst and
flowering
29. what could cause low carb levels in roots, trunk, and branches?: - excessive leaf
removal
- water stress
- high crop loads in prev season
30. what can slow initial shoot growth rates?: low carb levels
31. what supports shoot growth in later stages?: photosynthesis
32. at what point of the vine growing cycle is water stress not desired?: late stages
of shoot growth (can affect photosynthesis)
33. what can stunted shoot growth lead to?: - weak shoots
- reduction in leaf number/smaller leaves
- inflorescences that do not flower properly
34. what can limit bud fruitfulness?: - low temp (<25C)
- water stress
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- shading
- nutrient deficiency
35. how long after budburst does flowering typically take place?: 8 weeks (temp
dependent)
36. why are warm conditions (>17C) desired during flowering?: speeds up flowering
(occurs within a few days)
37. what % of flowers become grapes typically?: 30%
38. what temp does pollen germination require?: 26-32C
39. what negatively affects pollen tube growth?: wind, rain, cold temps; wind, water stress, hot
temps
40. define coulure: A condition of the grape bunch in which fruit set has failed for a high proportion of flowers.
This occurs when ovule fertilisation is unsuccessful, and therefore no grape develops.
41. what causes coulure?: imbalance in carb levels due to:
- low photosynthesis rates
- vigorous shoot growth diverting carbs (very fertile soils, vigorous rootstocks)
42. define millerandange: A condition of the grape bunch in which there is a high proportion of seedless
grapes.
43. what causes millerandange?: cold, wet, windy weather at pollination and fruit set
44. what elements develop in grapes during stage 1 of grape formation and
development?: - tartaric and malic
- some aroma compounds and aroma precursors (methoxypyrazines)
- tannins (promoted by sunshine on grapes - sunscreen)
45. during stage 1 of grape formation and development sugar levels are ______,
water flow is _______ & provided by the ________.: - low
- high
- xylem
46. too much _________ & __________ can prolong stage 1 of grape formation and
development because _____________. this can delay _____________.: - water
- nitrogen
- these will encourage shoot growth instead
- onset of the ripening stage
Already Graded A+ UPDATE 2026|2027!! STUDY GUIDE EXAM
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1. Most important North American grape species: Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis berlandieri
and Vitis rupestris
2. Four main sections of a grape vine: the main shoots, one-year-old wood, permanent wood and
the roots
3. What comprises the canopy of a vine?: The main shoots and all of their major structures - stem,
buds, leaves, lateral shoots, tendrils and inflorescences/grape bunches
4. What do the main shoots grow from, and when?: The main shoots on the vine grow in spring
from buds retained from the previous year
5. Where are carbohydrates stored in a vine?: Stems, trunks, roots
6. Define lignify: Green shoots become woody and rigid, they are then called canes
7. Where do buds form?: between the leaf stalk (petiole) and the stem
8. Define the two types of buds: - Compound buds (form in one growing season and break open the
following growing season, producing main shoots; typically a primary, secondary, and maybe tertiary)- Prompt buds
(form and break open same season, form lateral shoots)
- Prompt buds (form and break open same season, form lateral shoots)
9. What is the main function of lateral shoots? When are they desirable/unde-
sirable?: - to allow the plant to carry on growing if the tip of the main shoot has been damaged or eaten
- can provide an additional source of leaves for photosynthesis (useful if the laterals are near the ends of the main
shoots)
10. What is second crop?: Lateral shoots often produce inflorescences, which can be known as a 'second
crop'
- Growth of laterals nearer the base of the main shoot can be undesirable as they impede air flow and can shade the
fruit too much
11. What is green harvesting?: Removal of second crop during summer
12. Define one-year-old wood: the main shoots from the last growing season that were kept at pruning,
supports compound buds; cane or spur
13. Define permanent wood: woody parts of the vine that are older than one year, including the trunk
14. where are most roots found?: top 50cm of soil
15. what distinguishes PN clone 115?: low yield, small grapes, good for high quality of red wines
16. what distinguishes PN clone 521?: high yield, bigger grapes, good for sparkling wine production
17. When is leaf fall and dormancy?: Nov-March
, WSET Diploma D1 Exam (2026) Exam Questions & Answers | Latest
Already Graded A+ UPDATE 2026|2027!! STUDY GUIDE EXAM
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18. When is budburst?: March-April
19. When is shoot and leaf growth?: March-July
20. When is flowering and fruit set?: May-June
21. When is grape development?: June-Oct
22. When is harvest?: Sept-Oct
23. How does the vine support itself during dormancy?: starch in the roots, trunk, and
branches
24. Below what temp can vines be severly damaged? die?: -15C, -25C
25. What factors determine the timing of budburst?: - air temp (>10C)
- soil temp (higher encourages earlier budburst)
- variety
- human factors (e.g. winter pruning late -> later budburst)
26. Why is high continentality good for budburst?: marked differences in temp can result in
uniform budburst
27. what determines the vigor of a vine?: rate of shoot growth
28. when does the fastest rate of shoot growth typically occur?: between budburst and
flowering
29. what could cause low carb levels in roots, trunk, and branches?: - excessive leaf
removal
- water stress
- high crop loads in prev season
30. what can slow initial shoot growth rates?: low carb levels
31. what supports shoot growth in later stages?: photosynthesis
32. at what point of the vine growing cycle is water stress not desired?: late stages
of shoot growth (can affect photosynthesis)
33. what can stunted shoot growth lead to?: - weak shoots
- reduction in leaf number/smaller leaves
- inflorescences that do not flower properly
34. what can limit bud fruitfulness?: - low temp (<25C)
- water stress
, WSET Diploma D1 Exam (2025) Exam Questions & Answers | Latest Alread
Graded A+ UPDATE 2025|2026!! STUDY GUIDE EXAM
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ieer6o
- shading
- nutrient deficiency
35. how long after budburst does flowering typically take place?: 8 weeks (temp
dependent)
36. why are warm conditions (>17C) desired during flowering?: speeds up flowering
(occurs within a few days)
37. what % of flowers become grapes typically?: 30%
38. what temp does pollen germination require?: 26-32C
39. what negatively affects pollen tube growth?: wind, rain, cold temps; wind, water stress, hot
temps
40. define coulure: A condition of the grape bunch in which fruit set has failed for a high proportion of flowers.
This occurs when ovule fertilisation is unsuccessful, and therefore no grape develops.
41. what causes coulure?: imbalance in carb levels due to:
- low photosynthesis rates
- vigorous shoot growth diverting carbs (very fertile soils, vigorous rootstocks)
42. define millerandange: A condition of the grape bunch in which there is a high proportion of seedless
grapes.
43. what causes millerandange?: cold, wet, windy weather at pollination and fruit set
44. what elements develop in grapes during stage 1 of grape formation and
development?: - tartaric and malic
- some aroma compounds and aroma precursors (methoxypyrazines)
- tannins (promoted by sunshine on grapes - sunscreen)
45. during stage 1 of grape formation and development sugar levels are ______,
water flow is _______ & provided by the ________.: - low
- high
- xylem
46. too much _________ & __________ can prolong stage 1 of grape formation and
development because _____________. this can delay _____________.: - water
- nitrogen
- these will encourage shoot growth instead
- onset of the ripening stage
