WSET DIPLOMA D1 CERTIFICATION SCRIPT
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ What do methoxypyrazines contribute wine?.
Answer: Herbaceous aromas/flavors
◍ During ripening how is water flow impacted?.
Answer: Water flow via the xylem slows down
◍ What to terpenes give to a wine.
Answer: Floral and citrus aromas
◍ What causes rapid increase of anthocyanins?.
Answer: Sunlight Temperatures between 15-25C / 59-77F
◍ What natural factor promotes tannin accumulation.
Answer: Sunshine on grapes
◍ Varietals that open at a higher temperature are referred to as?.
Answer: "Late Budding"
◍ What determines the number of buds left on the vine?.
Answer: Vigor - more buds for more vigorous vines
◍ As a vine grows so does its need for?.
Answer: Nutrients
◍ How does the variety of clone affect vine balance?.
Answer: CS is vigorous. Merlot is low for example.
◍ What/why is shoot trimming?.
Answer: Cutting shoots to limit growth and reduce canopy thickness which
enhances ripening by reducing competition and also reduce disease pressure
,◍ What conditions in the current season can negatively impact fruitfulness of
compound buds in the next growing season?.
Answer: Shading of budsTemperatures under 25C / 77FWater stressNutrient
deficiency
◍ What type of climate is a soil that warms quickly beneficial and why?.
Answer: Cool climate to start the growing season and improve the chances
of ripening
◍ How does temperature affect flowering?.
Answer: Warm conditions (17C / 63F) leads to early floweringLow
temperatures can extend flowering (negative impact on evenness of
ripening).
◍ Why are vines planted at low densities in very dry climates?.
Answer: so roots can spread to seek out water.
◍ What is a spur?.
Answer: Sections of one year old wood that have been cut back to 2-3 buds.
◍ What happens to green shoots post-harvest.
Answer: Become woody and rigidBecome "canes"Leaves fallCarb reserves
are stored in rootsVines enter dormant period
◍ What is a trellis?.
Answer: permanent structures of posts and wires that support and position
the vines shoots
◍ Are early or late budding varietals at a greater risk of spring frosts?.
Answer: Early Budding
◍ What sunlight level is required for photosynthesis?.
Answer: Above 1/3 of full sunshine
◍ What can negatively impact nutrient uptake through roots?.
Answer: Very dry soils
◍ What would be a negative of too rapid grape transpiration.
, Answer: Accumulation of sugar can reach high levels before aromas,
flavors, and tannins have fully developed
◍ What occurs during extra-ripening?.
Answer: No sugar or water is imported into grapes by phloemWater loss in
grapes due to transpirationSugars are concentratedGrapes
shrivelExtra-ripening aromas can develop
◍ Why is winter pruning so important?.
Answer: Will determine the number and location of buds that will form
shoots in the coming growing season.
◍ Vine's goal.
Answer: Climb trees and reach the top of the woodland canopy
◍ What happens if the yield of fruit is too high?.
Answer: May take sugars from reserves in trunk, roots, cordons which are
needed during the winter, weakening the vine.
◍ How does temperature and water availability affect vine balance?.
Answer: If warm and water is available, can produce lots of shoots and
leaves and so high capacity for photosynthesis leading to sugars. If water is
not available, will have low vigor and will not be able to ripen the same crop
levels.
◍ What are the vine's needs (5)?.
Answer: WarmthSunlightWaterNutrientsCarbon Dioxide
◍ What are the organs of the vine?.
Answer: buds, leaves, fruit
◍ Four factors that impact the length of ripening.
Answer: Varietal (early vs. late ripening)Climate conditions (faster in warm,
dry, shut down in veryhot, very dry)Vineyard management (crop load,
shading, shoot growth)Time of harvest (human - wine style or natural - rain
and disease)
◍ Grape shrivelling is most likely in what environmental conditions?.
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ What do methoxypyrazines contribute wine?.
Answer: Herbaceous aromas/flavors
◍ During ripening how is water flow impacted?.
Answer: Water flow via the xylem slows down
◍ What to terpenes give to a wine.
Answer: Floral and citrus aromas
◍ What causes rapid increase of anthocyanins?.
Answer: Sunlight Temperatures between 15-25C / 59-77F
◍ What natural factor promotes tannin accumulation.
Answer: Sunshine on grapes
◍ Varietals that open at a higher temperature are referred to as?.
Answer: "Late Budding"
◍ What determines the number of buds left on the vine?.
Answer: Vigor - more buds for more vigorous vines
◍ As a vine grows so does its need for?.
Answer: Nutrients
◍ How does the variety of clone affect vine balance?.
Answer: CS is vigorous. Merlot is low for example.
◍ What/why is shoot trimming?.
Answer: Cutting shoots to limit growth and reduce canopy thickness which
enhances ripening by reducing competition and also reduce disease pressure
,◍ What conditions in the current season can negatively impact fruitfulness of
compound buds in the next growing season?.
Answer: Shading of budsTemperatures under 25C / 77FWater stressNutrient
deficiency
◍ What type of climate is a soil that warms quickly beneficial and why?.
Answer: Cool climate to start the growing season and improve the chances
of ripening
◍ How does temperature affect flowering?.
Answer: Warm conditions (17C / 63F) leads to early floweringLow
temperatures can extend flowering (negative impact on evenness of
ripening).
◍ Why are vines planted at low densities in very dry climates?.
Answer: so roots can spread to seek out water.
◍ What is a spur?.
Answer: Sections of one year old wood that have been cut back to 2-3 buds.
◍ What happens to green shoots post-harvest.
Answer: Become woody and rigidBecome "canes"Leaves fallCarb reserves
are stored in rootsVines enter dormant period
◍ What is a trellis?.
Answer: permanent structures of posts and wires that support and position
the vines shoots
◍ Are early or late budding varietals at a greater risk of spring frosts?.
Answer: Early Budding
◍ What sunlight level is required for photosynthesis?.
Answer: Above 1/3 of full sunshine
◍ What can negatively impact nutrient uptake through roots?.
Answer: Very dry soils
◍ What would be a negative of too rapid grape transpiration.
, Answer: Accumulation of sugar can reach high levels before aromas,
flavors, and tannins have fully developed
◍ What occurs during extra-ripening?.
Answer: No sugar or water is imported into grapes by phloemWater loss in
grapes due to transpirationSugars are concentratedGrapes
shrivelExtra-ripening aromas can develop
◍ Why is winter pruning so important?.
Answer: Will determine the number and location of buds that will form
shoots in the coming growing season.
◍ Vine's goal.
Answer: Climb trees and reach the top of the woodland canopy
◍ What happens if the yield of fruit is too high?.
Answer: May take sugars from reserves in trunk, roots, cordons which are
needed during the winter, weakening the vine.
◍ How does temperature and water availability affect vine balance?.
Answer: If warm and water is available, can produce lots of shoots and
leaves and so high capacity for photosynthesis leading to sugars. If water is
not available, will have low vigor and will not be able to ripen the same crop
levels.
◍ What are the vine's needs (5)?.
Answer: WarmthSunlightWaterNutrientsCarbon Dioxide
◍ What are the organs of the vine?.
Answer: buds, leaves, fruit
◍ Four factors that impact the length of ripening.
Answer: Varietal (early vs. late ripening)Climate conditions (faster in warm,
dry, shut down in veryhot, very dry)Vineyard management (crop load,
shading, shoot growth)Time of harvest (human - wine style or natural - rain
and disease)
◍ Grape shrivelling is most likely in what environmental conditions?.
