WSET DIPLOMA D4 SPARKLING WINES MOCK
EXAM AND THEORY QUESTION BANK WITH
RATIONALES 2026
◉ Topping Up and Dosage.
Answer: also called Liqueur d'expedition
Blend of wine and sugar to balance the final wine
May also affect color
◉ Transfer method.
Answer: Second fermentation in bottle.
Wine disgorged, filtered, dosed and rebottled under pressure
Common in champagne for unusual sizes (split, jeroboam +)
◉ Tank Method.
Answer: Second fermentation in pressurized tank
AKA Charmat or Martinotti
Bottled under pressure
May have some aging and lees stirring
Cheaper and faster
,◉ Asti Method.
Answer: Variation on tank method
Must stored at 0 degrees Celcius until needed
Fermentation -single fermentation as required
temp raised, CO2 allowed to escape until tank
sealed
Continues until approx 7% ABV and 5-6 bars
Leaves some residual sugar
Filtered under pressure to remove yeast
◉ Carbonation.
Answer: Injection of CO2 gas then bottled under pressure
Wine must be clear and stable
Cheapest methhod
◉ Rose Production - Blending.
Answer: Red wine produced and blended with white base
Must fermented on skins until 6% ABV - then skins removed and
fermentation continues
Minimal tannins
Yeast absorb color during second ferment
,Common in Champagne - EU Law changed in 2009 to allow in other
appellations but still limited by law in some locations
Used in New World
◉ Rose Production - Maceration/Saignee.
Answer: Rose base wine is made and then second fermentation
begins
Depth of color depends on maceration
◉ EU Sweetness Levels.
Answer: Brut Nature/Zero Dosage = 0-3 g/l, no dosage
Extra Brut = 0-6 g/l
Brut = 0-12 g/l
Extra-Sec/Extra-Dry = 12-17 g/l
Sec = 17-32 g/l
Demi- Sec = 32-50 g/l
Doux = 50+ g/l (no longer commercially produced)
◉ Champagne Climate.
Answer: Cool continental
◉ Champagne Location.
, Answer: Delimited region in Northern France
◉ Soils in Champagne.
Answer: Chalk and limestone + marl and sand
Low in nutrients - require fertilizers
◉ Aire delimitee.
Answer: wide ranging area in which the wines can be made and aged
◉ Aire production.
Answer: particular parcels of land within the aire delimitee which
can be planted for grapes used for champagne production
◉ Expansion of Aire Production.
Answer: When appellation was established some historical vineyard
areas were excluded
Production at capacity
Since 2003 under review by INAO to assess expansion
Must meet historical and technical criteria
◉ Champagne Crus.
Answer: Whole villages
EXAM AND THEORY QUESTION BANK WITH
RATIONALES 2026
◉ Topping Up and Dosage.
Answer: also called Liqueur d'expedition
Blend of wine and sugar to balance the final wine
May also affect color
◉ Transfer method.
Answer: Second fermentation in bottle.
Wine disgorged, filtered, dosed and rebottled under pressure
Common in champagne for unusual sizes (split, jeroboam +)
◉ Tank Method.
Answer: Second fermentation in pressurized tank
AKA Charmat or Martinotti
Bottled under pressure
May have some aging and lees stirring
Cheaper and faster
,◉ Asti Method.
Answer: Variation on tank method
Must stored at 0 degrees Celcius until needed
Fermentation -single fermentation as required
temp raised, CO2 allowed to escape until tank
sealed
Continues until approx 7% ABV and 5-6 bars
Leaves some residual sugar
Filtered under pressure to remove yeast
◉ Carbonation.
Answer: Injection of CO2 gas then bottled under pressure
Wine must be clear and stable
Cheapest methhod
◉ Rose Production - Blending.
Answer: Red wine produced and blended with white base
Must fermented on skins until 6% ABV - then skins removed and
fermentation continues
Minimal tannins
Yeast absorb color during second ferment
,Common in Champagne - EU Law changed in 2009 to allow in other
appellations but still limited by law in some locations
Used in New World
◉ Rose Production - Maceration/Saignee.
Answer: Rose base wine is made and then second fermentation
begins
Depth of color depends on maceration
◉ EU Sweetness Levels.
Answer: Brut Nature/Zero Dosage = 0-3 g/l, no dosage
Extra Brut = 0-6 g/l
Brut = 0-12 g/l
Extra-Sec/Extra-Dry = 12-17 g/l
Sec = 17-32 g/l
Demi- Sec = 32-50 g/l
Doux = 50+ g/l (no longer commercially produced)
◉ Champagne Climate.
Answer: Cool continental
◉ Champagne Location.
, Answer: Delimited region in Northern France
◉ Soils in Champagne.
Answer: Chalk and limestone + marl and sand
Low in nutrients - require fertilizers
◉ Aire delimitee.
Answer: wide ranging area in which the wines can be made and aged
◉ Aire production.
Answer: particular parcels of land within the aire delimitee which
can be planted for grapes used for champagne production
◉ Expansion of Aire Production.
Answer: When appellation was established some historical vineyard
areas were excluded
Production at capacity
Since 2003 under review by INAO to assess expansion
Must meet historical and technical criteria
◉ Champagne Crus.
Answer: Whole villages
