WSET DIPLOMA D3 2024 EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE WITH
SOLUTIONS
◉ Disgorging.
Answer: Removal of sediment from the neck of a sparkling wine
bottle
By hand or mechanized
Bottle neck frozen in brine solution to create frozen plug ejected
automatically by internal pressure
May be facilitated by addition of bentonite or other substances
◉ 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
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE WITH
SOLUTIONS
◉ Disgorging.
Answer: Removal of sediment from the neck of a sparkling wine
bottle
By hand or mechanized
Bottle neck frozen in brine solution to create frozen plug ejected
automatically by internal pressure
May be facilitated by addition of bentonite or other substances
◉ 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
