WSET LEVEL 1 EXAM 2025/2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
What is *Wine*? - ANS An Alcoholic drink made from the total or partial fermentation of
freshly-picked grapes' juice.
What is *Fermentation*? - ANS Yeast feed on sugar, converting it into alcohol and carbon
dioxide gas and heat
*Types* of wine. - ANS 1. Still wine
2. Sparkling wine
3. Fortified wine
*Still* wines. - ANS • They have no bubbles
• 8-15% alcohol
• Named after a region (old world)
• Named after a grape variety (new world)
*Sparkling* wines. - ANS • Carbon dioxide trapped (bubbles)
• Champagne is the best known French Sparkling
• Crémant is also an sparkling wine from France
• Cava is made in Spain
• Prosecco is made in Italy
• Sekt is made in Austria and Germany
pg. 1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,*Fortified* wines. - ANS • Extra alcohol added
• 15-22% alcohol
• E.g. Sherry (Spain) & Port (Portugal)
*Styles* of wine. - ANS • Colour
• Sweetness
• Body
• Oak
• Tannins
• Acidity
*Colour* of wine. - ANS • *Red* ➜ Black grapes. Juice fermented in contact with skins
• *White* ➜ Usually white grapes but black grapes as well, no skin contact. Lighter &
refreshing
• *Rosé* ➜ Black grapes. Less skin contact.
Level of *Sweetness*. - ANS • Yeast dies at 15% above
• Remaining sugar will determine how sweet the wine is
• Dry - Medium - Sweet
*Dry* wines. - ANS • No sugar left during fermentation
• Most wines are dry
Examples of *Dry* wines. - ANS • *White* ➜ Sauvignong Blanc from NZ, Sherry from Spain
& Brut Champagne from France
• *Red* ➜ Chianti from Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon from California & Châteauneuf-du-Pape from
France
pg. 2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, *Medium* wines. - ANS • Usually white or rosé wines
• Winemaker either stops fermentation by removing yeast before all sugars are consumed or
adds unfermented grape juice
Examples of *Medium* wines. - ANS • Germany white wines (Riesling)
• White Zinfandel (rosé) from California
*Sweet* wines. - ANS • Wine made out of grapes rich in sugar, yeast dies before all sugars
are consumed or yeast dies because of the addition of extra alcohol
• Sweetness and acidiy must be balanced ➜ not cloying
Examples of *Sweet* wines. - ANS • *Sauternes* from France
• *Port* from Portugal
What is *Body*? - ANS • The general feel of the wine in the mouth when you taste it
• Light - Medium - Full
*Light* bodied wine. - ANS • Refreshing and easy to drink
• E.g. Pinot Grigio (Italy) & Beaujolais (France)
*Medium* bodied wine. - ANS • Richer more substantial
• Oak barrels ➜ extra texture
• E.g. Merlot (Chile) & White Burgundy (France)
*Full* bodied wine. - ANS • Powerful, concentrated and heavy
• Ripen grapes & use of Oak barrels
• E.g. Shiraz (Australia) & oaked Chardonnay (California)
pg. 3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
What is *Wine*? - ANS An Alcoholic drink made from the total or partial fermentation of
freshly-picked grapes' juice.
What is *Fermentation*? - ANS Yeast feed on sugar, converting it into alcohol and carbon
dioxide gas and heat
*Types* of wine. - ANS 1. Still wine
2. Sparkling wine
3. Fortified wine
*Still* wines. - ANS • They have no bubbles
• 8-15% alcohol
• Named after a region (old world)
• Named after a grape variety (new world)
*Sparkling* wines. - ANS • Carbon dioxide trapped (bubbles)
• Champagne is the best known French Sparkling
• Crémant is also an sparkling wine from France
• Cava is made in Spain
• Prosecco is made in Italy
• Sekt is made in Austria and Germany
pg. 1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,*Fortified* wines. - ANS • Extra alcohol added
• 15-22% alcohol
• E.g. Sherry (Spain) & Port (Portugal)
*Styles* of wine. - ANS • Colour
• Sweetness
• Body
• Oak
• Tannins
• Acidity
*Colour* of wine. - ANS • *Red* ➜ Black grapes. Juice fermented in contact with skins
• *White* ➜ Usually white grapes but black grapes as well, no skin contact. Lighter &
refreshing
• *Rosé* ➜ Black grapes. Less skin contact.
Level of *Sweetness*. - ANS • Yeast dies at 15% above
• Remaining sugar will determine how sweet the wine is
• Dry - Medium - Sweet
*Dry* wines. - ANS • No sugar left during fermentation
• Most wines are dry
Examples of *Dry* wines. - ANS • *White* ➜ Sauvignong Blanc from NZ, Sherry from Spain
& Brut Champagne from France
• *Red* ➜ Chianti from Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon from California & Châteauneuf-du-Pape from
France
pg. 2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, *Medium* wines. - ANS • Usually white or rosé wines
• Winemaker either stops fermentation by removing yeast before all sugars are consumed or
adds unfermented grape juice
Examples of *Medium* wines. - ANS • Germany white wines (Riesling)
• White Zinfandel (rosé) from California
*Sweet* wines. - ANS • Wine made out of grapes rich in sugar, yeast dies before all sugars
are consumed or yeast dies because of the addition of extra alcohol
• Sweetness and acidiy must be balanced ➜ not cloying
Examples of *Sweet* wines. - ANS • *Sauternes* from France
• *Port* from Portugal
What is *Body*? - ANS • The general feel of the wine in the mouth when you taste it
• Light - Medium - Full
*Light* bodied wine. - ANS • Refreshing and easy to drink
• E.g. Pinot Grigio (Italy) & Beaujolais (France)
*Medium* bodied wine. - ANS • Richer more substantial
• Oak barrels ➜ extra texture
• E.g. Merlot (Chile) & White Burgundy (France)
*Full* bodied wine. - ANS • Powerful, concentrated and heavy
• Ripen grapes & use of Oak barrels
• E.g. Shiraz (Australia) & oaked Chardonnay (California)
pg. 3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
