WSET LEVEL 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026 UPDATED EXAM PREP QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
◉ What is *Fermentation*? Answer: Yeast feed on sugar, converting
it into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas and heat
◉ *Types* of wine. Answer: 1. Still wine
2. Sparkling wine
3. Fortified wine
◉ *Still* wines. Answer: • They have no bubbles
• 8-15% alcohol
• Named after a region (old world)
• Named after a grape variety (new world)
◉ *Sparkling* wines. Answer: • Carbon dioxide trapped (bubbles)
• Champagne is the best known French Sparkling
• Cremant is also an sparkling wine from France
• Cava is made in Spain
• Prosecco is made in Italy
,• Sekt is made in Austria and Germany
◉ *Fortified* wines. Answer: • Extra alcohol added
• 15-22% alcohol
• E.g. Sherry (Spain) & Port (Portugal)
◉ *Styles* of wine. Answer: • Colour
• Sweetness
• Body
• Oak
• Tannins
• Acidity
◉ *Colour* of wine. Answer: • *Red* ➜ Black grapes. Juice
fermented in contact with skins
• *White* ➜ Usually white grapes but black grapes as well, no skin
contact. Lighter & refreshing
• *Rose* ➜ Black grapes. Less skin contact.
◉ Level of *Sweetness*. Answer: • Yeast dies at 15% above
• Remaining sugar will determine how sweet the wine is
• Dry - Medium - Sweet
, ◉ *Dry* wines. Answer: • No sugar left during fermentation
• Most wines are dry
◉ Examples of *Dry* wines. Answer: • *White* ➜ Sauvignong Blanc
from NZ, Sherry from Spain & Brut Champagne from France
• *Red* ➜ Chianti from Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon from California &
Chateauneuf-du-Pape from France
◉ *Medium* wines. Answer: • Usually white or rose wines
• Winemaker either stops fermentation by removing yeast before all
sugars are consumed or adds unfermented grape juice
◉ Examples of *Medium* wines. Answer: • Germany white wines
(Riesling)
• White Zinfandel (rose) from California
◉ *Sweet* wines. Answer: • 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. Answer: • *Sauternes* from France
2026 UPDATED EXAM PREP QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
◉ What is *Fermentation*? Answer: Yeast feed on sugar, converting
it into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas and heat
◉ *Types* of wine. Answer: 1. Still wine
2. Sparkling wine
3. Fortified wine
◉ *Still* wines. Answer: • They have no bubbles
• 8-15% alcohol
• Named after a region (old world)
• Named after a grape variety (new world)
◉ *Sparkling* wines. Answer: • Carbon dioxide trapped (bubbles)
• Champagne is the best known French Sparkling
• Cremant is also an sparkling wine from France
• Cava is made in Spain
• Prosecco is made in Italy
,• Sekt is made in Austria and Germany
◉ *Fortified* wines. Answer: • Extra alcohol added
• 15-22% alcohol
• E.g. Sherry (Spain) & Port (Portugal)
◉ *Styles* of wine. Answer: • Colour
• Sweetness
• Body
• Oak
• Tannins
• Acidity
◉ *Colour* of wine. Answer: • *Red* ➜ Black grapes. Juice
fermented in contact with skins
• *White* ➜ Usually white grapes but black grapes as well, no skin
contact. Lighter & refreshing
• *Rose* ➜ Black grapes. Less skin contact.
◉ Level of *Sweetness*. Answer: • Yeast dies at 15% above
• Remaining sugar will determine how sweet the wine is
• Dry - Medium - Sweet
, ◉ *Dry* wines. Answer: • No sugar left during fermentation
• Most wines are dry
◉ Examples of *Dry* wines. Answer: • *White* ➜ Sauvignong Blanc
from NZ, Sherry from Spain & Brut Champagne from France
• *Red* ➜ Chianti from Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon from California &
Chateauneuf-du-Pape from France
◉ *Medium* wines. Answer: • Usually white or rose wines
• Winemaker either stops fermentation by removing yeast before all
sugars are consumed or adds unfermented grape juice
◉ Examples of *Medium* wines. Answer: • Germany white wines
(Riesling)
• White Zinfandel (rose) from California
◉ *Sweet* wines. Answer: • 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. Answer: • *Sauternes* from France
