WSET LEVEL 2 PRACTICE STUDY SHEET 2026
QUESTIONS WITH FULL SOLUTION GRADED
A+
◉ What is Tirage? Answer: When adding sugar and yeast to the base
wine before bottling for a second fermentation, all happens in the
same bottle.
◉ What are the key steps in traditional method for sparkling wines?
Answer: Base wine in bottle, then tirage (sugar and yeast), 2nd
fermentation in bottle (produces CO2), lees aging (adding brioche,
bread biscuit notes, riddling by hand or gyripalette, disgorgement,
remove lees from bottle neck, then dosage after the yeast plus
removed then adding liqueur d'expedition for desired sweetness.
◉ What are the key steps in traditional method (simplified) Answer:
Base wine, then tirage, then 2nd fermentation in bottle, then lees
aging, then riddling, then disgorgement, and finally dosage.
◉ What is Riddling? Answer: Gradually tilting bottles to collect lees
in the neck.
◉ What is dosage? Answer: A liqueur d'expedition is added to set
the final sweetness level.
,◉ What flavors come from lees aging? Answer: Bread, brioche,
biscuit notes
◉ What grapes are used in Champagne? Answer: Chardonnay, Pinot
Noir, Pinot Meunier
◉ What grapes are used in Cava? Answer: Macabeo, Xarel-lo,
Parellada (also Chardonnay, Pinot Noir permitted)
◉ What is the tank method? (Charmat) Answer: The second
fermentation in a sealed tank, not bottle.
◉ What style does the tank method (Charmat) produce? Answer:
Fresh, fruity wines with primary fruit character, no brady/ or yeasty
notes. (lees contact here is short so more fruit character shows and
no riddling because its in the tank)
◉ What is the main grape for Prosecco? Answer: Glera
◉ What region produces Prosecco? Answer: Veneto, Italy
◉ What is the Astí Method? Answer: A single fermentation in tank,
stopped early to retain sweetness and CO2
,◉ What grape is used for Astí? Answer: Moscato (Muscat Blanc a
Petits Grains)
◉ What style is Astí? Answer: low alcohol, sweet, highly aromatic
(grapey, floral, peach)
◉ List sparkling wine sweetness levels driest to sweetest Answer:
Brut Nature > Extra Brut > Brut > Extra-Dry > Sec > Demi-Sec > Doux
◉ Which is the most common dry sparkling style? Answer: Brut
◉ Where is sherry produced? Answer: Jerez, Spain
◉ What is the solera system? Answer: A method of fractional
blending in which old wine is periodically refreshed with younger
wine (from the next row of barrels) to ensure consistency. Using
stacked barrels.
◉ What is the main grape for dry Sherry? Answer: Palomino
◉ When is Sherry fortified? Answer: After fermentation is complete
(base wine is dry)
, ◉ What is Fino Sherry? Answer: Aged under flor (microbes). Pale,
dry light, notes of lemon, almond, and bread dough
◉ What is flor? Answer: Flor is a film of yeast that protects Sherry
wine from excessive oxidation, allowing it to take on numerous
flavors as it matures in the barrel. It is a result of barrels not being
filled to the brim. Similar practices are seen in Vin Jaune of Jura
(Fleur du Vin) or in Marsala. (during aging)
◉ What is Amontillado Sherry? Answer: Starts under flor, then when
the flor dies and the wine oxidizes. The final result is a deeper color,
nutty, more oxidative.
◉ What is Oloroso Sherry? Answer: No flor, oxidatively aged, deep
color, full-bodied, walnut, toffee, leather
◉ What is Pedro Ximenez (PX) Sherry? Answer: Made from dried PX
grapes, very sweet, dark; raisin, fig flavors
◉ What are Cream Sherries? Answer: Sweetened Blends (Pale
Cream, Medium, Cream)
◉ Where is Port Produced? Answer: Douro Valley, Portugal
QUESTIONS WITH FULL SOLUTION GRADED
A+
◉ What is Tirage? Answer: When adding sugar and yeast to the base
wine before bottling for a second fermentation, all happens in the
same bottle.
◉ What are the key steps in traditional method for sparkling wines?
Answer: Base wine in bottle, then tirage (sugar and yeast), 2nd
fermentation in bottle (produces CO2), lees aging (adding brioche,
bread biscuit notes, riddling by hand or gyripalette, disgorgement,
remove lees from bottle neck, then dosage after the yeast plus
removed then adding liqueur d'expedition for desired sweetness.
◉ What are the key steps in traditional method (simplified) Answer:
Base wine, then tirage, then 2nd fermentation in bottle, then lees
aging, then riddling, then disgorgement, and finally dosage.
◉ What is Riddling? Answer: Gradually tilting bottles to collect lees
in the neck.
◉ What is dosage? Answer: A liqueur d'expedition is added to set
the final sweetness level.
,◉ What flavors come from lees aging? Answer: Bread, brioche,
biscuit notes
◉ What grapes are used in Champagne? Answer: Chardonnay, Pinot
Noir, Pinot Meunier
◉ What grapes are used in Cava? Answer: Macabeo, Xarel-lo,
Parellada (also Chardonnay, Pinot Noir permitted)
◉ What is the tank method? (Charmat) Answer: The second
fermentation in a sealed tank, not bottle.
◉ What style does the tank method (Charmat) produce? Answer:
Fresh, fruity wines with primary fruit character, no brady/ or yeasty
notes. (lees contact here is short so more fruit character shows and
no riddling because its in the tank)
◉ What is the main grape for Prosecco? Answer: Glera
◉ What region produces Prosecco? Answer: Veneto, Italy
◉ What is the Astí Method? Answer: A single fermentation in tank,
stopped early to retain sweetness and CO2
,◉ What grape is used for Astí? Answer: Moscato (Muscat Blanc a
Petits Grains)
◉ What style is Astí? Answer: low alcohol, sweet, highly aromatic
(grapey, floral, peach)
◉ List sparkling wine sweetness levels driest to sweetest Answer:
Brut Nature > Extra Brut > Brut > Extra-Dry > Sec > Demi-Sec > Doux
◉ Which is the most common dry sparkling style? Answer: Brut
◉ Where is sherry produced? Answer: Jerez, Spain
◉ What is the solera system? Answer: A method of fractional
blending in which old wine is periodically refreshed with younger
wine (from the next row of barrels) to ensure consistency. Using
stacked barrels.
◉ What is the main grape for dry Sherry? Answer: Palomino
◉ When is Sherry fortified? Answer: After fermentation is complete
(base wine is dry)
, ◉ What is Fino Sherry? Answer: Aged under flor (microbes). Pale,
dry light, notes of lemon, almond, and bread dough
◉ What is flor? Answer: Flor is a film of yeast that protects Sherry
wine from excessive oxidation, allowing it to take on numerous
flavors as it matures in the barrel. It is a result of barrels not being
filled to the brim. Similar practices are seen in Vin Jaune of Jura
(Fleur du Vin) or in Marsala. (during aging)
◉ What is Amontillado Sherry? Answer: Starts under flor, then when
the flor dies and the wine oxidizes. The final result is a deeper color,
nutty, more oxidative.
◉ What is Oloroso Sherry? Answer: No flor, oxidatively aged, deep
color, full-bodied, walnut, toffee, leather
◉ What is Pedro Ximenez (PX) Sherry? Answer: Made from dried PX
grapes, very sweet, dark; raisin, fig flavors
◉ What are Cream Sherries? Answer: Sweetened Blends (Pale
Cream, Medium, Cream)
◉ Where is Port Produced? Answer: Douro Valley, Portugal
