WSET LEVEL 2 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
What is dosage? - Answer-The amount of sugar added, which determines the
sweetness of the final bottled product.
What is Brut? - Answer-A very small amount of sugar is used
What is the transfer method? - Answer-Method to remove the yeast. Empty the entire
contents of the bottles into a tank under pressure, then filtered, and rebottled. Not
permitted in Champagne or Cava.
Which grape varieties are used in Champagne to make sparkling wine? - Answer-Pinot
Noir, Meunier, Chardonnay
What is Champagne's condition like? - Answer-Cool climate, chalky soils, which allow
sparkling wines to have high acidity, medium body, and light alcohol. The weather
varies from vintage to vintage, and the grapes do not fully ripen.
What are non-vintage wines? - Answer-a blend of different vintages for quality and
consistency
What is vintage Champagne? - Answer-A portion of the best wine of exceptional years
make vintage Champagne.
What is the minimum legal period of yeast autolysis? - Answer-15 months
What are Grandes Marques? - Answer-famous Champagne houses
Describe Vintage Champagne - Answer-Complex, intense fruity and autolytic flavors
with vegetal, nutty or honeyed complexity from bottle age.
What is Cremant? - Answer-Indicates sparkling wine made in France. The Loire is a
major region for production.
Where in the Loire Valley is Cremant made? - Answer-Saumur, where Chenin Blanc is
the main grape variety. It has high acidity, green and citrus fruit flavors, with some
autolytic character.
What is Cava? - Answer-Spanish term for traditional-method sparkling wines. The main
grape varieties are local Spanish ones.
What are Cava's characteristics? - Answer-Fairly neutral fruit flavors, hint of pear,
medium acidity, and very little autolytic complexity
,Characteristics of Sparkling Reds in Australia? - Answer-made with Shiraz, full bodied,
with medium acidity, and intense black and red berry fruit notes.
What are 3 ways for yeast to stop processing sugar into alcohol? - Answer-1. Remove
yeast, using a fine filter to ensure none remain
2.Yeast could be poisoned using sulfur dioxide
3. Fortify (add alcohol) during fermentation
What are Vin Doux Naturels? - Answer-Sweet fortified wines from Southern France
such as:
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
Muscat de Rivesaltes
What are characterisitcs of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise and Muscat de Rivesaltes? -
Answer-unaged, intense fruity aromas (grape, peach, perfume). Medium/full-bodied,
and sweet, with high alcohol and medium or low acidity
Where is Moscatel de Valencia from? - Answer-Spain
Where is Rutherglen Muscat from? - Answer-Northern Victoria, Australia
What are the tasting notes for Rutherglen Muscat? - Answer-Aged for a long period in
oak, which oxydizes. Dried fruit and kernel flavors (raisin, prune, fig, dried apricot,
coffee, toffee). Sweet, full bodied, with high alcohol and med or low acidity
What is süssreserve? - Answer-unfermented grape juice, used to sweeten medium or
sweet German wines
When do yeasts die? - Answer-When alcohol reaches 15%
What are 3 ways to concentrate sugar in grapes? - Answer-1. Dry the grapes
2. Noble Rot
3. Freeze the grapes
How are grapes dried? - Answer-They shrivel on the vine, or are laid out in well-
ventilated, dry spaces that encourage evaporation.
What is Botrytis cinerea? - Answer-Noble rot, it attacks the skins, weakens skins,
speeding up evaporation of water. The mold adds its own unique flavors
What does Botrytis need? - Answer-ripe, healthy grapes, damp, misty mornings, warm
dry afternoons to speed the drying out of the grapes
Which grape varieties are susceptible to noble rot? - Answer-Semillon, Riesling, Chenin
Blanc
, What are tasting notes of botrytis wines? - Answer-dried apricots, ryebread, pineapple,
sweet biscuit, cabbage, orange marmalade, pineapple, mushroom
Describe Sauternes - Answer-region south of Graves AC in Bordeaux. Semillon is the
main grape variety. Full bodied wines have high alcohol and citrus stone fruit and
botrytis flavor (lemon, peach). Hint of new oak: vanilla, toast, coffee.
What is Tokaji? - Answer-wine from NE Hungary, the most famous are Tokaji Aszú.
What are puttonyos? - Answer-Level of sweetness in the wine. The sweetest is 6.
Describe Tokaji - Answer-Amber in color, full bodied, sweet, medium alcohol, dried
fruits, sweet spices (orange peel, orange marmalade, dried apricots, raisins, cinnamon,
ryebread). With age, gain notes of nut, coffee, caramel, and honey
True or False: In order to be classified as a BA or a TBA, the levels of sugar in the most
are so high that they can normally be achieved with the help of botrytis. - Answer-True
Where can botrytis affected sweet wines be made in the Loire, and what grape varietal?
- Answer-Vouvray AC; Chenin Blanc
Which Alsacatian grape varietals can be affected by botrytis? - Answer-Riesling,
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat
Which Australian grape varietals can be affected by botrytis? - Answer-Semillon;
Riesling
What is Eiswein? - Answer-Sweet wine that is made from grapes crushed while still
frozen so that ice crystals can be removed, leaving an intensely concentrated sugary
grape syrup.
What are the characteristics of Eiswein? - Answer-pure, pronounced, varietal-fruity
flavors, high acidity, full body and syrupy sweetness.
Where is Eiswein made? - Answer-Canada, Germany, Austria
What do healthy grapes need? - Answer-CO2, Sunlight, water, warmth, and nutrients
What is climate? - Answer-Weather conditions (temperatures, rainfall, sunshine)
What do Hot Climate Grape Wines have? - Answer-more alcohol, fuller body, more
tannin, less acidity
What do cool climate grape wines have? - Answer-less alcohol, lighter body, less
tannin, more acidity
CORRECT ANSWERS
What is dosage? - Answer-The amount of sugar added, which determines the
sweetness of the final bottled product.
What is Brut? - Answer-A very small amount of sugar is used
What is the transfer method? - Answer-Method to remove the yeast. Empty the entire
contents of the bottles into a tank under pressure, then filtered, and rebottled. Not
permitted in Champagne or Cava.
Which grape varieties are used in Champagne to make sparkling wine? - Answer-Pinot
Noir, Meunier, Chardonnay
What is Champagne's condition like? - Answer-Cool climate, chalky soils, which allow
sparkling wines to have high acidity, medium body, and light alcohol. The weather
varies from vintage to vintage, and the grapes do not fully ripen.
What are non-vintage wines? - Answer-a blend of different vintages for quality and
consistency
What is vintage Champagne? - Answer-A portion of the best wine of exceptional years
make vintage Champagne.
What is the minimum legal period of yeast autolysis? - Answer-15 months
What are Grandes Marques? - Answer-famous Champagne houses
Describe Vintage Champagne - Answer-Complex, intense fruity and autolytic flavors
with vegetal, nutty or honeyed complexity from bottle age.
What is Cremant? - Answer-Indicates sparkling wine made in France. The Loire is a
major region for production.
Where in the Loire Valley is Cremant made? - Answer-Saumur, where Chenin Blanc is
the main grape variety. It has high acidity, green and citrus fruit flavors, with some
autolytic character.
What is Cava? - Answer-Spanish term for traditional-method sparkling wines. The main
grape varieties are local Spanish ones.
What are Cava's characteristics? - Answer-Fairly neutral fruit flavors, hint of pear,
medium acidity, and very little autolytic complexity
,Characteristics of Sparkling Reds in Australia? - Answer-made with Shiraz, full bodied,
with medium acidity, and intense black and red berry fruit notes.
What are 3 ways for yeast to stop processing sugar into alcohol? - Answer-1. Remove
yeast, using a fine filter to ensure none remain
2.Yeast could be poisoned using sulfur dioxide
3. Fortify (add alcohol) during fermentation
What are Vin Doux Naturels? - Answer-Sweet fortified wines from Southern France
such as:
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
Muscat de Rivesaltes
What are characterisitcs of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise and Muscat de Rivesaltes? -
Answer-unaged, intense fruity aromas (grape, peach, perfume). Medium/full-bodied,
and sweet, with high alcohol and medium or low acidity
Where is Moscatel de Valencia from? - Answer-Spain
Where is Rutherglen Muscat from? - Answer-Northern Victoria, Australia
What are the tasting notes for Rutherglen Muscat? - Answer-Aged for a long period in
oak, which oxydizes. Dried fruit and kernel flavors (raisin, prune, fig, dried apricot,
coffee, toffee). Sweet, full bodied, with high alcohol and med or low acidity
What is süssreserve? - Answer-unfermented grape juice, used to sweeten medium or
sweet German wines
When do yeasts die? - Answer-When alcohol reaches 15%
What are 3 ways to concentrate sugar in grapes? - Answer-1. Dry the grapes
2. Noble Rot
3. Freeze the grapes
How are grapes dried? - Answer-They shrivel on the vine, or are laid out in well-
ventilated, dry spaces that encourage evaporation.
What is Botrytis cinerea? - Answer-Noble rot, it attacks the skins, weakens skins,
speeding up evaporation of water. The mold adds its own unique flavors
What does Botrytis need? - Answer-ripe, healthy grapes, damp, misty mornings, warm
dry afternoons to speed the drying out of the grapes
Which grape varieties are susceptible to noble rot? - Answer-Semillon, Riesling, Chenin
Blanc
, What are tasting notes of botrytis wines? - Answer-dried apricots, ryebread, pineapple,
sweet biscuit, cabbage, orange marmalade, pineapple, mushroom
Describe Sauternes - Answer-region south of Graves AC in Bordeaux. Semillon is the
main grape variety. Full bodied wines have high alcohol and citrus stone fruit and
botrytis flavor (lemon, peach). Hint of new oak: vanilla, toast, coffee.
What is Tokaji? - Answer-wine from NE Hungary, the most famous are Tokaji Aszú.
What are puttonyos? - Answer-Level of sweetness in the wine. The sweetest is 6.
Describe Tokaji - Answer-Amber in color, full bodied, sweet, medium alcohol, dried
fruits, sweet spices (orange peel, orange marmalade, dried apricots, raisins, cinnamon,
ryebread). With age, gain notes of nut, coffee, caramel, and honey
True or False: In order to be classified as a BA or a TBA, the levels of sugar in the most
are so high that they can normally be achieved with the help of botrytis. - Answer-True
Where can botrytis affected sweet wines be made in the Loire, and what grape varietal?
- Answer-Vouvray AC; Chenin Blanc
Which Alsacatian grape varietals can be affected by botrytis? - Answer-Riesling,
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat
Which Australian grape varietals can be affected by botrytis? - Answer-Semillon;
Riesling
What is Eiswein? - Answer-Sweet wine that is made from grapes crushed while still
frozen so that ice crystals can be removed, leaving an intensely concentrated sugary
grape syrup.
What are the characteristics of Eiswein? - Answer-pure, pronounced, varietal-fruity
flavors, high acidity, full body and syrupy sweetness.
Where is Eiswein made? - Answer-Canada, Germany, Austria
What do healthy grapes need? - Answer-CO2, Sunlight, water, warmth, and nutrients
What is climate? - Answer-Weather conditions (temperatures, rainfall, sunshine)
What do Hot Climate Grape Wines have? - Answer-more alcohol, fuller body, more
tannin, less acidity
What do cool climate grape wines have? - Answer-less alcohol, lighter body, less
tannin, more acidity
