WSET LEVEL 3 EXAM COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS PLUS RATIONALES | ALREADY PASSED | 2025
LATEST!!
Question 1
Which wine fault makes a wine smell like wet cardboard or mold, and mutes
fruit flavors?
A) Oxidization
B) Reduction
C) Volatile acidity
D) Trichloranisole (TCA)
E) Brettanomyces
Correct Answer: D) Trichloranisole (TCA)
Rationale: The provided text defines TCA as a wine fault that "makes
wine smell like wet cardboard or mould, and mutes fruit flavors".
Question 2
What are the potential effects of Sulfur Dioxide as a wine fault?
A) Makes the wine smell like burnt rubber.
B) Adds pungent, unpleasant damp cardboard.
C) Causes the wine to smell of extinguished matches, masks its fruitiness,
and can lead to oxidization.
D) Gives the wine aromas of nail polish remover.
E) Makes the wine taste excessively bitter.
Correct Answer: C) Wine to smell of extinguished matches, masks its
fruitiness, and can lead to oxidization
Rationale: The provided text states that Sulfur Dioxide as a wine fault
,causes "Wine to smell of extinguished matches, masks its fruitiness,
and can lead to oxidization".
Question 3
Reduction in wine is a fault that occurs when:
A) The wine is exposed to too much oxygen.
B) An excessively oxygen-free environment leads to volatile sulfur
compounds.
C) Acetic acid builds up due to oxygen exposure.
D) Wild yeasts introduce unpleasant aromas.
E) The wine lacks sufficient acidity.
Correct Answer: B) An excessively oxygen-free environment leaves to
volatile sulfur compounds.
Rationale: The provided text states, "Reduction is... A wine fault that
is the opposite of oxidization. It occurs when an excessively oxygen-
free environment leaves to volatile sulfur compounds."
Question 4
What aromas are associated with a wine fault caused by oxidization?
A) Rotten eggs or boiled cabbage.
B) Vinegar or nail polish remover.
C) Damp cardboard or musty smell.
D) Band-Aids or sweaty odors.
E) Toffee, caramel, or coffee.
Correct Answer: E) Toffee, caramel, or coffee.
,Rationale: The provided text states, "Oxidization is a wine fault that
results in... A wine smelling like toffee, caramel, or coffee; muted
fruit and freshness; deep brown color."
Question 5
An "out of condition" wine will be described as:
A) Vibrant and fresh.
B) Aromatic and complex.
C) Rich and full-bodied.
D) Dull or stale, and lack freshness.
E) High in acidity and tannin.
Correct Answer: D) Dull or stale, and lack freshness.
Rationale: The provided text states, "Out of condition wine will be...
Dull or stale, and lack freshness".
Question 6
Volatile acidity in wine is a fault caused by:
A) Excessive sulfur dioxide.
B) Underside of a cork.
C) A build-up of acetic acid due to oxygen exposure, caused by
acetobacter.
D) Yeast autolysis.
E) Extended lees contact.
Correct Answer: C) A build up of acetic acid due to oxygen exposure;
caused by acetobacter.
, Rationale: The provided text states, "Volatile acidity is a wine fault
that ... Is a result of build up of acetic acid due to oxygen exposure;
caused by acetobacter".
Question 7
What unpleasant aromas are associated with Brettanomyces (Brett) in wine?
A) Toffee, caramel, or coffee.
B) Extinguished matches.
C) Wet cardboard or mold.
D) Band-Aids, as well as a "sweaty" or "horsy" odor.
E) Rotten eggs or boiled cabbage.
Correct Answer: D) Band-Aids, as well as a "sweaty" or "horsy" odor.
Rationale: The provided text describes Brettanomyces as the cause of
"an unpleasant aroma of Band-Aids, as well as a 'sweaty' or 'horsy'
odor".
Question 8
Primary aromas and flavors in wine result from:
A) Winemaking techniques like malolactic fermentation.
B) Maturation and bottle aging.
C) Grapes and alcoholic fermentation.
D) Deliberate oxidization.
E) Oak barrel influence.
Correct Answer: C) Grapes and alcoholic fermentation.
ANSWERS PLUS RATIONALES | ALREADY PASSED | 2025
LATEST!!
Question 1
Which wine fault makes a wine smell like wet cardboard or mold, and mutes
fruit flavors?
A) Oxidization
B) Reduction
C) Volatile acidity
D) Trichloranisole (TCA)
E) Brettanomyces
Correct Answer: D) Trichloranisole (TCA)
Rationale: The provided text defines TCA as a wine fault that "makes
wine smell like wet cardboard or mould, and mutes fruit flavors".
Question 2
What are the potential effects of Sulfur Dioxide as a wine fault?
A) Makes the wine smell like burnt rubber.
B) Adds pungent, unpleasant damp cardboard.
C) Causes the wine to smell of extinguished matches, masks its fruitiness,
and can lead to oxidization.
D) Gives the wine aromas of nail polish remover.
E) Makes the wine taste excessively bitter.
Correct Answer: C) Wine to smell of extinguished matches, masks its
fruitiness, and can lead to oxidization
Rationale: The provided text states that Sulfur Dioxide as a wine fault
,causes "Wine to smell of extinguished matches, masks its fruitiness,
and can lead to oxidization".
Question 3
Reduction in wine is a fault that occurs when:
A) The wine is exposed to too much oxygen.
B) An excessively oxygen-free environment leads to volatile sulfur
compounds.
C) Acetic acid builds up due to oxygen exposure.
D) Wild yeasts introduce unpleasant aromas.
E) The wine lacks sufficient acidity.
Correct Answer: B) An excessively oxygen-free environment leaves to
volatile sulfur compounds.
Rationale: The provided text states, "Reduction is... A wine fault that
is the opposite of oxidization. It occurs when an excessively oxygen-
free environment leaves to volatile sulfur compounds."
Question 4
What aromas are associated with a wine fault caused by oxidization?
A) Rotten eggs or boiled cabbage.
B) Vinegar or nail polish remover.
C) Damp cardboard or musty smell.
D) Band-Aids or sweaty odors.
E) Toffee, caramel, or coffee.
Correct Answer: E) Toffee, caramel, or coffee.
,Rationale: The provided text states, "Oxidization is a wine fault that
results in... A wine smelling like toffee, caramel, or coffee; muted
fruit and freshness; deep brown color."
Question 5
An "out of condition" wine will be described as:
A) Vibrant and fresh.
B) Aromatic and complex.
C) Rich and full-bodied.
D) Dull or stale, and lack freshness.
E) High in acidity and tannin.
Correct Answer: D) Dull or stale, and lack freshness.
Rationale: The provided text states, "Out of condition wine will be...
Dull or stale, and lack freshness".
Question 6
Volatile acidity in wine is a fault caused by:
A) Excessive sulfur dioxide.
B) Underside of a cork.
C) A build-up of acetic acid due to oxygen exposure, caused by
acetobacter.
D) Yeast autolysis.
E) Extended lees contact.
Correct Answer: C) A build up of acetic acid due to oxygen exposure;
caused by acetobacter.
, Rationale: The provided text states, "Volatile acidity is a wine fault
that ... Is a result of build up of acetic acid due to oxygen exposure;
caused by acetobacter".
Question 7
What unpleasant aromas are associated with Brettanomyces (Brett) in wine?
A) Toffee, caramel, or coffee.
B) Extinguished matches.
C) Wet cardboard or mold.
D) Band-Aids, as well as a "sweaty" or "horsy" odor.
E) Rotten eggs or boiled cabbage.
Correct Answer: D) Band-Aids, as well as a "sweaty" or "horsy" odor.
Rationale: The provided text describes Brettanomyces as the cause of
"an unpleasant aroma of Band-Aids, as well as a 'sweaty' or 'horsy'
odor".
Question 8
Primary aromas and flavors in wine result from:
A) Winemaking techniques like malolactic fermentation.
B) Maturation and bottle aging.
C) Grapes and alcoholic fermentation.
D) Deliberate oxidization.
E) Oak barrel influence.
Correct Answer: C) Grapes and alcoholic fermentation.
