WSET Level 2 Study Plan: 4-Week Exam Preparation Schedule

WSET Level 2 is the most popular wine certification in the world for a reason: it covers the right amount of material, at the right depth, to make you genuinely knowledgeable about wine. But with 21 grape varieties, dozens of regions, winemaking techniques, classification systems, and the SAT framework to master, you need a plan.

This is that plan.

How This Study Plan Works

The 4-week plan assumes you have roughly 5 to 7 hours available per week — about 45 to 60 minutes on most days. Each week has a clear focus area, a set of daily tasks, and a milestone check at the end.

If you have more time, you can compress the plan to 3 weeks. If you have less, stretch it to 6 weeks by splitting each week’s content in half.

What You Need

• The WSET Level 2 study materials from your approved provider
• A notebook or flashcard app for active recall
• Our free WSET Level 2 cheat sheet as a quick-reference companion
• Our free WSET Level 2 mock exam for weekly testing

Week 1: Grape Varieties

Goal: Know all 21 Level 2 grape varieties by name, key characteristics, and classic regions.

Daily tasks:

• Day 1: White grapes overview — read through Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer. Write one sentence about each from memory.
• Day 2: White grapes continued — Viognier, Albariño, Chenin Blanc, Semillon, Muscat. Add to your notes.
• Day 3: Red grapes — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache. Focus on body, tannin, acidity, and key aromas.
• Day 4: Red grapes continued — Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Malbec, Zinfandel, Carmenère. What makes each one distinctive?
• Day 5: Active recall session — cover your notes, write out the 21 varieties from memory with their key characteristics.
• Day 6: Use the Level 2 flashcards to test grape knowledge. Focus on cards you struggle with.
• Day 7: Rest or light review.

Week 1 milestone: You should be able to name all 21 grape varieties and recall at least two distinguishing characteristics for each.

Week 2: Regions

Goal: Know the major wine regions for each grape variety — and understand why climate and geography produce the styles they do.

Daily tasks:

• Day 8: France — Burgundy (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir), Bordeaux (Cab Sauv/Merlot blends), Loire (Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc), Alsace (Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris).
• Day 9: France continued — Rhone (Syrah in North, Grenache in South), Champagne method, Languedoc-Roussillon.
• Day 10: Italy — Piedmont (Nebbiolo/Barolo/Barbaresco), Tuscany (Sangiovese/Chianti/Brunello), Veneto (Pinot Grigio, Soave, Valpolicella). Spanish Ageing Classifications (Joven, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva).
• Day 11: Spain and Germany — Rioja (Tempranillo), Ribera del Duero, Priorat; Mosel and Rhine (Riesling), Prädikatswein quality tiers.
• Day 12: New World overview — California (Napa Cab Sauv, Sonoma Pinot Noir), Oregon (Pinot Noir), Chile (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère), Argentina (Malbec, Mendoza), Australia (Shiraz/Barossa, Riesling/Clare Valley), New Zealand (Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc), South Africa (Stellenbosch).
• Day 13: Draw a blank map of the major regions from memory and fill in the grapes and styles.
• Day 14: Sit a focused mock test on grapes and regions only — use our Level 2 cheat sheet to check anything you miss.

Week 2 milestone: For every major grape, you can name at least two regions and explain how climate influences style.

Week 3: Winemaking, SAT, and Classification

Goal: Master the technical framework — how wine is made, how to taste it systematically, and how the major classification systems work.

Daily tasks:

• Day 15: Winemaking basics — harvesting decisions, crushing, fermentation (temperature, vessel, yeast choices), maceration for reds.
• Day 16: Post-fermentation techniques — MLF and its effect on acidity and mouthfeel; oak ageing (French vs American, barrel size, new vs old); lees ageing and batonnage.
• Day 17: Sparkling wine methods — Traditional (Champagne method), Tank (Charmat/Prosecco method), Transfer method. Know the steps, the bubbles, the style differences.
• Day 18: Fortified wines — Port styles (Ruby, Tawny, Vintage, LBV, White); Sherry styles (Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso, PX, Cream).
• Day 19: The SAT tasting framework — appearance (colour, intensity, clarity, viscosity), nose (condition, intensity, development, aromas), palate (sweetness, acidity, tannin, alcohol, body, flavour intensity, finish), conclusions (quality, readiness to drink). Practise on a glass of wine if possible.
• Day 20: French labelling laws (AC/AOC/AOP, cru systems) and German Prädikatswein levels. Spanish ageing classifications review.
• Day 21: Timed revision — set 25 minutes for winemaking notes, 25 minutes for SAT from memory.

Week 3 milestone: You can walk through the full SAT assessment for a wine in your head and explain how at least three winemaking techniques affect the final style.

Week 4: Consolidation and Exam Practice

Goal: Lock in the material, identify weak areas, and arrive at the exam confident.

Daily tasks:

• Day 22: Full mock exam — sit our 50-question Level 2 mock exam under timed conditions (50 minutes). Score yourself honestly.
• Day 23: Review every wrong answer from the mock exam. Go back to the cheat sheet for the topics you missed.
• Day 24: Targeted revision on your weakest area — whether that is a specific region, a grape you keep confusing, or a winemaking technique.
• Day 25: Second full mock exam — try to improve your score from Day 22. Use the explanations to understand why each answer is right or wrong.
• Day 26: SAT practice — take three wines (or three descriptions) and write a complete SAT assessment for each.
• Day 27: Light revision only — scan the cheat sheet, review your notes, but do not try to learn new material. Rest your memory.
• Day 28: Exam day. You are ready.

Week 4 milestone: You score above 60% on both practice exams and can identify your weak spots.

Exam Day Checklist

• Arrive early — rushing raises anxiety and impairs recall
• Read each question twice before answering
• Watch for regional name questions — they are testing whether you know the grape behind the label (Chablis = Chardonnay, Barolo = Nebbiolo, Chianti = Sangiovese)
• Do not overthink — your first instinct is usually right at Level 2
• Flag questions you are unsure about and return to them at the end

After the Exam

If you pass, the natural next step is WSET Level 3, which goes deeper into terroir, climate analysis, and essay-format questions. Our Level 3 study guide and free Level 3 mock exam are available to get you started.

Good luck — the material is learnable, and the exam is fair. Four weeks of focused effort is enough.