WSET Level 3 Cheatsheet: Free Printable PDF
A free printable WSET Level 3 cheatsheet: 14 tables covering climate, viticulture, winemaking, oak, the regions, sparkling, fortified wine and the full SAT.
Level 3 is not a bigger Level 2: it grades reasoning, so read every row as a cause with an effect attached. Cover the right hand column and say the consequence out loud before you check. The full Level 3 study guide carries the worked explanations.
Climate and terroir
| Factor | Effect on the wine |
|---|---|
| Cool, growing season below 16.5C | High acid, low alcohol, light body, green fruit, vintage variation |
| Moderate, 16.5 to 18.5C | Balanced acid and ripeness, red fruit moving toward black |
| Warm, 18.5 to 21C | Ripe black fruit, lower acid, higher alcohol, softer tannin |
| Hot, above 21C | Cooked or jammy fruit, low acid, high alcohol, raisining risk |
| Continentality | Short season, spring frost risk, compressed harvest |
| Diurnal range | Cold nights hold acid and aroma; warm nights speed ripening |
| Altitude | About 0.6C cooler per 100m, stronger UV, thicker skins |
| Water nearby | Moderates temperature, adds humidity for botrytis |
| Wind and cold currents | Mistral dries and cools; Humboldt and Benguela chill coasts |
Soil
| Soil | Property | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | Free draining, heat retaining | Ripens late varieties, full body | Medoc |
| Clay | Water retentive, cool | Powerful, structured, later ripening | Pomerol |
| Limestone | Alkaline, holds subsoil water | Acid retention, finesse | Burgundy |
| Chalk | Alkaline, moisture retentive | High acidity, delicacy | Champagne, Jerez |
| Slate | Absorbs and radiates heat | Ripening on cold steep slopes | Mosel |
| Granite | Low fertility, free draining | Aromatic, elegant, low vigor | Beaujolais crus |
| Volcanic | Free draining, mineral rich | Freshness, savory edge | Etna, Santorini |
Viticulture decisions
| Decision | Options | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Site and aspect | Slope, altitude, orientation | Sun interception, drainage, frost |
| Training | VSP, bush vine, pergola | Exposure, shade, mechanization |
| Pruning | Spur or cane, severity | Bud number, potential yield |
| Canopy management | Leaf removal, shoot thinning | Light, airflow, fewer methoxypyrazines |
| Yield control | Green harvest, hard pruning | Concentration, but stress has limits |
| Irrigation | Drip or dry farming | Mild stress after veraison aids ripening |
| Harvest date | Early or late | Acid against sugar and phenolic ripeness |
| Picking | Hand or machine | Whole bunch and selection need hands |
Winemaking decisions
| Decision | Options | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Destemming | Whole bunch or destemmed | Stems add tannin, spice, freshness |
| Pre fermentation | Cold soak, skin contact for whites | Color and fruit without harsh tannin |
| Fermentation temperature | 12 to 22C whites, 20 to 32C reds | Aroma against extraction |
| Yeast | Cultured or ambient | Predictability against complexity and risk |
| Vessel | Steel, concrete, oak, amphora | Neutrality, thermal stability, oxygen ingress |
| Cap management | Punch down, pump over, rack and return | Extraction intensity |
| Maceration | Short, or extended after fermentation | Tannin, color, texture |
| Press fraction | Free run or press wine | Press adds tannin, color, coarseness |
| Malolactic conversion | Encouraged, blocked, partial | Softer acid, buttery diacetyl |
| Lees | Gross or fine, batonnage | Body, bread and nut notes, oxygen protection |
| Blending | Varieties, sites, vintages | Balance, complexity, consistency |
| Fining and filtration | Protein, tannin, sterile filter | Stability against lost texture |
Oak variables
| Variable | Options | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | French or American | French: subtle vanilla, spice, fine tannin. American: coconut, dill, sweet vanilla |
| Preparation | Split and air seasoned, or sawn | Split staves extract slowly and integrate |
| Size | 225L barrique up to 2,000L foudre | Smaller means more surface per liter, more flavor |
| Age | New, second or third fill, neutral | New gives most flavor; neutral gives oxygen only |
| Toast | Light, medium, heavy | Light: sweet spice. Heavy: smoke, char, coffee |
| Alternatives | Staves and chips | Flavor without the oxygen transfer |
France in detail
| Appellation | Grapes and rules | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estephe | Cabernet led blends on gravel; 1855 classification | Firm tannin, blackcurrant, cedar |
| Pessac-Leognan | Cabernet and Merlot reds; oaked Sauvignon and Semillon | Smoky reds, serious dry whites |
| Saint-Emilion and Pomerol | Merlot with Cabernet Franc; Pomerol has no classification | Plush, plummy, truffle |
| Sauternes and Barsac | Semillon and Sauvignon, botrytis from Ciron mists | Honey, apricot, marmalade |
| Chablis | Chardonnay on Kimmeridgian limestone, 7 Grand Crus | Lean, citrus, steely |
| Cote de Nuits | Pinot Noir, Gevrey-Chambertin to Nuits-Saint-Georges | Structured red fruit, ages to forest floor |
| Cote de Beaune | Chardonnay at Meursault and Puligny, Pinot at Volnay | Nutty rich whites, perfumed reds |
| Beaujolais crus | Gamay on granite, 10 crus | Structured, ages 5 to 10 years |
| Cote-Rotie | Syrah with up to 20% Viognier permitted, usually co-fermented | Perfumed, floral, silky |
| Hermitage and Cornas | Syrah on granite; Cornas permits no white grapes | Powerful, tannic |
| Chateauneuf-du-Pape | 13 named varieties, Grenache led, galets roules | Full, warm, garrigue |
| Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume | Sauvignon Blanc on flint and limestone | Citrus, nettle, smoke |
| Vouvray and Savennieres | Chenin Blanc, sec through moelleux | High acid, quince, ages decades |
| Alsace Grand Cru | 51 sites; Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat | Dry through Vendange Tardive and SGN |
Italy
| Wine | Rules | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Barolo | Nebbiolo, 38 months aging with 18 in wood; Riserva 62 | Pale garnet, tar, rose, huge tannin and acid |
| Barbaresco | Nebbiolo, 26 months with 9 in wood; Riserva 50 | Same grape, approachable sooner |
| Chianti Classico | Minimum 80% Sangiovese; Riserva 24 months, Gran Selezione 30 | Sour cherry, dried herb |
| Brunello di Montalcino | 100% Sangiovese, 5 years aging with 2 in wood | Powerful, tannic, keeps decades |
| Bolgheri | Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc | Ripe, polished, Bordeaux shaped |
| Amarone | Corvina dried by appassimento, minimum 14% | Dried fruit, chocolate, warming |
| Valpolicella Ripasso | Refermented on Amarone skins | Fuller than plain Valpolicella |
| Prosecco | Glera, tank method; DOCG at Conegliano Valdobbiadene | Pear, white flower, soft mousse |
| Etna | Nerello Mascalese on volcanic soil | Pale, high acid, savory |
Spain and Portugal
| Region | Rules and grapes | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Rioja | Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano; Crianza 24 months with 12 in oak, Reserva 36 with 12, Gran Reserva 60 with 24 | American oak coconut, French spice |
| Ribera del Duero | Tinto Fino at 700 to 1,000m | Deep and firm, diurnal swing holds acid |
| Priorat | Old vine Garnacha and Carinena on llicorella slate | Concentrated, mineral, high alcohol |
| Rias Baixas | Albarino, Atlantic and rainy | Citrus, stone fruit, saline, high acid |
| Cava | Guarda 9 months on lees, Reserva 18, Gran Reserva 30 | Citrus, earthy, savory autolysis |
| Douro | Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, schist terraces | Dark firm dry reds, and Port |
| Vinho Verde | Loureiro, Alvarinho | Light, tart, low alcohol |
| Alentejo | Aragonez, Trincadeira, hot and dry | Soft, ripe, generous |
Germany and Austria
| Region | Grapes and rules | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Mosel | Riesling on slate, slopes reaching 65 degrees | 7 to 9% alcohol off-dry, lime, piercing acid |
| Rheingau | Riesling on south facing Rhine slopes | Fuller, drier, structured |
| Nahe | Riesling on volcanic, slate and sandstone | Mosel aroma with Rheingau body |
| Pfalz and Baden | Riesling, Spatburgunder | Germany’s warmest, ripe whites, serious Pinot Noir |
| Wachau, Kremstal, Kamptal | Gruner Veltliner; Wachau grades Steinfeder, Federspiel, Smaragd | Dry, citrus, white pepper |
| Burgenland | Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt; botrytis by the Neusiedlersee | Peppery reds, world class sweet wines |
Pradikat ranks ripeness at harvest, not sweetness: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, Trockenbeerenauslese. The VDP ranks vineyards: Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage, whose dry wines are labeled Grosses Gewachs.
The New World, region by region
| Region | Grapes | Why it tastes that way |
|---|---|---|
| Napa: Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap, Howell Mountain | Cabernet Sauvignon | Warm valley floor, fog at Carneros, mountains above the fog |
| Sonoma: Russian River, Dry Creek, Sonoma Coast | Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel | Pacific fog funnels inland, holds acid |
| Willamette Valley | Pinot Noir | Cool maritime, Coast Range rain shadow |
| Casablanca, Maipo, Colchagua | Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Carmenere | Humboldt current cools the coast, Andes give diurnal range |
| Mendoza and Salta | Malbec, Torrontes | 800 to 1,500m and higher, intense UV, snowmelt irrigation |
| Barossa and Eden Valley | Shiraz, Riesling | Eden sits 400 to 500m, cooler than Barossa |
| Clare, Coonawarra, Margaret River | Riesling, Cabernet, Chardonnay | Altitude, terra rossa over limestone, maritime air |
| Marlborough, Central Otago, Hawke’s Bay | Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah | High UV, cool nights; Gimblett Gravels for reds |
| Stellenbosch, Swartland, Hemel-en-Aarde | Cabernet, Chenin, Pinot Noir | False Bay breezes, old bush vines, cool Atlantic |
Sparkling wine
| Method | How it works and the rules | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional | Second fermentation in the bottle sold, then riddling and disgorgement. Champagne 15 months with 12 on lees, vintage 36. Cremant 9 on lees. Cava Guarda 9, Reserva 18, Gran Reserva 30 | Fine mousse, bread, biscuit, brioche |
| Transfer | Bottle fermented, emptied into a pressurized tank and filtered | Some autolysis, no riddling |
| Tank, or Charmat | Second fermentation in a pressurized tank, short and cool | Primary pear and flowers, soft mousse, drink young |
| Asti method | One fermentation in tank, chilled and filtered before it finishes | Near 7% alcohol, grapey, sweet |
| Ancestral | One fermentation finished in bottle, no dosage | Cloudy, lower pressure |
| Carbonation | Gas injected into still wine | Large bubbles that collapse fast |
Dosage in grams per liter: Brut Nature 0 to 3, Extra Brut 0 to 6, Brut 0 to 12, Extra Dry 12 to 17, Sec 17 to 32, Demi-Sec 32 to 50, Doux above 50.
Fortified wine
| Wine | Production | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Port | Fortified mid fermentation with 77% spirit to about 20% | Sweet, the spirit stops the yeast |
| Vintage Port | Declared year, bottled after 2 years, ages reductively | Tannic, decant, lasts decades |
| Tawny with age indication | Years in 550 liter pipes, oxidative | Amber, walnut, caramel |
| Fino and Manzanilla | Fortified to 15.5%, biological aging under flor | Pale, bone dry, almond, saline |
| Amontillado | Flor first, then fortified higher, aged oxidatively | Amber, hazelnut, dry |
| Oloroso | Fortified to 17% or more, so flor never forms | Dark, walnut, dry, full |
| Pedro Ximenez | Sun dried grapes, barely fermented | Black, viscous, raisin |
| Madeira | Heated by estufagem in tank, or canteiro in cask | Baked, caramel, searing acid |
| Vin doux naturel | Fortified during fermentation | Sweet: Beaumes-de-Venise, Banyuls, Rasteau |
Flor needs 15 to 15.5% alcohol; it shields the wine from oxygen and eats the glycerol, which is why Fino is pale and lean. A solera blends fractionally: wine is drawn from the oldest row, and each row is refreshed from the one above.
The Level 3 SAT
| Element | Scale |
|---|---|
| Clarity, intensity | Clear or hazy; pale, medium, deep |
| Color | White: lemon-green, lemon, gold, amber. Rose: pink, orange. Red: purple, ruby, garnet, tawny |
| Condition | Clean, or unclean plus the fault |
| Development | Youthful, developing, fully developed, past its best |
| Sweetness | Dry, off-dry, medium-dry, medium-sweet, sweet, luscious |
| Acidity, tannin, body, intensity, finish | Five points, using medium minus and medium plus |
| Tannin nature | Ripe or unripe, soft or firm, coarse or fine |
| Alcohol | Low below 11%, medium 11 to 13.9%, high 14% and above |
| Fortified alcohol | Low 15 to 16.4%, medium 16.5 to 18.4%, high 18.5% and above |
| Conclusion | What it means |
|---|---|
| Faulty | A fault is present, and named |
| Poor | No fault, but unbalanced or dilute |
| Acceptable | Clean, simple, unremarkable |
| Good | Balanced, some complexity, medium length |
| Very good | Clear complexity, concentration, long finish |
| Outstanding | Exceptional complexity, very long finish |
| Too young | Tannin, acid or fruit not integrated |
| Can drink now, but has potential for aging | Balanced, with structure to develop |
| Drink now, not suitable for aging | At its peak, or lacking structure |
| Too old | Fruit has faded, structure exposed |
Justify every conclusion on balance, length, intensity and complexity.
What paper cannot do
A printout cannot calibrate your palate against a marking scheme, and it cannot teach you to build a cause and effect argument with the clock running. Those are the two things Level 3 examines, so add the Level 3 mock exam for timed writing, the topic quizzes for the gaps and the flashcards for daily retrieval. The Sommo app grades typed answers the way an examiner would; the other free downloads cover grids and a planner.
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Common questions
It is the raw material, not the answer. Level 3 asks you to explain, so a fact only scores when you attach it to a consequence: the slate does not earn a mark, the slate radiating heat onto ripening Riesling does. Learn each row here as a cause with an effect on the other side of it.
Level 2 tests recognition through 50 multiple choice questions. Level 3 adds a written paper of short answer questions and a blind tasting of two wines, and you must reach 55% in each section separately. Strength in theory cannot rescue a weak tasting paper.
Four or five on A4 or US Letter, depending on your browser and margins. Printed double sided that is two or three sheets, which is the point: if a revision aid runs to fifteen pages, you will read it once and never again.
Completeness and calibration. Every line of the grid must be filled in with the exact vocabulary, and your quality and readiness conclusions must be justified with reference to balance, length, intensity and complexity. Vivid writing scores nothing. The prescribed words score everything.
The climate, viticulture and winemaking tables, because they generate answers for regions you have not memorized. Region detail is finite and heavy; the cause and effect chains are portable, and a good chain will carry you through a question on a place you barely studied.