Free WSET Level 1 Cheat Sheet: Grapes, Styles & Exam Basics

White Grape Varieties

Chardonnay in Detail

Chardonnay is the chameleon of white grapes. Its relatively neutral character allows the winemaker and the climate to shape the final wine dramatically. In cool regions like Chablis, expect crisp green apple, lemon zest, and a steely minerality with no oak influence. In warmer regions like Napa Valley or the Adelaide Hills, the fruit shifts toward tropical notes — pineapple, mango, peach — and many producers ferment or age the wine in oak barrels, which adds layers of butter, vanilla, toast, and hazelnut. The key exam distinction is oaked versus unoaked Chardonnay. If you see butter or vanilla in the description, think oak. If you see green apple and citrus without richness, think unoaked. Classic examples include Chablis (unoaked, France), Pouilly-Fuisse (lightly oaked, Burgundy), and Napa Valley Chardonnay (full, oaked, California).

Sauvignon Blanc in Detail

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most instantly recognisable white grapes thanks to its pungent, aromatic personality. It thrives in cool to moderate climates and is almost never aged in oak. Loire Valley expressions (labelled Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume) tend to be restrained and mineral-driven, with notes of flint, wet stone, and green herbs. Marlborough, New Zealand, produces the most exuberant style — intensely aromatic, with explosive passion fruit, gooseberry, grapefruit, and freshly cut grass. Sauvignon Blanc is always high in acidity, which makes it an outstanding partner for goat cheese, seafood, and salads. Bordeaux also produces excellent Sauvignon Blanc, often blended with Semillon and sometimes barrel-fermented.

Pinot Grigio in Detail

Pinot Grigio in its most common Italian form is light, crisp, and relatively neutral — think clean lemon, green apple, and pear with a light, refreshing finish. It is the quintessential easy-drinking white, popular for its approachability rather than complexity. Northern Italy (Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige) is the primary source. When the same grape is grown in Alsace (France) and labelled Pinot Gris, the style changes considerably — richer, with more body, stone fruit, and sometimes a touch of honey. For the Level 1 exam, focus on the Italian light-and-crisp profile.

Riesling in Detail

Riesling is one of the world’s greatest and most misunderstood grapes. Many people assume Riesling is always sweet, but it spans the full spectrum from bone-dry to intensely sweet dessert wines. What remains constant is its naturally high acidity, which provides freshness and balance even at high sweetness levels. In Germany, look for Trocken (dry) on the label, or Kabinett and Spatlese for off-dry to medium styles. Classic aromas include lime, lemon, green apple, white peach, and a distinctive petrol or kerosene note that develops with bottle age and is considered a positive characteristic. Alsace Rieslings are typically dry and full-bodied. Australia’s Clare Valley and Eden Valley also produce excellent examples.

Muscat in Detail

Muscat is unique among wine grapes because it actually smells and tastes like fresh grapes. It is intensely aromatic, with perfumed notes of orange blossom, rose petal, lychee, and grape itself. The most popular style is Moscato d’Asti from Piedmont, Italy — a light, sweet, gently fizzy wine with low alcohol (around 5.5% ABV), perfect as a dessert wine or aperitif. Muscat is also used to make Asti Spumante (fully sparkling), Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (a fortified sweet wine from the Rhone), and Rutherglen Muscat from Australia (a rich, aged, fortified style with caramel and toffee notes). Remember Muscat for its grapey, floral character and frequent association with sweetness.

Red Grape Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon in Detail

Cabernet Sauvignon is often considered the most important red grape in the world. It has small, thick-skinned berries that produce deeply coloured wines with firm tannins and excellent ageing potential. The signature aroma is blackcurrant (cassis), often accompanied by cedar, green bell pepper, mint, and dark chocolate. When aged in oak — which it almost always is — it develops additional notes of vanilla, tobacco, and spice. Bordeaux’s Left Bank (Medoc, Pauillac, Margaux) is its traditional home, where it is blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. California’s Napa Valley produces powerful, ripe, single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, often at premium prices. Chile’s Maipo Valley, Australia’s Coonawarra, and South Africa’s Stellenbosch are other notable regions. For the exam, associate Cabernet Sauvignon with full body, high tannin, blackcurrant, and ageing potential.

Merlot in Detail

Merlot is the softer, rounder counterpart to Cabernet Sauvignon. It produces medium to full-bodied wines with plush plum, red cherry, and chocolate flavours and supple, approachable tannins. In Bordeaux, it dominates the Right Bank appellations of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, where it produces some of the world’s most celebrated wines, including Chateau Petrus. On the Left Bank, it plays a supporting role in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, adding softness and fruit. Chile has become renowned for affordable, fruit-driven Merlot. In the exam, if a question contrasts Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon, remember that Merlot is softer, fruitier, and has lower tannins.

Pinot Noir in Detail

Pinot Noir is the most challenging grape to grow and vinify, but it rewards the effort with wines of extraordinary elegance and complexity. It produces light to medium-bodied wines with pale ruby colour, fine silky tannins, and flavours of red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, and earthy, forest-floor complexity. Burgundy is the spiritual home — the communes of Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanee, and Beaune produce some of the world’s most expensive wines from this grape. New World regions that excel with Pinot Noir include Oregon’s Willamette Valley, New Zealand’s Central Otago and Martinborough, and parts of California’s Sonoma Coast. Pinot Noir is also one of the three permitted grapes in Champagne. For the exam, remember it as the lightest, most delicate of the principal red grapes.

Syrah/Shiraz in Detail

This grape goes by two names depending on where it is grown. In France, it is Syrah; in Australia, it is Shiraz. The styles differ notably. Northern Rhone Syrah (Cote-Rotie, Hermitage, Cornas) is structured, savoury, and peppery, with aromas of blackberry, black olive, violet, and cracked black pepper. Australian Shiraz, especially from the Barossa Valley, is bolder and more fruit-forward, with ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, liquorice, and sometimes eucalyptus. Both styles are full-bodied with firm tannins and deep, almost black colour. This grape also appears in blends throughout the southern Rhone (as in Chateauneuf-du-Pape) and South Africa (where it may be labelled either Syrah or Shiraz). The exam frequently tests whether you know the two names refer to the same grape.

Tempranillo in Detail

Tempranillo is Spain’s most important red grape and the backbone of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. It produces medium to full-bodied wines with flavours of cherry, plum, dried fig, leather, tobacco, and vanilla. The vanilla character is especially prominent in traditional Rioja, where wines are aged extensively in American oak barrels, which impart sweet vanilla and coconut flavours. More modern styles from Ribera del Duero tend to use French oak and emphasise dark fruit concentration over oaky sweetness. Tempranillo is a thick-skinned grape with moderate acidity and moderate to high tannin. In Portugal, it is known as Tinta Roriz and is one of the key grapes in Port production. For the exam, associate Tempranillo with Spain, oak ageing, and leather/vanilla character.

Wine Production Overview

How Red Wine Is Made

1. Harvest — Red grapes are picked at optimal ripeness, either by hand or machine.
2. Crushing/Destemming — Grapes are lightly crushed and stems are usually removed. The juice, skins, and seeds remain together.
3. Fermentation — Yeast converts sugar into alcohol. Fermentation occurs with the skins in contact with the juice (this is called maceration), which extracts colour, tannin, and flavour.
4. Pressing — After fermentation, the wine is pressed off the skins. The free-run juice and pressed juice may be kept separate or blended.
5. Ageing — The wine may be aged in oak barrels (adding vanilla, toast, and spice) or stainless steel tanks (preserving fresh fruit character).
6. Bottling — The wine is filtered, stabilised, and bottled.

How White Wine Is Made

1. Harvest — White grapes are picked, often earlier than reds to preserve acidity.
2. Pressing — Crucially, white grapes are pressed immediately, separating the juice from the skins before fermentation. This is why white wine has no colour from skins.
3. Fermentation — The clear juice is fermented by yeast, converting sugar to alcohol. Fermentation temperature is usually cooler than for reds, to preserve delicate aromas.
4. Ageing — Most whites are aged in stainless steel to retain freshness. Some (notably Chardonnay) are aged in oak for added complexity.
5. Bottling — The wine is stabilised and bottled, often relatively young.

How Rose Wine Is Made

Rose gets its pink colour from brief skin contact with red grape skins — typically a few hours rather than the days or weeks used for red wine. The juice is then pressed off the skins and fermented like a white wine. The shorter the skin contact, the paler the rose. Most roses are dry, light-bodied, and meant to be drunk young.

How Sparkling Wine Is Made

Sparkling wine gets its bubbles from a second fermentation. In the traditional method (used for Champagne and Cava), this second fermentation happens inside the bottle, producing fine, persistent bubbles. In the tank method (used for Prosecco), the second fermentation occurs in a large pressurised tank, producing lighter, frothier bubbles. Both methods trap CO2 in the wine.

How Fortified Wine Is Made

Fortified wines have grape spirit (brandy) added during or after fermentation. For Port, the spirit is added during fermentation, killing the yeast and leaving residual sugar — this is why Port is sweet. For dry Sherry (Fino, Manzanilla), the spirit is added after fermentation is complete, so no sugar remains. The addition of spirit raises the final alcohol level to 15-22% ABV.

Wine Types

• Still wine — no carbonation (the majority of wines produced worldwide)
• Sparkling wine — contains CO2 bubbles (Champagne, Prosecco, Cava)
• Fortified wine — spirit added during or after fermentation (Port, Sherry)

Sweetness Levels

• Dry — no perceptible sugar (most table wines)
• Off-dry — slightly sweet, just a hint of sugar on the palate
• Medium — noticeably sweet, sugar is an obvious feature
• Sweet — high residual sugar (dessert wines, some fortified wines)

Serving Temperatures

Remember the temperature ladder: sparkling is served coldest, then light whites, then full whites, then light reds, and finally full-bodied reds. Even the warmest serving temperature (18°C) is below typical room temperature, which is why the old advice to serve red wine at “room temperature” often results in wines that are too warm.

Food and Wine Pairing Rules

Core Principles

• Match weight — light wines with light food, rich wines with rich food
• Acidity — high-acid wines cut through fatty or oily dishes
• Sweetness — wine should be at least as sweet as the food
• Tannin — pairs well with protein-rich red meat; clashes with fish
• Flavour bridge — match dominant flavours (herbal wine with herbal food)

Specific Pairing Examples

Pairings to Avoid

• Tannic red wine with oily fish — Tannin and fish oil create a metallic, unpleasant taste
• Dry wine with sweet dessert — The wine will taste thin, bitter, and acidic
• Full-bodied red with delicate white fish — The wine overwhelms the food completely
• Oaky wine with very light salads — The wood flavours dominate and clash

Tasting Vocabulary Basics

Describing Appearance

• Clarity: clear, hazy (haze may indicate a fault or an unfiltered natural wine)
• Intensity of colour: pale, medium, deep
• Colour (whites): lemon, gold, amber (amber may suggest age or oxidation)
• Colour (roses): pink, salmon, orange
• Colour (reds): purple (young), ruby (mid-age), garnet (aged), tawny (very aged)

Describing the Nose (Aromas)

• Condition: clean (no faults) or faulty (cork taint, oxidation)
• Intensity: light, medium, pronounced
• Aroma categories: fruit (citrus, stone fruit, tropical, red fruit, black fruit), floral (rose, blossom), herbal (grass, mint), spice (pepper, vanilla), oak (toast, cedar, smoke), earth (mushroom, leather, wet stone)

Describing the Palate (Taste and Texture)

• Sweetness: dry, off-dry, medium, sweet
• Acidity: low (flat, flabby), medium, high (crisp, mouth-watering, tart)
• Tannin (reds only): low (smooth, silky), medium, high (grippy, drying, firm)
• Body: light (feels like water), medium (feels like milk), full (feels like cream)
• Flavour intensity: light, medium, pronounced
• Finish: short (flavours disappear quickly), medium, long (flavours linger for seconds after swallowing)

Common Label Terms and What They Mean

Common Wine Faults

How to Identify a Faulty Wine

When you open a bottle and suspect a fault, the most important sense is your nose. Swirl the glass and take a careful sniff. Cork taint is the most common fault and presents as a damp, musty, cardboard-like smell that dulls the wine’s fruit. If you are unsure, pour a small taste — a corked wine will taste flat and muted, as if someone has turned down the volume on the fruit flavours. Oxidation is the second most common fault: the wine smells like a bruised apple and may have turned brown. If a wine displays either of these faults, it should be returned at a restaurant or discarded at home.

Key Numbers to Remember

• Standard bottle: 750ml
• Standard glass pour: ~150ml (5 glasses per bottle)
• Most table wines: 11.5-15% ABV
• Fortified wines: 15-22% ABV
• Moscato d’Asti: ~5.5% ABV (unusually low)
• Ideal cellar temperature: 10-15°C
• Light-bodied red serving: 12-14°C
• Full-bodied red serving: 15-18°C
• Sparkling serving: 6-10°C
• Exam pass mark: 70% (21 out of 30)
• Exam duration: 45 minutes
• Number of questions: 30 multiple-choice

Study Timeline: The Week Before the Exam

7 Days Before

• Read through all course materials once from beginning to end without stopping to memorise — just get the big picture
• Make flash cards for each of the 10 principal grape varieties (name on one side, body/aromas/regions on the other)
• Print or bookmark this cheatsheet for quick reference throughout the week

5-6 Days Before

• Study white grape varieties in detail — Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Muscat
• Test yourself: can you describe each white grape’s body, aromas, and classic region from memory?
• Review wine production basics: how red, white, rose, sparkling, and fortified wines are made

3-4 Days Before

• Study red grape varieties in detail — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah/Shiraz, Tempranillo
• Test yourself: can you describe each red grape’s body, aromas, and classic region from memory?
• Review food and wine pairing principles and work through the specific pairing examples above

2 Days Before

• Study serving temperatures (memorise the ladder from sparkling to full-bodied red)
• Review wine faults — know what cork taint and oxidation smell like
• Review sweetness levels (dry, off-dry, medium, sweet) and wine types (still, sparkling, fortified)
• Take a full mock test and score yourself honestly

1 Day Before

• Review any topics where you scored poorly on the mock test
• Run through your flash cards one final time
• Re-read this cheatsheet from top to bottom
• Take the mock test one more time — aim for 80% or above
• Lay out everything you need for tomorrow (ID, directions, pen) and get a good night’s sleep

Exam Day

• Eat a proper breakfast — do not study new material
• Arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes early
• Read each question carefully and eliminate obviously wrong answers first
• If unsure about a question, mark it and come back — do not leave any question unanswered
• Trust your preparation and stay calm — you have done the work