WSET Level 3 Study Guide — Award in Wines
In-depth WSET Level 3 study guide covering winemaking, terroir, quality assessment, and all major wine regions. Free cheatsheet and 50-question mock test.
Qualification
Award in Wines
Study Time
~84 hours
Exam Format
MCQs + Short Answer + Tasting
Pass Mark
55%
What Is WSET Level 3?
WSET Level 3 is a rigorous intermediate-to-advanced qualification that shifts from describing wine to explaining it. Every tasting note and quality judgement must be traced through cause-and-effect chains linking vineyard, climate, soil, viticulture, and winemaking to the wine in the glass. The exam has a theory paper (50 MCQs + short-answer questions, 2 hours) and a tasting paper (2 wines, 30 minutes). Both must be passed separately at 55%.
WSET recommends approximately 84 hours of study. The syllabus covers every major wine-producing country, plus comprehensive sections on viticulture, winemaking, sparkling, and fortified wines.
The SAT at Level 3
Level 3 adds quality assessment to the SAT framework. After describing appearance, nose, and palate, you must justify a quality judgement using four criteria:
- Balance — structural components (acidity, tannin, alcohol, sweetness, body) in harmony
- Length — duration of flavour after swallowing (seconds to 30+ seconds for outstanding wines)
- Intensity — concentration of flavour and expressiveness of aromatics
- Complexity — diversity and layering of aromas and flavours
Quality scale: Faulty → Poor → Acceptable → Good → Very good → Outstanding
Climate, Soil & Terroir
Climate types and their effects
Continental — warm/hot summers, cold winters, large diurnal range. Warm days build sugar; cool nights preserve acidity. Short growing season, frost risk. Examples: Burgundy, Alsace, Mendoza (high altitude).
Maritime — moderated by water, warm summers, mild winters, year-round rainfall. Slow, steady ripening; rot pressure in wet years. Examples: Bordeaux, Marlborough, Willamette Valley.
Mediterranean — hot dry summers, mild wet winters. Full ripeness reliable; challenge is preserving acidity. Producers pick early, plant at altitude, or choose acid-retaining varieties. Examples: Southern Rhone, Barossa Valley, Priorat.
Key soil types
- Gravel — free-draining, heat-retaining. Bordeaux Left Bank.
- Clay — water-retentive, rich and powerful wines. Pomerol, Saint-Emilion.
- Limestone/Chalk — good drainage, promotes acidity. Burgundy, Champagne, Loire.
- Slate — heat-retaining on steep slopes, aromatic intensity. Mosel.
- Volcanic — mineral-rich, well-drained. Mount Etna, Santorini.
- Granite — low fertility, excellent drainage, elegant wines. Beaujolais crus, Northern Rhone.
- Sand — free-draining, phylloxera-resistant. Lighter, fragrant wines.
Viticulture & Winemaking
Viticulture decisions
- Canopy management — leaf removal improves airflow, reduces rot, increases sun exposure. Excessive removal causes sunburn in hot climates.
- Yield control — lower yields = more concentrated wines. Managed through pruning, green harvesting, vine density.
- Organic/biodynamic — no synthetic pesticides. Biodynamic adds Steiner preparations timed to lunar calendar. More labour, higher disease risk.
- Harvest timing — sugar ripeness vs. phenolic ripeness. Warm climates may reach high sugar before tannins mature, leading to higher alcohol.
Winemaking techniques
Pre-fermentation:
- Cold soaking — extracts colour and fruit without harsh seed tannin (classic for Pinot Noir)
- Whole-bunch — stems add structure, spice, freshness (Burgundy, Rhone)
- Skin contact for whites — brief enhances aromatics; extended creates orange wines
Fermentation:
- Stainless steel (preserves fruit) vs. oak (adds flavour, micro-oxidation) vs. concrete (neutral)
- Cool fermentation for aromatic whites; warm for red extraction
- Indigenous yeasts for complexity vs. cultured yeasts for reliability
Post-fermentation:
- MLF — standard for reds, optional for whites. Adds creaminess, softens acidity.
- Lees contact/batonnage — body, texture, bready/nutty flavours
- Oak ageing — new oak (strong flavour), old oak (gentle oxidation). French vs. American oak.
Major Wine Regions
France
- Bordeaux — Left Bank (Cabernet Sauvignon, gravel, tannic, 1855 Classification), Right Bank (Merlot, clay/limestone), Sauternes (botrytised Semillon)
- Burgundy — Regional → Village → Premier Cru → Grand Cru. Cote de Nuits (Pinot Noir), Cote de Beaune (Chardonnay), Chablis
- Rhone — North: single-varietal Syrah (Hermitage, Cote-Rotie), Viognier (Condrieu). South: Grenache blends (Chateauneuf-du-Pape)
- Loire — Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc), Vouvray (Chenin Blanc), Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Muscadet
- Alsace — Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat. 51 Grand Cru vineyards.
Italy and Spain
Italy:
- Piedmont — Barolo (38 months ageing, 18 in wood), Barbaresco (26 months, 9 in wood). Barbera, Dolcetto.
- Tuscany — Chianti Classico (80%+ Sangiovese, three tiers), Brunello di Montalcino (100% Sangiovese, 5 years ageing), Super Tuscans (IGT).
- Veneto — Valpolicella, Amarone (dried grapes, appassimento), Ripasso, Soave (Garganega).
Spain:
- Rioja — Joven, Crianza (1yr oak + 1yr bottle), Reserva (1yr oak + 2yr bottle), Gran Reserva (2yr oak + 3yr bottle). Sub-regions: Alta, Alavesa, Oriental.
- Ribera del Duero — powerful Tempranillo (Tinto Fino). Priorat — Garnacha/Carinena on llicorella slate. Jerez — Sherry. Rias Baixas — Albarino.
Germany and New World
Germany:
- Pradikat system + VDP vineyard hierarchy (Gutswein → Ortswein → Erste Lage → Grosse Lage)
- Mosel (steep slate, racy Riesling), Rheingau (fuller Riesling), Pfalz (warmest, diverse)
New World:
- California — Napa Valley Cabernet (sub-AVAs: Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap). Sonoma (Russian River Pinot Noir, Dry Creek Zinfandel).
- Oregon — Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
- Chile — Maipo (Cabernet), Colchagua (Carmenere), Casablanca/Leyda (cool whites)
- Argentina — Mendoza high-altitude Malbec (800-1,500m), Uco Valley
- Australia — Barossa (Shiraz), Eden/Clare Valley (Riesling), Margaret River (Cabernet, Chardonnay), Hunter Valley (Semillon)
- New Zealand — Marlborough (Sauvignon Blanc), Central Otago/Martinborough (Pinot Noir), Hawke’s Bay (Bordeaux blends)
- South Africa — Stellenbosch (Cabernet), Swartland (Chenin Blanc, Rhone reds), Elgin/Walker Bay (cool-climate Pinot Noir)
Sparkling & Fortified
Sparkling wine production
Traditional method (Champagne, Cava, Cremant, Franciacorta, English sparkling):
- Base wine → 2. Assemblage → 3. Liqueur de tirage → 4. Second fermentation in bottle → 5. Lees ageing (15mo NV, 36mo vintage Champagne) → 6. Riddling → 7. Disgorgement → 8. Dosage → 9. Corking
- Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay), Blanc de Noirs (black grapes), Rose (blending or skin contact)
- Cava: Macabeo/Parellada/Xarel-lo, 9 months lees minimum
- Prosecco: Charmat method, Glera grape, fresh/fruity/floral
Port and Sherry
Port — fermentation arrested by grape spirit at ~half sugar fermented. 19-22% ABV.
- Ruby styles: Ruby, Ruby Reserve, LBV (single vintage, 4-6yr), Vintage Port (exceptional years, decades of bottle age)
- Tawny styles: oxidative ageing in pipes. 10/20/30/40 Year Old (average age). Colheita (single vintage, 7yr+ barrel)
Sherry — Palomino base wine, fortified, then classified:
- Biological (15% ABV): Fino, Manzanilla (under flor yeast)
- Oxidative (17% ABV): Oloroso (no flor, walnut, toffee)
- Both: Amontillado (starts under flor, then oxidative), Palo Cortado
- Solera system: fractional blending for consistency
Exam Strategy
Theory paper (2 hours):
- MCQs: eliminate wrong options, watch for qualifying words (always/never/typically/may)
- Short-answer: State the point → Explain cause-and-effect → Support with specific examples
- Allocate time proportionally to marks per question
Tasting paper (30 minutes, 2 wines):
- Work through the full SAT systematically — do not skip sections
- Quality assessment must explicitly reference balance, length, intensity, complexity
- A well-supported “wrong” variety guess with excellent notes scores better than a correct guess with poor notes
Study habits:
- Build cause-and-effect chains for every region
- Taste 2-3 wines per week using the full Level 3 SAT
- Study maps — placing appellations geographically helps connect climate, soil, and style
- Take the mock test under timed conditions to identify weak areas
Frequently Asked Questions
Level 3 requires deeper analysis. Instead of just knowing grape characteristics, you must explain why wines taste the way they do — linking climate, soil, viticulture, and winemaking to style and quality.
The exam has two parts: a theory paper (50 MCQs and short-answer questions in 2 hours) and a tasting paper (2 wines assessed using the SAT in 30 minutes). Both must be passed separately.
WSET recommends Level 2 or equivalent knowledge, but it is not a mandatory prerequisite. Check with your approved programme provider.
Practice using the WSET Level 3 SAT regularly. Taste a range of wines systematically, focusing on describing what you detect and linking observations to grape variety, origin, and winemaking.
You need 55% to pass both the theory and tasting papers. Merit is awarded at 65% and distinction at 80%.
