WSET Level 3 Study Guide: Award in Wines

Qualification

Award in Wines

Study Time

~84 hours

Exam Format

MCQs + Short Answer + Tasting

Pass Mark

55%

View Cheatsheet → Take the Mock Test → Study Flashcards →

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
Use Sommo’s adaptive daily practice to target your weakest topics with AI-selected questions
Check your AI study plan weekly for an updated readiness score and personalised focus areas
Take the mock test under timed conditions to identify weak areas

View Cheatsheet → Take the Mock Test → Study Flashcards →

Frequently Asked Questions

How does WSET Level 3 differ from Level 2?

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.

What is the WSET Level 3 exam like?

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.

Do I need Level 2 to take Level 3?

WSET recommends Level 2 or equivalent knowledge, but it is not a mandatory prerequisite. Check with your approved programme provider.

How should I prepare for the tasting exam?

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.

What pass marks are required?

You need 55% to pass both the theory and tasting papers. Merit is awarded at 65% and distinction at 80%.

Quick Facts