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Quizzes > Lifestyle & Hobbies

WSET Level 2 Practice Test: Check Your Wine and Spirits Knowledge

Quick quiz with WSET level 2 exam questions. Instant results and feedback.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Cian-You ChangUpdated Aug 25, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for a WSET Level 2 wine knowledge quiz on a golden yellow background.

This WSET Level 2 practice test helps you check key topics-grapes, styles, production, labels, and service-so you can spot gaps before exam day. You'll answer realistic questions with instant feedback to guide your study. New to wine study? Try our level 1 wine practice test, or build industry knowledge with a bartender quiz.

Which climate is best described as having short, cool summers and harsh winters, often leading to high acidity in grapes?
Continental (correct: short growing season; retains acidity)
Maritime
Mediterranean
Tropical highland
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During white winemaking, which step is typically performed before fermentation to promote clarity and freshness?
Fortification to 17% abv before fermentation
Barrel aging before fermentation
Extended maceration on skins for 30 days
Immediate pressing of grapes off skins (correct: limits phenolic extraction)
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In the EU, which term indicates the highest level of geographic precision and regulation for wine origin?
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) (correct: strictest)
Regional Reserve
Table Wine
PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)
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Cork taint (TCA) typically gives a wine which characteristic?
Prickly CO2 spritz
A musty, damp cardboard aroma (correct: TCA fault)
Burnt match aroma from SO2
Volatile, nail-polish aroma
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Which grape variety is most associated with aromas of blackcurrant (cassis), green bell pepper in cool sites, and firm tannins?
Merlot
Grenache
Pinot Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon (correct: classic profile)
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Zinfandel/Primitivo in warm climates is most likely to show which combination of traits?
Low alcohol, high acid, green pepper
Light body, strawberry, mushroom
High alcohol, jammy black fruit, possible raisin notes (correct)
Pronounced petrol, high acid, low alcohol
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A wine labeled as Chianti Classico DOCG must come from which country?
Portugal
Italy (correct: Tuscan appellation)
France
Spain
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Malolactic conversion in wine primarily reduces sharp malic acid and produces which compound that can give a buttery character?
Citric acid and glycerol
Acetic acid and ethyl acetate
Tartaric acid and acetaldehyde
Lactic acid and diacetyl (correct: softens acidity, buttery notes)
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Oak flavor of vanilla in wine is most closely associated with which oak species?
Cork oak
Hungarian oak
American oak (Quercus alba) (correct: lactones and vanillin)
Chestnut oak
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For Champagne production, the secondary fermentation occurs primarily in which vessel?
Autoclave with agitators only for tank method
Large concrete tank
Oak barrel
Bottle (correct: traditional method)
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Which region is best known for high-quality Riesling with pronounced acidity and slate-influenced minerality?
Rioja Alta, Spain
Mosel, Germany (correct: classic profile)
Barossa Valley, Australia
Marlborough, New Zealand
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What is the primary role of sulfur dioxide (SO2) at the crusher in winemaking?
Raise alcohol potential
Promote malolactic conversion
Increase tannin extraction
Antioxidant and antimicrobial protection (correct: protects must)
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In the context of rosé production, which method involves draining juice from a red ferment after brief skin contact?
Saignee (correct: bleed-off method)
Fortification method
Direct pressing of white grapes
Solera blending
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The lees in winemaking are primarily composed of which material?
Tartaric crystals only
Bacterial colonies only
Grape skins only
Dead yeast cells and grape solids (correct: source of autolytic notes)
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Port wines are typically sweet because fermentation is stopped by fortification at roughly what alcohol level in the fermenting must?
Around 16% abv before fortification
After complete dryness at 0 g/L sugar
Around 12-13% abv before fortification
Around 6-9% abv before fortification (correct: spirit added to halt fermentation)
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What is the typical climate influence of the Benguela Current on South African coastal vineyards?
Monsoon rainfall leading to rot pressure only
Cooling effect that preserves acidity (correct)
Intense warming that raises sugar levels
Increased continentality with cold winters
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Which factor most directly reduces yields and increases concentration in a vineyard?
Green harvesting (correct: dropping fruit)
Irrigating at veraison
Using high-vigor rootstocks
Increasing canopy shading
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Which factor most commonly causes tartrate crystals to form in bottled wine?
High pH fermentation
Excess oxygen pickup
Cold storage leading to potassium bitartrate precipitation (correct)
Brettanomyces contamination
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Which vineyard hazard most directly promotes noble rot for sweet wine production?
Severe frost at budburst
Persistent heavy rain during harvest
Humid misty mornings followed by warm, dry afternoons (correct)
Prolonged drought
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Asti DOCG is produced by which method?
Single fermentation in tank, interrupted to retain sweetness and bubbles
Carbonation only with injected CO2
Fortification before secondary fermentation
Traditional method with lengthy lees aging
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Exam Format -

    Recognize the structure and question types in the WSET Level 2 practice test to build confidence and manage your time effectively during the real exam.

  2. Analyze Wine Production Processes -

    Break down key stages of viticulture and vinification covered in the practice exam, from grape growing through fermentation to maturation.

  3. Apply Tasting Techniques -

    Use systematic tasting vocabulary and the WSET Level 2 approach to assess wine appearance, aroma, and flavor with clarity and consistency.

  4. Interpret Labeling Regulations -

    Differentiate global wine labeling terms and appellation rules featured in WSET Level 2 practice questions to ensure accurate identification of styles and origins.

  5. Identify Knowledge Gaps -

    Pinpoint your strengths and areas for improvement based on your performance in the WSET Level 2 practice exam, enabling targeted study before test day.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Fermentation Chemistry & ABV Calculation -

    Understand the equation C6H12O6 → 2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2 to see how yeast converts grape sugars into alcohol and CO2 (UC Davis). Calculate ABV by subtracting final gravity from original gravity and multiplying by 131.25, a formula often tested on the wset level 2 practice test.

  2. Oak Maturation & Aromatic Development (PST) -

    Memorize the PST (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary) aromatics from the WSET syllabus: Primary = grape fruit, Secondary = fermentation notes like buttery diacetyl, Tertiary = aging characters such as vanilla or spice. Note how French oak lends subtle spice and American oak adds coconut, per official WSET Level 2 materials.

  3. Systematic Tasting Technique (ANPC) -

    Apply the WSET systematic tasting approach: Appearance, Nose, Palate, Conclusion to ensure consistency in exam-style questions. Think "ANP-C" or "Look, Smell, Taste, Conclude" to cover clarity, intensity, flavors, body and finish on every sip (WSET Level 2 practice exam).

  4. Label Terminology & Regional Regulations -

    Distinguish EU PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) vs PGI, and know US varietal labeling rules requiring 75% grape content on the label. Remember EU vintage wines need 85% from that year while US rules demand 95%, a detail often featured in wset test questions.

  5. Common Wine Faults & Sensory Thresholds -

    Recognize major faults: 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (cork taint) detected around 4 parts per trillion and volatile acidity above 1.2 g/L (University of Adelaide). Use descriptors - cork taint smells like damp cardboard, oxidation like bruised apples - to spot faults quickly during practice.

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