WSET DIPLOMA D1 EXAM 2026
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE WITH
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS
◉Four main sections of a grape vine. Answer: the main shoots, one-
year-old wood, permanent wood and the roots
◉What comprises the canopy of a vine?. Answer: The main shoots
and all of their major structures - stem, buds, leaves, lateral shoots,
tendrils and inflorescences/grape bunches
◉What do the main shoots grow from, and when?. Answer: The
main shoots on the vine grow in spring from buds retained from the
previous year
◉Where are carbohydrates stored in a vine?. Answer: Stems, trunks,
roots
◉Define lignify. Answer: Green shoots become woody and rigid, they
are then called canes
,◉Where do buds form?. Answer: between the leaf stalk (petiole) and
the stem
◉Define the two types of buds. Answer: - Compound buds (form in
one growing season and break open the following growing season,
producing main shoots; typically a primary, secondary, and maybe
tertiary)- Prompt buds (form and break open same season, form
lateral shoots)
- Prompt buds (form and break open same season, form lateral
shoots)
◉What is the main function of lateral shoots? When are they
desirable/undesirable?. Answer: - to allow the plant to carry on
growing if the tip of the main shoot has been damaged or eaten
- can provide an additional source of leaves for photosynthesis
(useful if the laterals are near the ends of the main shoots)
◉What is second crop?. Answer: Lateral shoots often produce
inflorescences, which can be known as a 'second crop'
- Growth of laterals nearer the base of the main shoot can be
undesirable as they impede air flow and can shade the fruit too
much
◉What is green harvesting?. Answer: Removal of second crop during
summer
,◉Define one-year-old wood. Answer: the main shoots from the last
growing season that were kept at pruning, supports compound
buds; cane or spur
◉Define permanent wood. Answer: woody parts of the vine that are
older than one year, including the trunk
◉where are most roots found?. Answer: top 50cm of soil
◉what distinguishes PN clone 115?. Answer: low yield, small grapes,
good for high quality of red wines
◉what distinguishes PN clone 521?. Answer: high yield, bigger
grapes, good for sparkling wine production
◉When is leaf fall and dormancy?. Answer: Nov-March
◉When is budburst?. Answer: March-April
◉When is shoot and leaf growth?. Answer: March-July
◉When is flowering and fruit set?. Answer: May-June
, ◉When is grape development?. Answer: June-Oct
◉When is harvest?. Answer: Sept-Oct
◉How does the vine support itself during dormancy?. Answer:
starch in the roots, trunk, and branches
◉Below what temp can vines be severly damaged? die?. Answer: -
15C, -25C
◉What factors determine the timing of budburst?. Answer: - air
temp (>10C)
- soil temp (higher encourages earlier budburst)
- variety
- human factors (e.g. winter pruning late -> later budburst)
◉Why is high continentality good for budburst?. Answer: marked
differences in temp can result in uniform budburst
◉what determines the vigor of a vine?. Answer: rate of shoot growth
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE WITH
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS
◉Four main sections of a grape vine. Answer: the main shoots, one-
year-old wood, permanent wood and the roots
◉What comprises the canopy of a vine?. Answer: The main shoots
and all of their major structures - stem, buds, leaves, lateral shoots,
tendrils and inflorescences/grape bunches
◉What do the main shoots grow from, and when?. Answer: The
main shoots on the vine grow in spring from buds retained from the
previous year
◉Where are carbohydrates stored in a vine?. Answer: Stems, trunks,
roots
◉Define lignify. Answer: Green shoots become woody and rigid, they
are then called canes
,◉Where do buds form?. Answer: between the leaf stalk (petiole) and
the stem
◉Define the two types of buds. Answer: - Compound buds (form in
one growing season and break open the following growing season,
producing main shoots; typically a primary, secondary, and maybe
tertiary)- Prompt buds (form and break open same season, form
lateral shoots)
- Prompt buds (form and break open same season, form lateral
shoots)
◉What is the main function of lateral shoots? When are they
desirable/undesirable?. Answer: - to allow the plant to carry on
growing if the tip of the main shoot has been damaged or eaten
- can provide an additional source of leaves for photosynthesis
(useful if the laterals are near the ends of the main shoots)
◉What is second crop?. Answer: Lateral shoots often produce
inflorescences, which can be known as a 'second crop'
- Growth of laterals nearer the base of the main shoot can be
undesirable as they impede air flow and can shade the fruit too
much
◉What is green harvesting?. Answer: Removal of second crop during
summer
,◉Define one-year-old wood. Answer: the main shoots from the last
growing season that were kept at pruning, supports compound
buds; cane or spur
◉Define permanent wood. Answer: woody parts of the vine that are
older than one year, including the trunk
◉where are most roots found?. Answer: top 50cm of soil
◉what distinguishes PN clone 115?. Answer: low yield, small grapes,
good for high quality of red wines
◉what distinguishes PN clone 521?. Answer: high yield, bigger
grapes, good for sparkling wine production
◉When is leaf fall and dormancy?. Answer: Nov-March
◉When is budburst?. Answer: March-April
◉When is shoot and leaf growth?. Answer: March-July
◉When is flowering and fruit set?. Answer: May-June
, ◉When is grape development?. Answer: June-Oct
◉When is harvest?. Answer: Sept-Oct
◉How does the vine support itself during dormancy?. Answer:
starch in the roots, trunk, and branches
◉Below what temp can vines be severly damaged? die?. Answer: -
15C, -25C
◉What factors determine the timing of budburst?. Answer: - air
temp (>10C)
- soil temp (higher encourages earlier budburst)
- variety
- human factors (e.g. winter pruning late -> later budburst)
◉Why is high continentality good for budburst?. Answer: marked
differences in temp can result in uniform budburst
◉what determines the vigor of a vine?. Answer: rate of shoot growth
