WSET LEVEL 3 STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Bordeaux - Petit Verdot - ✔✔Ripens only in very hot years
Deep colored, tannic, ages slowly
adds tannin, color and spicy notes to blend
✔✔Bordeaux - Semillion - ✔✔thin skin and noble rot
blended with suavignon blanc in Graves and Pessac-Leognan where it adds body
✔✔Bordeaux - Sauvignon Blanc - ✔✔Citrus and green fruit aromas
produces high acidity in blend
✔✔Bordeaux - Muscadelle - ✔✔Grapey, floral flavor.
supporting role in white wine production
✔✔Dordogne Regions - ✔✔East of Entre de Meurs
- Bergerac - Red and white bordeaux varieties
- Monbazillac - boytritsyed sweet wines from semillion and sauvignon blanc
✔✔Cahors - ✔✔Malbec. Also merlot and tannat.
aged in oak
deep color, high tannin
intense dark berry fruit.
mature slowly for cedar and earth
✔✔SW France - IGP Wines - ✔✔Cotes de Gascogne - dry, light body whites from Ugni
Blanc
Madiran - Red blends from tannat - concentrated fruit, long aging.
Jurancon - dry and sweet white wines from high acid Petit Manseng
✔✔Burgundy Climate - ✔✔Cool to moderate continental
Rain can disrupt flowering and harvest
Pinot noir is susceptible to grey rot
spring frosts are a risk in Chablis
and localized hailstorms
vineyard location very important
premier and grand crus found mid slope and south/eastern exposure
hillside soils are shallower with better drainage
flatland soils are deeper and more fertile
✔✔Burgundy Pinot Noir - ✔✔1/3rd of Burgundy production
grown throughout region, best in Cote D'Or
Red fruit in youth evolves to game, mushrooms and earth.
wide range of techniques.
,use of whole bunches more popular
generally ages 16-18 months.
oak usage is varied.
✔✔Burgundy Chardonnay - ✔✔Half of Burgundy production
varies dramatically
lean, steely and high in north (Chablis)
complexity in the Cote D'Or
fuller body, riper fruit of the south (Macon)
Barrel fermentation, Barrel aging 6-9 months, MLF for white wines, lees stirring
Debate over how much new oak to use
best are complex and can mature for 10+ years
✔✔Burgundy Gamay - ✔✔early bud, ripen
need to manage yields
fragrant, fruity, ripe berry
low to medium tannin
early drinking red
✔✔Burgundy other Varietals - ✔✔Aligote - neutral white, high acidity, can be high
quality
Gamay - early drinking red, ripe berry fruit, low tannin
only Pinot Noir allowed for village level and above
✔✔Burgundy Major Regions - ✔✔Chablis
Cote D'Or
- Cote de Nuits
- Cote de Beaune
Cote Chalonnaise
Mâconnais
✔✔Chablis - ✔✔Chardonnay
Premier and Grand Cru on south facing hillsides with better aspect. More concentrated
fruit (more citrus than green apple). Some aged in old oak
Basic on north facing slopes. Austere, high acidity, green fruit
✔✔Cote D'Or Village Names - ✔✔Cotes de Nuits (best for Pinot Noir)
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- Vougeot
- Vosnee-Romanee
- Nuits St. Georges
Cotes de Beaune (best for Chardonnay)
- Aloxe-Corton*
- Beaune
- Pommard
- Volnay
, - Mersault*
- Pugliny-Montrachet*
- Chassagne-Montrachet*
All except Pommard and Volnay produce white and red
✔✔Cotes Chalonnaise Village Names - ✔✔Rully* - more white, sparkling wine
Mercurey - highest reputation red
Givry - smallest appellation, red
Montagny* - only whites
Bourgogne Cote Chalonnaise - regional appellation for Pinot and Chard.
Lighter and early maturing because of aspect to the east. less prestigious.
✔✔Southern France - Geographic Appelations - ✔✔Pays D'Oc IGP (wider than
Languedoc)
Languedoc AC -
- Cotes du Roussilon
- Cotes du Roussilon villiages
- Fitou
- Corbieres
- Minervois
Picpoul de Pinet - refreshing acidity, green and citrus fruit
Provence
- Cotes de Provence
- Bandol (Mourvedre)
✔✔Maconnais - ✔✔Chardonnay and Gamay. A little pinot.
Macon Villiages
Pouilly-Fuisse*
Saint Veran*
* ripe notes of tropical and stone fruit
White - balance citrus and apple, medium acid, medium to full body. hint of creaminess
from MLF
Red - light, fruity, early drinking
Macon Villages - good value for money.
✔✔Burgundy dry white wine options - grand cru or premier cru - ✔✔Grape Sorting - yes
Crush Fruit - yes (have to)
Skin Contact - No
Press/Free Run juice separation - yes
Clarification - yes (have to)
Alcoholic Fermentation - yes (have to)
Rack of Gross lees - yes (have to)
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Bordeaux - Petit Verdot - ✔✔Ripens only in very hot years
Deep colored, tannic, ages slowly
adds tannin, color and spicy notes to blend
✔✔Bordeaux - Semillion - ✔✔thin skin and noble rot
blended with suavignon blanc in Graves and Pessac-Leognan where it adds body
✔✔Bordeaux - Sauvignon Blanc - ✔✔Citrus and green fruit aromas
produces high acidity in blend
✔✔Bordeaux - Muscadelle - ✔✔Grapey, floral flavor.
supporting role in white wine production
✔✔Dordogne Regions - ✔✔East of Entre de Meurs
- Bergerac - Red and white bordeaux varieties
- Monbazillac - boytritsyed sweet wines from semillion and sauvignon blanc
✔✔Cahors - ✔✔Malbec. Also merlot and tannat.
aged in oak
deep color, high tannin
intense dark berry fruit.
mature slowly for cedar and earth
✔✔SW France - IGP Wines - ✔✔Cotes de Gascogne - dry, light body whites from Ugni
Blanc
Madiran - Red blends from tannat - concentrated fruit, long aging.
Jurancon - dry and sweet white wines from high acid Petit Manseng
✔✔Burgundy Climate - ✔✔Cool to moderate continental
Rain can disrupt flowering and harvest
Pinot noir is susceptible to grey rot
spring frosts are a risk in Chablis
and localized hailstorms
vineyard location very important
premier and grand crus found mid slope and south/eastern exposure
hillside soils are shallower with better drainage
flatland soils are deeper and more fertile
✔✔Burgundy Pinot Noir - ✔✔1/3rd of Burgundy production
grown throughout region, best in Cote D'Or
Red fruit in youth evolves to game, mushrooms and earth.
wide range of techniques.
,use of whole bunches more popular
generally ages 16-18 months.
oak usage is varied.
✔✔Burgundy Chardonnay - ✔✔Half of Burgundy production
varies dramatically
lean, steely and high in north (Chablis)
complexity in the Cote D'Or
fuller body, riper fruit of the south (Macon)
Barrel fermentation, Barrel aging 6-9 months, MLF for white wines, lees stirring
Debate over how much new oak to use
best are complex and can mature for 10+ years
✔✔Burgundy Gamay - ✔✔early bud, ripen
need to manage yields
fragrant, fruity, ripe berry
low to medium tannin
early drinking red
✔✔Burgundy other Varietals - ✔✔Aligote - neutral white, high acidity, can be high
quality
Gamay - early drinking red, ripe berry fruit, low tannin
only Pinot Noir allowed for village level and above
✔✔Burgundy Major Regions - ✔✔Chablis
Cote D'Or
- Cote de Nuits
- Cote de Beaune
Cote Chalonnaise
Mâconnais
✔✔Chablis - ✔✔Chardonnay
Premier and Grand Cru on south facing hillsides with better aspect. More concentrated
fruit (more citrus than green apple). Some aged in old oak
Basic on north facing slopes. Austere, high acidity, green fruit
✔✔Cote D'Or Village Names - ✔✔Cotes de Nuits (best for Pinot Noir)
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- Vougeot
- Vosnee-Romanee
- Nuits St. Georges
Cotes de Beaune (best for Chardonnay)
- Aloxe-Corton*
- Beaune
- Pommard
- Volnay
, - Mersault*
- Pugliny-Montrachet*
- Chassagne-Montrachet*
All except Pommard and Volnay produce white and red
✔✔Cotes Chalonnaise Village Names - ✔✔Rully* - more white, sparkling wine
Mercurey - highest reputation red
Givry - smallest appellation, red
Montagny* - only whites
Bourgogne Cote Chalonnaise - regional appellation for Pinot and Chard.
Lighter and early maturing because of aspect to the east. less prestigious.
✔✔Southern France - Geographic Appelations - ✔✔Pays D'Oc IGP (wider than
Languedoc)
Languedoc AC -
- Cotes du Roussilon
- Cotes du Roussilon villiages
- Fitou
- Corbieres
- Minervois
Picpoul de Pinet - refreshing acidity, green and citrus fruit
Provence
- Cotes de Provence
- Bandol (Mourvedre)
✔✔Maconnais - ✔✔Chardonnay and Gamay. A little pinot.
Macon Villiages
Pouilly-Fuisse*
Saint Veran*
* ripe notes of tropical and stone fruit
White - balance citrus and apple, medium acid, medium to full body. hint of creaminess
from MLF
Red - light, fruity, early drinking
Macon Villages - good value for money.
✔✔Burgundy dry white wine options - grand cru or premier cru - ✔✔Grape Sorting - yes
Crush Fruit - yes (have to)
Skin Contact - No
Press/Free Run juice separation - yes
Clarification - yes (have to)
Alcoholic Fermentation - yes (have to)
Rack of Gross lees - yes (have to)
