WSET LEVEL 2 EXAM 2026 WINE KNOWLEDGE
ASSESSMENT STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ What are estate, chateau, domaine, and weingut? Answer: wines
produced only using grapes that been grown on its own land
◉ What is a merchant or negotiant? Answer: they blend together
wines and/or grapes bought in from winemakers and grape farmers
◉ What is a co-op, co-operative cellar or cantina sociale? Answer: a
wine-making facility whose ownership is shared by a number of
grape farmers
◉ Chardonnay likes cool, moderate and hot climates. Give an
example of each of these regions. Answer: Hot: Australia & California
Moderate: Burgundy & California
Cool: Chablis in Burgundy
◉ Dairy flavors are the side products of a process called? Answer:
malolactic fermentation
,◉ What are lees? Answer: dead yeast cells left behind after
fermentation has finished
◉ What are the areas in Burgundy that make classic Chardonnay?
Answer: a. Maconnais - Pouilly-Fuisse
b. Cote de Beaune - Meursault & Puligny-Montrachet
c. Chablis
◉ What are six other countries that make Chardonnay? Answer: 1.
Australia - Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, & South
Eastern Australia
2. New Zealand - Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, & Marlborough
3. United States - Sonoma & Carneros
4. Chile - Casablanca Valley & Central Valley
5. Argentina - Mendoza
6. South Africa - Coastal regions & Western Cape
◉ What are the two climates that Pinot Noir likes? Answer: cool or
moderate
◉ What are four characteristics of Pinot Noir? Answer: Thin skins,
light in color with low to medium levels of tannin. Red fruit, vegetal
and animal nuances. Most are consumed young and still fruity
, ◉ Generic Pinot Noir can come from Burgundy AC (Bourgogne AC)
but what are four specific areas that make top quality Pinot Noir in
Burgundy? Answer: 1. Gevrey-Chambertin
2. Nuits-Saint-Georges
3. Beaune
4. Pommard
◉ What is Pinot Noir referred to in Germany? Answer:
Spatburgunder
Regions: Pfalz & Baden
◉ What area in the US does Pinot Noir do well? Answer: California:
Carneros, Sonoma, Santa Barbara - full-bodied, intensely fruity, some
display pronounced animal/vegetal characteristics
Oregon: Some very high-quality Pinot Noir's are produced here
◉ Why is Pinot Noir not so successful in Australia? Answer:
Australia is too hot for Pinot Noir.
Except: Yarra Valley & Mornington Peninsula in Victoria - benefit
from cooling effects of ocean breezes or altitudes
◉ Bulk Pinot Noir comes from this small Eastern European country?
Answer: Romania
ASSESSMENT STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ What are estate, chateau, domaine, and weingut? Answer: wines
produced only using grapes that been grown on its own land
◉ What is a merchant or negotiant? Answer: they blend together
wines and/or grapes bought in from winemakers and grape farmers
◉ What is a co-op, co-operative cellar or cantina sociale? Answer: a
wine-making facility whose ownership is shared by a number of
grape farmers
◉ Chardonnay likes cool, moderate and hot climates. Give an
example of each of these regions. Answer: Hot: Australia & California
Moderate: Burgundy & California
Cool: Chablis in Burgundy
◉ Dairy flavors are the side products of a process called? Answer:
malolactic fermentation
,◉ What are lees? Answer: dead yeast cells left behind after
fermentation has finished
◉ What are the areas in Burgundy that make classic Chardonnay?
Answer: a. Maconnais - Pouilly-Fuisse
b. Cote de Beaune - Meursault & Puligny-Montrachet
c. Chablis
◉ What are six other countries that make Chardonnay? Answer: 1.
Australia - Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, & South
Eastern Australia
2. New Zealand - Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, & Marlborough
3. United States - Sonoma & Carneros
4. Chile - Casablanca Valley & Central Valley
5. Argentina - Mendoza
6. South Africa - Coastal regions & Western Cape
◉ What are the two climates that Pinot Noir likes? Answer: cool or
moderate
◉ What are four characteristics of Pinot Noir? Answer: Thin skins,
light in color with low to medium levels of tannin. Red fruit, vegetal
and animal nuances. Most are consumed young and still fruity
, ◉ Generic Pinot Noir can come from Burgundy AC (Bourgogne AC)
but what are four specific areas that make top quality Pinot Noir in
Burgundy? Answer: 1. Gevrey-Chambertin
2. Nuits-Saint-Georges
3. Beaune
4. Pommard
◉ What is Pinot Noir referred to in Germany? Answer:
Spatburgunder
Regions: Pfalz & Baden
◉ What area in the US does Pinot Noir do well? Answer: California:
Carneros, Sonoma, Santa Barbara - full-bodied, intensely fruity, some
display pronounced animal/vegetal characteristics
Oregon: Some very high-quality Pinot Noir's are produced here
◉ Why is Pinot Noir not so successful in Australia? Answer:
Australia is too hot for Pinot Noir.
Except: Yarra Valley & Mornington Peninsula in Victoria - benefit
from cooling effects of ocean breezes or altitudes
◉ Bulk Pinot Noir comes from this small Eastern European country?
Answer: Romania
