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WSET LEVEL 4 - SPARKLING WINE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is the impact of cold vs warm climate on sparking
wine? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ In warmer areas, the
grapes tend to have riper fruit flavours and lower
acidity compared to grapes grown in cooler sites
What is the impact of tank vs. bottle fermentation for
sparkling wine? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ This may be
desirable for short-aged wines (e.g. those made by tank
method or with short time on the lees in transfer or
traditional method), as the fruit will provide the only or
dominant flavours. However, to make elegant,
balanced, long-lees-aged sparkling wines less
intense fruit flavours are usually preferable.
Why is Chardonnay suitable for sparking wine? -
.....ANSWER ...✔✔ This variety is well suited to the
production of autolytic styles of sparkling wines; its
subtle apple and citrus aromas and flavours compliment
rather than compete with the biscuity aromas from yeast
autolysis (the breaking down of dead cells).
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Its early ripening is an asset in cool conditions and it also
retains the high levels of acidity and low levels of
alcohol needed in sparkling wines while avoiding under-
ripe flavours.
What are some of the challenges with growing
Chardonnay? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ As it is early
budding, it is vulnerable to spring frosts. It is also prone
to coulure and millerandage. It has more disease
resistance than Pinot Noir, but is susceptible to powdery
mildew, grapevine yellows and to botrytis bunch rot in
wet periods before harvest
Why is Pinot Noir suitable for sparking wine? -
.....ANSWER ...✔✔ It lends body to the blend.
What are some of the challenges with growing Pinot
Noir? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ This variety is also an
early budding and early ripening variety and is
therefore suited to a cool climate. Being early budding
also makes it prone to spring frosts. It is prone to
coulure. The yields are more moderate than Chardonnay
and the quality drops if the yield level is too high. It is
thin skinned and more disease prone (downy mildew
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especially, powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot, fan leaf
and leaf roll).
What are some of the common grape varieties for
sparkling wines? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Macabeo,
Xarel-lo and Parellada in Cava, or Glera in
Prosecco.
What is the practice for pressing? - .....ANSWER
...✔✔ It is common to split the juice into different
press fractions, and in some regions the maximum
amount of press juice (as opposed to free run juice) that
can be used is controlled.
What treatment is typically done to the juice? -
.....ANSWER ...✔✔ Nutrients provided by a certain
amount of grape solids are required for healthy first
and second fermentations. If there is excessive tannin or
colour at this stage, fining (e.g. with casein, gelatine or
PVPP polyvinylpolypyrrolidone]) may be used
to amend the juice.
What yeast strains are typically used for sparking wine?
- .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Some strains of yeast can
promote certain flavours in the wines, for example thiols
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or esters. This may be positive in tank method sparkling
wines that are based on fruity flavours. However, these
flavours are
generally not wanted in autolytic styles of wine as they
may compete with the flavours from autolysis. Therefore,
these wines will be made using neutral yeast that does
not enhance these flavours.
It is common to use the same yeast for both the first and
second fermentation; The yeast called 'Prise de mousse'
(EC1118) is one of the most common commercially-
available yeasts.
Do you use MLF for sparking wine? - .....ANSWER
...✔✔ Malolactic conversion may be used to reduce
acidity in an excessively acidic wine. It can also be used
to enhance texture. The lactic acid that is produced in
malolactic conversion is perceived to be creamier in
texture than other acids, such as tartaric. (The
buttery flavours found on white wines that have
undergone malolactic conversion are not typically found
on sparkling wines. This is because diacetyl, which gives
the buttery flavour, is metabolised by the yeast during
the second fermentation.) If malolactic
conversion does not take place at this stage, there is the
risk that it could take place during the second
fermentation.
WSET LEVEL 4 - SPARKLING WINE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is the impact of cold vs warm climate on sparking
wine? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ In warmer areas, the
grapes tend to have riper fruit flavours and lower
acidity compared to grapes grown in cooler sites
What is the impact of tank vs. bottle fermentation for
sparkling wine? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ This may be
desirable for short-aged wines (e.g. those made by tank
method or with short time on the lees in transfer or
traditional method), as the fruit will provide the only or
dominant flavours. However, to make elegant,
balanced, long-lees-aged sparkling wines less
intense fruit flavours are usually preferable.
Why is Chardonnay suitable for sparking wine? -
.....ANSWER ...✔✔ This variety is well suited to the
production of autolytic styles of sparkling wines; its
subtle apple and citrus aromas and flavours compliment
rather than compete with the biscuity aromas from yeast
autolysis (the breaking down of dead cells).
,2|Page
Its early ripening is an asset in cool conditions and it also
retains the high levels of acidity and low levels of
alcohol needed in sparkling wines while avoiding under-
ripe flavours.
What are some of the challenges with growing
Chardonnay? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ As it is early
budding, it is vulnerable to spring frosts. It is also prone
to coulure and millerandage. It has more disease
resistance than Pinot Noir, but is susceptible to powdery
mildew, grapevine yellows and to botrytis bunch rot in
wet periods before harvest
Why is Pinot Noir suitable for sparking wine? -
.....ANSWER ...✔✔ It lends body to the blend.
What are some of the challenges with growing Pinot
Noir? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ This variety is also an
early budding and early ripening variety and is
therefore suited to a cool climate. Being early budding
also makes it prone to spring frosts. It is prone to
coulure. The yields are more moderate than Chardonnay
and the quality drops if the yield level is too high. It is
thin skinned and more disease prone (downy mildew
,3|Page
especially, powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot, fan leaf
and leaf roll).
What are some of the common grape varieties for
sparkling wines? - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Macabeo,
Xarel-lo and Parellada in Cava, or Glera in
Prosecco.
What is the practice for pressing? - .....ANSWER
...✔✔ It is common to split the juice into different
press fractions, and in some regions the maximum
amount of press juice (as opposed to free run juice) that
can be used is controlled.
What treatment is typically done to the juice? -
.....ANSWER ...✔✔ Nutrients provided by a certain
amount of grape solids are required for healthy first
and second fermentations. If there is excessive tannin or
colour at this stage, fining (e.g. with casein, gelatine or
PVPP polyvinylpolypyrrolidone]) may be used
to amend the juice.
What yeast strains are typically used for sparking wine?
- .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Some strains of yeast can
promote certain flavours in the wines, for example thiols
, 4|Page
or esters. This may be positive in tank method sparkling
wines that are based on fruity flavours. However, these
flavours are
generally not wanted in autolytic styles of wine as they
may compete with the flavours from autolysis. Therefore,
these wines will be made using neutral yeast that does
not enhance these flavours.
It is common to use the same yeast for both the first and
second fermentation; The yeast called 'Prise de mousse'
(EC1118) is one of the most common commercially-
available yeasts.
Do you use MLF for sparking wine? - .....ANSWER
...✔✔ Malolactic conversion may be used to reduce
acidity in an excessively acidic wine. It can also be used
to enhance texture. The lactic acid that is produced in
malolactic conversion is perceived to be creamier in
texture than other acids, such as tartaric. (The
buttery flavours found on white wines that have
undergone malolactic conversion are not typically found
on sparkling wines. This is because diacetyl, which gives
the buttery flavour, is metabolised by the yeast during
the second fermentation.) If malolactic
conversion does not take place at this stage, there is the
risk that it could take place during the second
fermentation.
