WSET Level 2 Wines ยท Study plan
How to study for WSET Level 2 Wines: a 4-week plan
WSET suggests at least 11 hours of private study on top of your course. This plan spreads that time over four weeks so it sticks.
WSET recommends a minimum of 11 hours of private study alongside the guided learning for Level 2 Wines. If your course runs over a few weeks, that is under three hours a week. If you are doing an intensive course, use the same plan in the weeks around it.
Week 1: grapes and the tasting framework
- Learn the tasting approach: appearance, nose, palate, conclusions. Know the scale words (light to full body, low to high acidity and tannin).
- Make a one-page sheet for each principal grape: typical flavours, acidity, tannin, body, and two or three places it is famous for.
- Finish with 20 practice questions on grapes and styles.
Week 2: regions
- Study one country at a time. For each region, note the main grapes, the style of wine and the name of the appellation.
- Use maps. Looking at where regions sit relative to each other helps you recall them. Our wine glossary includes maps of France, Italy and the US West Coast.
- Take a practice quiz on regions only and list every miss.
Week 3: production, sparkling, fortified, labels, service and pairing
- Learn how still wine is made, then how sparkling wine is made, and why each method gives a different style.
- Learn the main fortified styles and how sweetness is controlled.
- Review labelling terms, serving temperatures, storage and the basic pairing principles.
Week 4: practice under exam conditions
- Sit at least two full practice exams of 50 questions in 60 minutes. Real timing shows whether you are rushing or running out of time.
- Review every wrong answer and write the correct fact in your own words.
- Spend the last two days on your weakest topics, not on the ones you already know.
A few habits that help
- Study in short sessions. Thirty to forty-five minutes repeated is better than one long evening.
- Say the answer aloud before you reveal it. Recall beats re-reading.
- Taste when you can. A wine you have smelled is easier to remember than one you have only read about.
- On the exam, answer every question. Unanswered questions cannot score.
Note: this plan is a general suggestion, not WSET guidance. Follow your course provider's instructions and WSET's published specification for what is examined.
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