WSET Level 2 Test Questions with
Verified Answers (All are Correct)
What temperature are white wines fermented at? - Answer- 12-22 degrees Celsius to
preserve fruit aromas
How long are white wines fermented for? - Answer- 2 to 4 weeks
Sweetness in wine is caused by what? - Answer- Unfermented sugar
True or false: black grapes are crushed to release juice, the the juice and skins are put
into the fermenting vat together? - Answer- True
Fermentation for red wine takes place at what temperature? - Answer- 20-32 degrees
Celsius
In red wine, in order to keep the juice in contact with the skins, the juice may be... -
Answer- Pumped over the floating skins or the skins may be punched down into the
juice
The amount of color and tannin in a red wine depends on what? - Answer- How long the
wine was kept in contact with the skins
Red wine skins may be kept in coming contact with the juice for what time? - Answer-
As little as five days or longer than two weeks
Hot climates encourage what color and tannin in black grapes? - Answer- Higher color
and higher tannin
In red wine, when enough color and tannin have been extracted, and the free wine is
run off, the skins are then pressed, resulting in what? - Answer- Press Wine, which has
higher levels of tannin, and may be blended with free run wine
Rose wines must be made from what kind of grapes? - Answer- Black grapes
What temperature are rose wines fermented at? - Answer- 12 to 22 degrees Celsius
How long are rose wines fermented for? - Answer- 12 to 36 hours
Wines can receive oak contact from what? - Answer- Oak staves or chips added to a
vat, oak essence (cheapest), or aged in oak barrels (finest wines)
, Which is more expensive, French/European oak or American oak? - Answer-
French/European
American oak imparts what on the wine? - Answer- Sweet coconut and vanilla, but
harsher tannins
French/European oak imparts what on wine? - Answer- Subtle toast, nutty flavors with
smoother tannins
New oak adds what flavors to the wine? - Answer- Oaky flavors
True or false: old oak adds flavors to wine - Answer- False. Old oak does not impart
flavors to the wine
Oak vats allow what to happen with Wine? - Answer- The vessel is pourus and allows
oxygen to dissolve in the wine, softening tannins, making the wine smoother, and can
cause flavors like toffee, fig, nut and coffee
Bottles, cement, and stainless steal are airtight, so the do not do what? - Answer-
Impart any flavors on the wine
In bottles, because of the absence of oxygen, what can happen to fresh fruit aromas of
Wine? - Answer- Can change into cooked fruit, vegetal notes, animal notes (wet leaves,
mushroom, leather
What four factors affect the cost of wine in the vineyard? - Answer- Cost of vineyard
land, degree to which it is mechanized, cost of labor/equipment, yield size and degree
of selection of grape material (discarding bad grapes)
Factors affecting cost at the winery: - Answer- Winery equipment, cost of barrels or
other oak flavoring, ageing
Factors affecting cost of packaging, distribution, and sale: - Answer- Exchange rates,
packaging, transport costs, efficiency of distributor and retailer
What is the ultimate factor that determines the selling price of a bottle of wine? -
Answer- How much is a consumer willing to pay
Sweetness and umami in food - Answer- Two components in food that tend to make
Wine harder (more astringent and bitter, more acidic, less sweet and fruity)
Salt and acid in food - Answer- Two components whose presence in food tends to make
wines taste softer (less astringent and bitter, less acidic, sweeter, and more fruity)
