SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE ADVANCED CERTIFICATE

The following questions have been taken directly from the offical WSET London website and will serve as an indicator of how prepared you are for the exam. Answers are available at the bottom of the page.

1. Which one of the following descriptions best defines the style of Alsace Riesling?
a) Dry with high acidity and a petrol-like nose.
b) Medium-sweet with high acidity and a petrol-like nose.
c) Dry with low acidity and a honeyed nose.
d) Medium-sweet with low acidity and a honeyed nose.

2. What is “remontage”?
a) Rousing of lees in cask during fermentation.
b) Pumping of must over skins during fermentation.
c) Heating of must to encourage fermentation.
d) Working sediment onto the cork in bottlefermented sparkling wine.

3. What is the principal grape variety in the Rosé d’Anjou blend?
a) Gamay
b) Grolleau
c) Malbec
d) Cabernet Franc

4. Which one of the following is an example of a low-trained, cane-pruned system of vine cultivation?
a) Guyot simple
b) Gobelet
c) Lenz Moser
d) Cruzeta

5. Which one of the following Champagne styles is the driest?
a) Dry
b) Brut
c) Extra Dry
d) Extra Brut

6. What does the word “Erzeugerabfüllung” indicate on a German wine label?
a) The wine has been awarded a medal at a regional tasting competition.
b) The wine has been bottled by the producer.
c) The wine was produced organically.
d) The wine is suitable for diabetics.

7. In which region of Italy is the DOCG zone of Gavi?
a) Piedmont
b) Lombardia
c) Veneto
d) Tuscany

8. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
a) Condrieu and Marsanne
b) Saint-Péray and Grenache
c) Saint-Joseph and Syrah
d) Côte-Rôtie and Cinsault

9. How is tannin detected when tasting a mature red wine?
a) Stimulation of saliva at the sides of the tongue.
b) Burning sensation at the back of the mouth.
c) Mouth-drying sensation.
d) Woody smell.

10. What does the word “Quinta” mean on a bottle of Port?
a) Vintage
b) Winery
c) Grape variety
d) Style

11. Which one of the following is the base spirit used for Grand Marnier?
a) Brandy
b) Vodka
c) Rum
d) Gin

12. Which one of the following descriptions is NOT permitted on a wine label, if the wine is to be sold within the EU?
a) Catalunya Cabernet Sauvignon
b) Coonawarra Shiraz
c) Napa Valley Zinfandel
d) New Zealand Chablis

13. Which one of the following wine styles is entitled to be classified as AC Entre-Deux-Mers?
a) White wine only.
b) Red wine only.
c) White & red wine only.
d) White, red and rosé wine.

14. Which one of the following statements is true?
a) Bourbon can be made anywhere in the USA.
b) Bourbon is made from malted barley only.
c) Canadian whisky is made from rye only.
d) Canadian whisky is usually pot-distilled.

15. What are “criaderas”?
a) Stages in the solera system.
b) Warehouses for maturing Sherry.
c) Containers for shipping Sherry.
d) Mats on which grapes are dried.

16. Which one of the following villages is in the Grande Champagne district?
a) Bouzy
b) Cramant
c) Segonzac
d) Ay

17. In which state of Australia is Margaret River?
a) New South Wales
b) Victoria
c) South Australia
d) Western Australia

18. What is the name given to the process whereby the sediment is expelled from a bottle of Champagne?
a) Débourbage
b) Remuage
c) Buttage
d) Dégorgement

19. What is the principal subsoil of North-Eastern Spain?
a) Basalt.
b) Granite
c) Limestone
d) Sandstone

20. Where is the Aconcagua region?
a) Spain
b) Chile
c) Argentina
d) Uruguay

Answers
1. a
2. b
3. b
4. a
5. d
6. b
7. a
8. c
9. c
10. b
11. a
12. d
13. a
14. a
15. a
16. c
17. d
18. d
19. c
20. b