Wine & Spirit
Education Trust

Welcome WSET Candidates!

Build your wine knowledge with WSET’s four-level wine pathway, from the introductory Level 1 Award to the Level 4 Diploma. Courses combine structured study with tasting and are available through approved providers for enthusiasts and drinks professionals. Use this guide to choose your starting point, understand the assessments and find the official resources for your level.

Choose the level that fits your experience, then enrol through an approved WSET provider.
Level 1 Award: a beginner introduction; no prior qualification needed.
Level 2 Award: beginner-to-intermediate study; Level 1 is optional.
Level 3 Award: advanced study; Level 2 or equivalent knowledge is recommended.
Level 4 Diploma: six units, at least 500 study hours, and a Level 3 Wines qualification required.
Use your current specification and provider materials as your study checklist. Confirm which version your provider teaches, particularly for Level 2’s 2026 update.
Level 1 uses 30 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes with a 70% pass mark; Level 2 uses 50 in one hour with a 55% pass mark. Level 3 combines a two-hour theory exam with a 30-minute, two-wine blind tasting, requiring at least 55% separately in multiple choice, short answers and tasting. The Diploma has six assessed units, including written examinations, tasting and a research assignment. Use your level’s specification for the full assessment and grading rules, and confirm exam arrangements with your provider.
Level 1 exam specification
Level 2 exam specification
Level 3 exam specification
Diploma exam specification
Connect your study to the wider wine world through WSET’s educational articles, events and your course provider. Discuss tasting observations with other learners and use educator feedback to make your descriptions more consistent. Treat public articles and events as extra learning alongside your official course materials.
WSET Knowledge Centre
WSET events
Find a course provider
Independent Sip Studies guide. Official resources checked 4 October 2026; confirm current requirements with WSET and your provider.

Tasting

Build clear, consistent notes with WSET’s Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT). Choose your subject and level below; standalone SAT PDFs include a supporting lexicon.
Wine
Level 1 SAT — specification, PDF page 12
Level 2 SAT + lexicon
Level 3 SAT + lexicon
Level 4 Diploma SAT + lexicon (shared by D3–D5)
Spirits
Level 2 SAT + lexicon
Level 3 SAT + lexicon
Sake
Level 1 SAT — specification, PDF page 12
Level 2 SAT + lexicon
Level 3 SAT + lexicon
Beer
Level 2 SAT + lexicon
Level 1 Spirits and Beer: Ask your provider for the current tasting sheet; no current public download was located. Spirits course · Beer course
Levels 1 and 2 teach tasting without a practical tasting exam. Wine, Spirits and Sake Level 3 include blind tasting, as do Diploma units D3–D5. Confirm the required SAT version with your provider.
Official SAT hub · Other languages
Theory

Build your understanding of grapes, regions and the choices that shape wine. As you progress, move from recognising styles and key facts to explaining how growing conditions and production decisions affect the finished wine. Compare regions with the same set of questions, and use your specification to keep revision focused.
Level 2 wine studies
Level 3 wine studies
A systematic way to study regions
Written Component

Levels 1 and 2 are multiple-choice assessments; written explanations become a focus at Level 3. Practise matching your answer to the question’s command word, allocating time by marks and linking causes to their effects. Diploma study extends this work through open-response examinations and a 3,000-word independent research assignment.
Level 3 answer-writing guidance
Level 3 sample questions and rules
Diploma assessment overview
Faults & Imbalances

Learn to distinguish a wine’s intended style from signs of a fault or poor condition. Explore common issues such as cork taint, oxidation and heat damage, and assess balance in the context of the whole wine. An oxidative character can be intentional in some styles, so describe what you find before deciding that something is wrong.
Recognise common wine faults
Prepare your palate
Level 3 tasting guidance
Communication & Service

Turn wine knowledge into clear explanations, thoughtful recommendations and confident discussion. WSET includes storage, service and food-pairing knowledge, but its current wine qualifications do not include a separate presentation or practical service exam. Use these resources to strengthen everyday communication and service understanding alongside your studies.
WSET and sommelier pathways
Wine pronunciation guide
Wine service and storage
Responsible Tasting

Approach tasting as a focused learning exercise: use small samples, keep water and a spittoon available, and follow your provider’s guidance. Alcohol tasting is subject to legal-age requirements, while Levels 1 and 2 can be completed without tasting alcohol. A WSET wine qualification is not a responsible alcohol-service certification; check any separate training requirements with your employer or local authority.
Prepare for a tasting session
Level 1 participation requirements
Level 2 participation requirements

Explore Sipopedia

Keep building your beverage knowledge, from water to wine.

Visit Sipopedia

Plan Your Next Step

Find an approved WSET provider and choose the level that fits your experience.

Compare course format, study time, tasting arrangements and what is included before you enrol.

Find a WSET Course

Wine & SpiritEducation Trust

Welcome WSET Candidates!

Study

Test

Engage

Tasting

Theory

Written Component

Faults & Imbalances

Communication & Service

Responsible Tasting

Explore Sipopedia

Plan Your Next Step

Wine & Spirit
Education Trust