Vineyard Factors
10%of exam
Winemaking + Ageing
8%of exam
FermentationOakMLFBottle Ageing
Principal Grapes
38%of exam
Regional Varieties
24%of exam
Sparkling + Fortified
12%of exam
Storage + Service
8%of exam
StorageTemperaturesFaultsPairing
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Level 2 Wines
- Questions
- 50 MCQ
- Time
- 60 minutes
- Pass
- 55%
- Merit
- 70-84%
- Distinction
- 85%+
- Study
- 28 hours
- Tasting exam
- None
Cool vs Warm
Cool
- High acid
- Lower alcohol
- Green fruit
Warm
- Lower acid
- Higher alcohol
- Ripe fruit
Acid vs sugar
Climate + Ripeness
- Cool climate
- High acid
- Warm climate
- High sugar
- Latitude
- Sun angle
- Altitude
- Cooler sites
- Aspect
- Sun exposure
- Water bodies
- Temperature moderation
- Unripe grapes
- Green aromas
- Extra-ripe
- Sweet potential
Vineyard Options
- Training
- Canopy shape
- Pruning
- Bud control
- Irrigation
- Water supplement
- Yield
- Crop quantity
- Harvest
- Ripeness choice
- Organic
- Restricted inputs
- Noble rot
- Sugar concentration
- Frozen grapes
- Icewine base
Red vs White
Red
- Skins ferment
- Warm ferment
- Press after
White
- Press first
- Cool ferment
- Protect fruit
Extraction vs freshness
Fermentation + Ageing
- Yeast
- Sugar to alcohol
- CO2
- Fermentation byproduct
- Cool ferment
- Fruit aromas
- Warm ferment
- More extraction
- MLF
- Softens acidity
- Lees
- Creamy texture
- New oak
- Vanilla toast
- Bottle age
- Tertiary aromas
Principal Whites
CRPS are the four white principals.
ChardonnayRieslingPinot GrigioSauvignon Blanc
Chablis vs Meursault
Chablis
- Cool climate
- High acid
- Usually unoaked
Meursault
- Richer body
- Oak common
- MLF common
Lean vs rich
Grape Picker
- Chablis named→Chardonnay
- Sancerre named→Sauvignon Blanc
- Mosel named→Riesling
- Pauillac named→Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pomerol named→Merlot
- Hermitage named→Syrah
White Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Climate-oak mirror
- Chablis
- Cool Chardonnay
- Meursault
- Oaked Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- High-acid aromatic
- Sancerre
- Loire Sauvignon
- Marlborough
- Pungent Sauvignon
- Riesling
- High-acid range
- Pinot Grigio
- Neutral crisp
Principal Blacks
CMPS are the four black principals.
Cabernet SauvignonMerlotPinot NoirSyrah
Loire vs Marlborough
Loire Sauvignon
- Restrained
- Citrus
- Mineral
Marlborough
- Pungent
- Tropical
- Herbaceous
Subtle vs intense
Black Grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Blackcurrant tannin
- Pauillac
- Left Bank Cab
- Merlot
- Plum softness
- Pomerol
- Right Bank Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Pale red elegance
- Burgundy
- Classic Pinot
- Syrah
- Pepper dark fruit
- Barossa Shiraz
- Ripe powerful
Left vs Right Bank
Left Bank
- Cabernet led
- Gravel soils
- Pauillac Margaux
Right Bank
- Merlot led
- Clay soils
- Pomerol Saint-Emilion
Cab vs Merlot
Classic Regions
- Napa Valley
- Ripe Cabernet
- Coonawarra
- Australian Cabernet
- Central Otago
- Ripe Pinot
- Northern Rhone
- Syrah benchmark
- Mosel
- Light Riesling
- Clare Valley
- Dry Riesling
- Alsace
- Aromatic whites
- Delle Venezie
- Pinot Grigio
Spanish Ageing
J-C-R-G climbs from young to old.
JovenCrianzaReservaGran Reserva
Region Picker
- Barolo named→Nebbiolo
- Chianti named→Sangiovese
- Rioja named→Tempranillo
- Beaujolais named→Gamay
- Gavi named→Cortese
- Tokaj named→Furmint
Regional Blacks
- Gamay
- Beaujolais fruit
- Grenache
- Strawberry spice
- Tempranillo
- Rioja leather
- Nebbiolo
- Barolo tannin
- Sangiovese
- Chianti acidity
- Corvina
- Valpolicella grape
- Malbec
- Mendoza plushness
- Pinotage
- South Africa
German Pradikat
K-S-A-BA-TBA-E rises in ripeness.
KabinettSpatleseAusleseBATBAEiswein
Regional Whites
- Chenin Blanc
- Loire versatility
- Semillon
- Sauternes base
- Viognier
- Condrieu perfume
- Gewurztraminer
- Lychee rose
- Verdicchio
- Castelli di Jesi
- Cortese
- Gavi grape
- Albarino
- Rias Baixas
- Furmint
- Tokaj grape
Label Terms
- PDO
- Protected origin
- PGI
- Broader origin
- AOC
- French PDO
- DOCG
- Top Italian tier
- DOCa
- Top Spanish tier
- Kabinett
- Lightest Pradikat
- Trocken
- Dry German
- Gran Reserva
- Longest ageing
Sherry Path
Flor first; oxygen later or always.
FinoAmontilladoOlorosoPX
Fino vs Oloroso
Fino
- Flor protection
- Pale dry
- Delicate
Oloroso
- Oxygen ageing
- Dark dry
- Nutty rich
Flor vs oxygen
Style Picker
- Bottle second ferment→Traditional method
- Tank second ferment→Prosecco
- Flor ageing→Fino
- Oxygen ageing→Oloroso
- Young fruit Port→Ruby
- Nutty Port→Tawny
Sparkling Methods
- Champagne
- Traditional method
- Cava
- Traditional method
- Prosecco
- Tank method
- Asti
- Sweet sparkling
- Cap Classique
- South African fizz
- Brut
- Dry sparkling
- Demi-Sec
- Medium-sweet fizz
- Vintage
- Single year
Ruby vs Tawny
Ruby
- Red fruit
- Youthful
- Limited oxygen
Tawny
- Dried fruit
- Nutty
- Oxidative ageing
Fruit vs nuts
Fortified Styles
- Fino
- Flor-aged dry
- Amontillado
- Flor then oxygen
- Oloroso
- Oxidative dry
- PX
- Very sweet
- Ruby Port
- Fruity youthful
- Tawny Port
- Oxidative nutty
- LBV
- Late Bottled Vintage
- Vintage Port
- Declared year
Service Temps
Bubbles and sweet wines go coldest.
Well chilledChilledLightly chilledRoom temperature
Sweet vs Umami
Sweet food
- Wine tastes drier
- Fruit decreases
- Acid seems higher
Umami food
- Tannin harsher
- Bitterness higher
- Fruit lower
Both challenge wine
Service Picker
- Sparkling wine→Well chilled
- Sweet wine→Well chilled
- Full white→Lightly chilled
- Full red→Room temperature
- Opened still wine→Vacuum system
- Opened delicate wine→Inert gas
Service + Pairing
- Storage
- Cool dark still
- Bottle position
- Cork stays wet
- Sparkling
- Well chilled
- Full white
- Lightly chilled
- Light red
- Lightly chilled
- Cork taint
- Wet cardboard
- Sweet food
- Wine less sweet
- Salt
- Softens tannin
Common Traps
Chablis Trap
Region name ≠ Chardonnay grape
Extra Dry Trap
Not driest ≠ Sweeter than Brut
Oloroso Trap
Usually dry ≠ Not Cream Sherry
Pradikat Trap
Ripeness level ≠ Not sweetness guarantee
Rose Trap
Short skin contact ≠ Not red-white blend
Port Trap
Ruby fruity ≠ Tawny oxidative
Bank Trap
Left equals Cab ≠ Right equals Merlot
SAT Trap
Course tasting ≠ No tasting exam
Guessing Trap
No negative marking ≠ Never leave blank
Last Minute
- 1.LO3 is 19 questions
- 2.LO4 is 12 questions
- 3.Pass needs 55%
- 4.Chablis = Chardonnay
- 5.Sancerre = Sauvignon Blanc
- 6.Pauillac = Cabernet
- 7.Pomerol = Merlot
- 8.Hermitage = Syrah
- 9.Barolo = Nebbiolo
- 10.Chianti = Sangiovese
- 11.Prosecco = tank method
- 12.Fino = flor ageing
- 13.Tawny = oxidative Port
- 14.Sweet food dries wine
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