WSET Level 3 South Africa: practice questions with answers
These are real questions from The Wine Goat bank on South Africa, written to the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines syllabus. Answer them, read the explanation, then practise the full set of 47 questions in the free app, where your mistakes come back until you know them.
Sample questions with answers
1 Why are vines planted on southern mountain slopes in South Africa?
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Answer: In the southern hemisphere, south slopes are cooler
Why: Mountains offer varied altitudes, aspects and soils, cast shade and channel winds.
2 What is South Africa's most planted black grape?
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Answer: Cabernet
Why: Varietal or in Bordeaux blends. Syrah is widely planted; Pinot Noir only in the coolest coastal areas.
3 What is Pinotage?
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Answer: A Pinot Noir × Cinsault crossing developed in South Africa
Why: Barely grown elsewhere, it is a point of difference. Blended with international grapes: a 'Cape blend'.
4 What is a 'Cape blend'?
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Answer: A blend of Pinotage with international grapes
Why: Cape blend = Pinotage + international varieties; made in Stellenbosch and Swartland.
5 Which are the most important wine-growing regions of the Western Cape?
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Answer: Coastal Region, Breede River Valley and Cape South Coast
Why: Regions: Coastal Region, Breede River Valley, Cape South Coast; then districts and wards.
6 A South African Syrah is medium-bodied with peppery notes. What kind of area does it most likely come from?
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Answer: From a cooler, often coastal area
Why: South African Syrah: hot = full, alcoholic, black fruit, sometimes meaty; cool = lighter, peppery.
Practise all of it in the free app
Your answers are saved to your profile, the app builds your day-by-day study plan up to the exam and brings back your weak points until you master them.
47 questions on this topic in the app
Frequently asked questions
How many questions on South Africa are in The Wine Goat?
The app has 47 multiple-choice questions on South Africa, each with an explanation, plus short written answer questions and flashcards on the same topic.
Is South Africa important for the WSET Level 3 exam?
Yes. The 50 multiple-choice questions cover the whole syllabus and the 4 short written answers often focus on one region or process, so every topic, including South Africa, can come up.
More WSET Level 3 resources
- WSET Level 3 practice questions with answers
- WSET Level 3 mock exam: free practice test
- WSET Level 3 short written answer questions: examples and model answers
- The WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT): how to write a tasting note
- WSET Level 3 flashcards: grapes, regions, numbers and key terms
- How to pass WSET Level 3 first time: study plan and tips
WSET 3 questions by region and topic
- Tasting and the SAT
- Food and wine pairing
- Storage and service
- Wine pricing and the trade
- The vine and grape varieties
- Climate and environment
- Vineyard management and pruning
- Winemaking and maturation
- White wines
- Red and rosé wines
- Bordeaux
- Burgundy and Beaujolais
- Alsace and the Loire
- Rhône Valley
- Southern France
- Italy
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- Portugal
- Germany
- Austria and Hungary
- Greece
- USA and Canada
- Chile and Argentina
- South Africa
- Australia and New Zealand
- Sparkling: Champagne, Prosecco, Cava
- Sherry
- Port and fortified wines