WSET Level 3 Southern France: practice questions with answers
These are real questions from The Wine Goat bank on Southern France, written to the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines syllabus. Answer them, read the explanation, then practise the full set of 48 questions in the free app, where your mistakes come back until you know them.
Sample questions with answers
1 What are Southern France's three broad areas?
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Answer: Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence
Why: Languedoc and Roussillon lie west of the Rhône, Provence east.
2 What is the biggest grape-growing challenge in Southern France?
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Answer: Summer drought
Why: Fungal disease is less of a problem than elsewhere in France; occasional summer floods occur.
3 Which wind blows between the Massif Central and the Pyrenees?
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Answer: Tramontane
Why: The Mistral blows down the Rhône; both are cool, dry northerly winds.
4 Why are inland foothill vineyards often better for quality?
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Answer: They are cooler, with poor, well-drained soils
Why: The coastal plain is hotter and more fertile, suited to volume.
5 What are Carignan's characteristics?
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Answer: High tannin, acidity and colour, but little fruit or finesse
Why: It was popular for huge yields; old vines on poor soils can make quality wine. All ACs permit it.
6 Which statement about Southern France is true?
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Answer: IGP Pays d'Oc allows varietal wines from many grapes
Why: Pays d'Oc: flexible varietal IGP; Languedoc Mediterranean; Provence = rosé.

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.
48 questions on this topic in the app
Frequently asked questions
How many questions on Southern France are in The Wine Goat?
The app has 48 multiple-choice questions on Southern France, each with an explanation, plus short written answer questions and flashcards on the same topic.
Is Southern France 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 Southern France, 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
- Spain
- 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

