WSET Level 3 Tasting and the SAT: practice questions with answers
These are real questions from The Wine Goat bank on Tasting and the SAT, written to the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines syllabus. Answer them, read the explanation, then practise the full set of 146 questions in the free app, where your mistakes come back until you know them.
Sample questions with answers
1 What two fundamental skills is the SAT designed to develop?
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Answer: Describing a wine accurately and drawing reasoned conclusions
Why: The SAT is a teaching and assessment tool: it describes (appearance, nose, palate) and then concludes (quality and readiness).
2 What are the two headings in the 'Conclusions' section of the SAT?
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Answer: Quality level and readiness for drinking/ageing potential
Why: In the Conclusions you must use the listed terms: quality level and readiness for drinking.
3 Where is the Wine-Lexicon found?
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Answer: On the reverse of the laminated SAT card
Why: The Lexicon lists aroma and flavour descriptors to help describe a wine; it is on the back of the SAT card.
4 A wine sits between ruby and garnet. How should you describe it in the exam?
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Answer: Choose just one term, the closer one
Why: On hyphenated lines you pick one term only; a range such as 'ruby to garnet' scores no mark.
5 In the SAT 'Conclusions' section, may you use your own words?
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Answer: No: only the terms listed in the SAT
Why: The Conclusions are the evaluative part of the SAT, with two headings: quality level and readiness for drinking/potential for ageing. You are restricted to the specific listed terms here (e.g. 'good', 'can drink now, but has potential for ageing'). Freedom to use other words applies only to the 'e.g.' lines (aroma and flavour characteristics).
6 At Level 3, how have many three-point scales been refined?
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Answer: By splitting 'medium' into medium(-), medium and medium(+)
Why: Only the 'medium' band is split, because most wines fall there: it is not five equal parts.
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.
146 questions on this topic in the app
Frequently asked questions
How many questions on Tasting and the SAT are in The Wine Goat?
The app has 146 multiple-choice questions on Tasting and the SAT, each with an explanation, plus short written answer questions and flashcards on the same topic.
Is Tasting and the SAT 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 Tasting and the SAT, 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