Study guide
The complete guide to WSET Level 2
The Level 2 Award in Wines is the world's most popular serious wine qualification: deep enough to change how you buy, order and talk about wine, and small enough to fit around a job. Here is the whole picture, from exam format to a study plan that works.
Duo Vino is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by WSET®. WSET® and the Systematic Approach to Tasting® are registered trademarks of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust; the name is used here only to describe what this independent study aid helps you prepare for.
Exam
50 multiple-choice questions, 60 minutes, closed book
Pass mark
55% to pass, 70% Merit, 85% Distinction
Study time
About 28 hours in total, including course hours
Prerequisites
None. Level 1 is not required
Tasting
Part of the course, not part of the exam
Typical cost
Roughly 400 to 800 USD/EUR with a course, varies by provider
What the syllabus covers
Level 2 is wide rather than deep. Six broad areas feed the 50 questions, and any of them can appear on your paper:
Grape growing & winemaking
Climate, vineyard choices, fermentation, oak, and how each step shapes what is in the glass.
The major grape varieties
The structure and signature styles of the key white and black grapes, from Riesling to Syrah.
Old World regions
France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Portugal, and the label terms that tell you what is in the bottle.
New World regions
Australia, New Zealand, the Americas and South Africa, where the grape leads the label.
Sparkling & fortified
How Champagne, Prosecco, Sherry and Port are made, and why they taste the way they do.
Tasting & food pairing
Describing wine systematically, and the handful of pairing principles the exam actually tests.
How hard is it, really?
Most candidates pass, with publicly reported pass rates of roughly nine in ten. The students who struggle are rarely beaten by difficulty; they are beaten by breadth, usually in wine law, label terms and grape-to-region pairs. We wrote an honest breakdown of what actually trips people up.
The five-week study plan
- Week 1 How wine is made: grape growing, climate, fermentation, oak.
- Week 2 The major grapes and their structure. Start the grape-to-region flashcards.
- Week 3 Old World regions and their label terms.
- Week 4 New World regions, sparkling and fortified wines.
- Week 5 Two timed mock exams, then repair your two weakest topics.
The daily mechanics of that plan (quiz first, read second, 20 minutes a day) are in our guide to studying for Level 2 around a job, and the case for drilling questions is in how to use practice questions.
Free practice quiz →
20 exam-style questions with instant explanations and a per-topic score. Find your gaps before they find you.
Grape library →
31 varieties with taste profiles, structure and the regions where each one does its best work.
French regions map quiz →
Can you find Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire, the Rhône and Alsace on the map? Geography questions are easy points once the map is in your head.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does WSET Level 2 cost?
- Prices are set by course providers, not centrally. Classroom and online courses in most markets fall somewhere between 400 and 800 US dollars or euros including the exam fee, with UK prices often a little lower.
- How long does WSET Level 2 take?
- WSET recommends around 28 hours of total study including course time. Courses run from a few intensive days to several weekly sessions; most students spread self-study over four to six weeks.
- Do I need WSET Level 1 first?
- No. There are no prerequisites for Level 2, and many students with some tasting experience start here directly.
- Is there a tasting exam at Level 2?
- No. The exam is 50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. Tasting is part of the course experience, but is not separately examined at this level.
- What score do I need to pass?
- The pass mark is 55%. From 70% your certificate carries a Merit, and from 85% a Distinction.
Study it the fun way, with Corky
Duo Vino packages this whole syllabus into daily five-minute lessons, streaks, flashcards and full mock exams. Built by a student who wanted studying to feel less like homework.