WSET Level 3 Award in Wines

What truly shapes a wine’s character – climate, soil, grape variety or technique? How do professionals assess quality with precision? The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines deepens your understanding of viticulture and winemaking, empowering you to judge style and quality clearly. 

For individuals seeking to delve deeper into the world of wines, this qualification provides a detailed understanding of grape growing and winemaking as well as omprehensive knowledge of the principal wines of the world. Upon completion you’ll be able to assess wines accurately and use your understanding to confidently explain wine style and quality. If you pass your exam, you’ll receive a digital certificate and will be able to use the associated WSET certified logo. 

 

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines develops detailed knowledge of viticulture, winemaking and global wine styles. You’ll learn to access wines critically, describe their characters accurately and explain wine style with confidence.  

What's covered?

 

Unit 1 

  • The key factors in the production of wine: growing environment, grape growing, winemaking, maturation and bottling 
  • How these key factors influence the key characteristics of the principal 
  • still wines of the world 
  • Principal sparkling wines of the world 
  • Principal fortified wines of the world 
  • How to apply your understanding to explain wine style and quality 

 

Unit 2 

  • How to taste wines, describe their characteristics and evaluate their quality, using the WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine (SAT) 

COURSE DELIVERY

Courses are available in-person or online through a network of WSET course providers. The Level 3 Award in Wines requires: 

  • 30 hours or guided learning with a WSET course provider 
  • 54 hours of private study 
  • A closed-book exam and tasting 

Our course providers offer the course in a variety of formats, for example over consecutive days, weeks or evenings. You can also study through WSET’s Online Classroom, an interactive e-learning platform where you complete activities at your own pace over five weeks, under the guidance of an expert educator. 

Available to study in these languages:

  • English
    (English) 
  • Nederlands
    (Dutch) 

  • Français
    (French) 

  • Deutsch
    (German) 

  • ελληνικά
    (Greek) 

  • 日本語
    (Japanese) 

  • 한국어
    (Korean) 

  • Português
    (Portuguese) 

  • Español
    (Spanish)
     

*Delivery will vary by course provider; however, this is the minimum requirement that should be met.

"It’s been an incredible, yet rigorous, journey of learning about the complexities of wine production, agriculture, law, business, and the many wine regions of the world."

Sidnie, Level 3 Award in Wines student

COURSE INFORMATION

Entry requirements

We recommend that you hold the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines or can demonstrate the equivalent level of knowledge. You must be of legal drinking age in the country where you’re attending the course and exam to participate in any alcohol tasting. However, this isn’t a barrier to successfully completing Unit 1. 

Requirements may vary by course provider. 

 

Assessment

Unit 1 is assessed by a closed-book exam of 50 multiple-choice questions and a short-written answer paper. Unit 2 is assessed by a blind tasting of two wines. This qualification is regulated by Ofqual.

 

Course specification

For more information and full details on the course requirements, please download the Specification below:

 

When can you enrol?

Courses will be offered through an international network of approved course providers. 

To find your nearest course provider, head to our Where to Study page below.