The TFE Guide to WSET Level 2 Wine

6 parts · 26 lessons

Why does Chardonnay taste lean and citrusy in one place, yet ripe and rounded in another? Why can a sweet wine still taste wonderfully fresh? This WSET Level 2 Wine guide connects the grapes, places and choices behind those differences in 26 free lessons.

Work through the series in order, look up a grape or region, or jump straight to revision. You’ll find practical comparisons, plain-language explanations and original practice questions to help the details stick.

Start with Lesson 1 or jump to the revision guide and two practice exams.

Part 1

Wine fundamentals

Start with the connections between the vineyard, the winery and the glass. These lessons give you the vocabulary and reasoning you’ll use throughout the guide.

  1. How to Understand and Describe Wine: The WSET Level 2 Framework

    Learn to separate sweetness, acidity, tannin and body, then use those distinctions to describe what is in your glass.

  2. How Grapes Grow: Climate, Ripening, and Vineyard Decisions

    Connect climate, ripening and vineyard choices with the fruit, acidity and alcohol you notice in a finished wine.

  3. How Winemaking Changes Wine: Fermentation, Oak, and Ageing

    Follow fermentation, oak and ageing to see how decisions in the winery change a wine’s style.

Back to guide ↑

Part 2

The eight principal grape varieties

Get to know the eight principal grapes through their typical characteristics, key regions and contrasting styles. The name on the label is only the beginning of the story.

  1. Chardonnay Explained: From Chablis to California

    Compare lean Chablis with fuller Chardonnay styles, and find out what climate and oak contribute along the way.

  2. Sauvignon Blanc Explained: From Sancerre to Marlborough

    Explore Sauvignon Blanc’s crisp acidity and distinctive aromas, from the Loire Valley to Marlborough.

  3. Riesling Explained: Germany, Alsace, and Australia

    Untangle Riesling’s acidity and sweetness through the contrasting styles of Germany, Alsace and Australia.

  4. Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Gris: One Grape, Different Styles

    Discover how the same grape can become a light, crisp Pinot Grigio or a fuller, more expressive Pinot Gris.

  5. Cabernet Sauvignon Explained: Bordeaux, Napa, and Beyond

    Trace Cabernet Sauvignon’s dark fruit and firm tannins from Bordeaux to Napa Valley and beyond.

  6. Merlot Explained: Bordeaux’s Right Bank and the New World

    Get to know Merlot through Bordeaux’s Right Bank and compare its fruit, body and tannins with New World examples.

  7. Pinot Noir Explained: Burgundy and Its Global Rivals

    See how Pinot Noir’s delicate skins and growing conditions help explain wines from Burgundy and its global rivals.

  8. Syrah vs. Shiraz: From the Rhône Valley to Australia

    Compare peppery Rhône Syrah with Australian Shiraz, connecting climate and winemaking with the styles in the glass.

Back to guide ↑

Part 3

Regionally important grapes and wines

Travel through the grapes and places that give regional wines their identity, from Italian classics to South African Pinotage and Hungary’s Tokaj.

  1. French Regional Wines Explained: Beaujolais, Rhône, Loire, and Alsace

    Meet regionally important French grapes and wines through Beaujolais, the Rhône, the Loire and Alsace.

  2. Italian Red Wines Explained: Barolo, Chianti, Valpolicella, and More

    Connect Italian red-wine names with their grapes and styles, from Nebbiolo in Barolo to Sangiovese in Chianti.

  3. Italian White Wines Explained: Soave, Gavi, Verdicchio, and Fiano

    Explore the grapes behind Soave, Gavi, Verdicchio and Fiano, and learn what makes their white wines distinct.

  4. Spanish Wines Explained: Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat, and Rías Baixas

    Decode key Spanish regions and their grapes, from Tempranillo in Rioja to Albariño in Rías Baixas.

  5. Malbec and Carménère Explained: Argentina and Chile’s Signature Red Wines

    Compare Argentina’s Malbec and Chile’s Carménère through their fruit, structure and growing conditions.

  6. Pinotage Explained: South Africa’s Distinctive Red Grape

    Get to know South Africa’s Pinotage and the vineyard and winery choices that shape its distinctive styles.

  7. Zinfandel and Primitivo Explained: From California to Southern Italy

    Follow Zinfandel and Primitivo from California to southern Italy, comparing ripe fruit, alcohol and regional character.

  8. Furmint and Tokaj Explained: Hungary’s Famous Wines

    Explore Furmint’s acidity and the range of Tokaj wines, including the role of noble rot in sweet styles.

Back to guide ↑

Part 4

Sparkling, fortified and practical wine knowledge

Explore bubbles and fortified wines, then put your knowledge to work with storage, service, fault recognition and food pairing.

  1. Sparkling Wine Explained: Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and Asti

    Discover how different production methods shape the bubbles and flavours of Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and Asti.

  2. Fortified Wine Explained: Port and Sherry

    Compare Port and Sherry, focusing on when spirit is added and how maturation changes their styles.

  3. Wine Storage and Service Explained: Temperature, Glassware, and Decanting

    Put temperature, glassware, storage and decanting into practice so the wine reaches the glass in good condition.

  4. Wine Faults Explained: How to Recognize Common Wine Problems

    Recognize common wine faults and distinguish unwanted changes from characteristics that belong to a wine’s style.

  5. Food and Wine Pairing Explained: How Flavors Interact

    Find out how sweetness, acidity, salt, umami and chilli heat can change the way food and wine taste together.

Back to guide ↑

Part 5

Labels and classifications

Turn unfamiliar label terms into useful clues about where a wine comes from and what style you might expect.

  1. Wine Labels Explained: French, Italian, Spanish, and German Terms

    Make sense of French, Italian, Spanish and German label terms that offer clues about origin, style and quality.

Back to guide ↑

Part 6

Revision and practice examinations

Review the connections across the series, then test your understanding with two original practice exams.

  1. WSET Level 2 Wine Exam: Complete Revision Guide and Practice Examinations

    Bring the series together with revision tables and two original 50-question practice exams, each with explained answers.

Back to guide ↑

How to use this study guide

If you’re new to the material, start with the fundamentals and read the lessons in order. Try the questions before opening each answer key, then return to the explanation when an answer catches you out. Understanding why a choice is right will take you further than remembering its letter.

For revision, compare related lessons: Chardonnay with Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, or Port with Sherry. Ask what changed in the vineyard or winery and how that change shows up in the wine. Save the two full practice exams for a check of your knowledge across the series.

Prefer a gentler introduction? Our WSET Level 1 Wine guide covers the foundations in 14 lessons. You don’t need to buy wine to use either guide. If you choose to taste, follow your local laws and drink responsibly.

About the series

This is an independent TFE study guide, with no affiliation with or endorsement by WSET. The practice questions are original study material, not official examination questions. Use your course provider’s current materials and the official WSET Level 2 Award in Wines information for qualification requirements.