WSET Level 2 Practice Quiz: Grape Varieties (2026)

Written by Jesse & Cassie, Wine Scribes — Jesse holds a degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis and has made wine in Burgundy, Yarra Valley, California, Washington and the Douro Valley; Cassie holds WSET Level 2 with Distinction and assists Jesse with work in the vineyard and cellar.

Grape varieties are the backbone of WSET Level 2. Jesse made wine from Chardonnay in Burgundy, Syrah in California, and Touriga Nacional in Portugal’s Douro Valley — so when he talks about how variety shapes the wine in the glass, it comes from real cellar experience, not just a textbook.

This free practice quiz covers the key grape varieties in the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines syllabus: the major white and red varieties that appear in exam questions, their typical flavor profiles, the regions where they thrive, and how winemaking choices interact with varietal character.

You’ll encounter questions on classic varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Syrah/Shiraz, as well as some of the more distinctive grapes that come up in the exam’s regional sections. Work through these questions carefully — variety knowledge underpins almost every other topic at Level 2.

WSET Level 2 Study Tips: Grape Varieties

Mastering grape varieties for WSET Level 2 isn’t about memorizing hundreds of names — it’s about building a mental model that connects variety, climate, and style. Here’s our approach:

Learn varieties in their natural habitat first. Chardonnay in Chablis tastes different from Chardonnay in Napa, and the exam will test you on why. Understanding how climate modifies varietal character is more powerful than memorizing flavor descriptors in isolation.

Focus on the 10–12 core varieties. The WSET Level 2 syllabus isn’t trying to cover every grape on earth. Focus on the varieties that appear in multiple regional contexts: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Syrah/Shiraz are your priority list.

Connect varieties to winemaking styles. Some grapes are defined by what you do to them in the winery: oak on Chardonnay, malolactic conversion, whole-cluster fermentation for Pinot Noir. These production decisions come up regularly alongside varietal questions.

Use wine tasting to reinforce your learning. Even an inexpensive example of Malbec or Grenache will anchor the descriptors in your memory far better than a flashcard.

For more practice across all WSET Level 2 topics, explore our complete WSET practice exam hub.

Looking for structured WSET study materials? We recommend Napa Valley Wine Academy’s WSET courses — comprehensive video lessons and study notes that pair perfectly with these practice quizzes.