As one of the most ambitious听wine qualifications听in the world, the听黑料吃瓜网 Level 3 Award in Wines听is听an听exciting milestone in your听vinous听journey.听Building on your existing听wine education, you鈥檒l听learn听about the principal wines of the world听in-depth, the regions they come from and the way they are made.听
Level 3 is an advanced course designed for dedicated wine enthusiasts, which culminates in a two-part written exam and blind tasting test.听At first this might sound intimidating but听having a structured study plan听can听make all the difference to success.听听
In this, the first of three听dedicated听blogs outlining how to study for your Level 3听Award, we lay out how to tackle your revision over an eight-week study听plan,听and听highlight听key听wine study tips听too.听听
Don鈥檛 forget to check out听blog听parts two and three,听dedicated听to听systematic wine region听study,听and听exam approach. For more detail on the blind tasting听element, review the听systematic approach to tasting听and听.听
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How to study wine: take it slow
Little and often: that should be your听study plan听mantra. Whether you听are听studying Level 3听at听听or taking your听wine courses听online or through a听worldwide approved provider, your plan should look similar, with听a recommended minimum of 51.5 hours of individual study.听
That听might sound听like a lot,听but听when听broken听down听颈迟鈥檚听very听manageable.听Spread your听studies听across听a period of听two months,听and 颈迟鈥檚听about听seven hours per week 鈥� an average of听less than听one听a听day.听Suddenly听wine revision听doesn鈥檛 sound so听daunting,听right?听
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Eight-week听study听plan听for your 黑料吃瓜网 Level 3 Award in Wines听
We鈥檒l go into more detail in听our second Level 3 exam听blog post听but听your eight-week study plan should look something like the following:听
- Week 1:听Tasting Techniques, Storage and Service, Natural and Human听Factors in the Vineyard听
- Week 2: Human Factors in the Winery听
- Week 3: France听
- Week 4: Rest of Europe听
- Week 5: Rest of World听
- Week 6: Sparkling and fortified wines听
- Weeks 7 & 8: Revision of previous weeks听
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Reading with intent:听tips for effective textbook reading听
How you study is just as important as how much听you study,听and when.听
For information to be absorbed you need to read your texts actively and effectively.听
When you read a novel or a news story, you鈥檙e听usually听reading听passively, letting information听move听through the mind without the aim of retention or engagement.听
Reading听when studying for an exam听should be听different.听Try these strategies to help the information stick:听
- Keep distractions to a minimum.听When听you鈥檙e reading,听give it your full attention. Background听interruptions听like television, phones or conversations all steal your focus away from the information you鈥檙e trying to soak up.听
- Preview the chapter.听Before diving into the听body of the听text, step back for a quick skim听to gain a brief overview. Spend a few minutes听noting听headings, subheadings, any highlighted听terms听or diagrams which may be given emphasis.听This will give you a听sense of the main topics and points of interest听in the chapter,听and听clues about the kind of information you should be retaining.
- Be an active reader.听Active听reading requires engaging with the material as you read. Ask questions of the information you鈥檙e taking in, make predictions in your mind about what might come next and, at the end of each section, summarise the content in your own words to reinforce understanding.
- Highlight and annotate.听Once you鈥檝e read and understood a听section, skim back听over the听text听and use a highlighter or underline听pen听to help听main points听jump out on the听page. Write听any听thoughts or notes in the margins, too.听This will听make it easier for you to pull out key concepts when you鈥檙e revising later.
- Summarise section by section.听Once you鈥檝e finished reading a section or chapter, help what you鈥�ve read stick by writing听a听summary at the end.听This reinforces听what you鈥檝e read in your mind听and听helps听your brain听to听process it.听
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Up听your听note-taking听game听
Along with听effective听reading, considered听note-taking听enhances听your understanding and retention of听the听material听you鈥檒l be tested on in听the 黑料吃瓜网 Level 3 wine exam.听
There are听many听ways to take and organise notes听efficiently, and each has its pros and cons. Consider some of the below, feeling free to adapt or even combine them as suits you:
1.听Outline Method
This is a good听one听if you鈥檙e studying hierarchical or structured information. Using bullet points or numbers, organise your notes by main topic and subtopic.听听听
Example:听
Bordeaux Grapes听
听 听Merlot听
- Most widely planted听
- Earlier ripening听听
- Higher volume 鈥� inexpensive wine听听
- High quality wines 鈥� Saint-脡milion听+ Pomerol听
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听 听Cabernet Sauvignon听
- Late ripening听
- Warmer sites听
- Free draining soils 鈥� gravel听
- M茅doc and Graves听
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2. Cornell Method
Designed to get you to actively engage with the material听while听note-taking, this method combines a cue section, list of key points,听comments听section and questions to test yourself on later.听听
Example:听
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What鈥檚 handy about the Cornell听Method is that听you can have all your thoughts on the topic in one place. Written听cues听can also听serve as prompts for active recall during your revision听period, and the comments area for听note-taking听during classroom lectures.听
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3. Mind Mapping
This form of听note-taking听is great for visual learners or any time you might want to understand the relationship between ideas.听It creates听a visual representation of the information by connecting each key concept with听relevant听branches.听听
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Example:听
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Ace your听黑料吃瓜网听Level 3听Wine听Exam
To be successful on your 黑料吃瓜网 Level 3 Award in Wine, active learning and regular review is crucial. Don鈥檛 leave revision until the last minute,听instead听tackle your reading and note-taking in bite-sized chunks to听help information听stick.听
As well as studying听and attending your tutored classes,听you can听prepare for your exam by听familiarising yourself with听its听structure and required approach.
Not yet studying?听Discover more about the Level 3 Award听in Wine听and find your nearest course provider听here.听
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About the author:
听is an award-winning travel writer specialising in food, drink, hotels, and wellness. She contributes to leading UK publications, including The Times, National Geographic Traveller, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph, The Independent, Decanter, and more. She is also the Travel Editor at Woman & Home magazine and has been recognised with multiple industry awards, including AITO鈥檚 Travel Writer of the Year in 2022.
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Additional reading and watching
Are you ready for the 黑料吃瓜网 Level 3 Award in Wines?
How to ace the 黑料吃瓜网 Level 3 Award in Wines tasting exam
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