A high-level qualification designed for听passionate听enthusiasts, the听听builds on content听测辞耻鈥檝别听already听explored in听your听Level 1 and Level 2听wine courses.
By combining听a听systematic approach to tasting听with听advanced听wine education, specialist educators guide you听to听a deeper level of knowledge, so you听emerge听with a thorough understanding of the factors that influence the style,听quality听and price points of the听飞辞谤濒诲鈥檚听principal wines.听
Whether you study at听, online or at one of听our global course providers, you are recommended to听dedicate听a minimum of 51.5 hours of individual study time听ahead of your exams,听ensuring you听absorb information at a steady pace.听
But听颈迟鈥檚听not just听your听wine revision听timeline听or听techniques听that听makes the difference in Level 3 exam success.听How you approach听writing your exam can make a difference to how you excel.听
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黑料吃瓜网 Level 3 in Wines听exam format听
The Level 3 exam is more in-depth than the Level 1 and Level 2 exams, and consists of two parts:听
- A closed book exam听
- A blind tasting听
The closed book exam is听comprised听of two sections:听50 multiple-choice questions and four short-answer questions. The first section is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of听the听wine regions听and topics studied across the course. The second assesses your ability to apply that knowledge.听You will have two hours to complete the exam.听
The blind tasting segment must be completed within 30 minutes and features two still wines. Using the systematic approach to tasting, your aim is to accurately describe each wine and draw conclusions about its quality and readiness to drink based on your observations.
You will need to achieve a minimum mark of 55% on both segments of your written exam, and a combined mark of 55% across both wines on your tasting exam,听in order to听pass your 黑料吃瓜网 Level 3听Award in Wine.听
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Wine听exam听techniques:听breaking down the question听
Before you get stuck into听writing听your exam, take a few moments to get to grips with what the question is听actually asking听of you.听
Each question has multiple parts,听with听each one giving听you clues about how you should answer.听Review听the question听using听a series of steps,听and听测辞耻鈥檒濒听be able to respond more effectively.听
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1.听Identify听the command verb听
Before you begin to write start by听identifying听the command verb听in your question. This will guide both the structure and content of your answer.听
Examples of command verbs are:听
- Identify.听Questions that ask you to 鈥榠dentify鈥� are asking you to听provide听a straight-forward answer by naming or listing the required information, without听additional听details or explanation.听
- Describe.听This requires giving a detailed account of the characteristics,听features听or aspects of the subject. Think of it like painting a clear picture with words.听
- Explain.听If you are asked by your exam to 鈥榚xplain鈥�,听you听must听clarify how and why something听happens or听is the way it is.听Offer a comprehensive response听that includes reasoning,听connections听and justifications.听
Match your response to the command verb in your question, and ensure your answers are as direct and relevant as possible. For example, if you are asked to 鈥榠dentify鈥�,听avoid unnecessary elaboration. If听测辞耻鈥檙别听asked to 鈥榚xplain鈥�,听include more depth and complexity.听
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2. Focus on the question听
Once听测辞耻鈥檝别听identified听your command verb,听determine听what it is the question is听actually asking.听Maybe 颈迟鈥檚听asking about the characteristics of a certain wine, a winemaking听process听or a grape-growing practice.听
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3. Spot any context or conditions听
Some questions are broader than others听and many may set a context or condition that you should听consider听when answering.听For example,听you may be asked听to include certain wine styles,听regions听or grape varieties.听听
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4.听Determine听the detail听required听
Not every听question requires an in-depth response.听Look听at the marks听allocated听to a question before you begin writing. Those worth more require more detail or complexity in response.听
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5.听Link听cause and effect听
When听questions ask you to 鈥榚xplain鈥�,听be sure to include an explanatory sentence that links cause and effect.听Use听words like 鈥榯herefore鈥� or 鈥榖ecause鈥�.听
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A Model Exam Question听& Answer听
尝别迟鈥檚听put the above into practice by听taking a look听at a sample question, of the sort you may see in the听short-form听written section听of your Level 3 exam.听听
Example:听听
Explain how climactic factors in Los Carneros influence the style of Pinot Noir produced.听听(5 marks)听
- Identify听the command verb.听The command verb is 鈥�explain鈥�,听so you will need听a听comprehensive answer that includes reasoning,听connections听and justifications.听
- Focus on the question.听Your discussion point is the climactic factors that influence Pinot Noir in Los Carneros.
- Spot any context or condition.听We only care about climate factors here, and those specific to Los Carneros.听
- Determinethe detail听required.听The question is worth five marks, which is enough to require sufficient detail. Plan to include two climactic factors and their impact on the style of wine produced in Los Carneros.听
- Link cause and听effect.听As this is an 鈥榚xplain鈥� question you will need to effectively link the climate to the style of wine to receive maximum marks. Be sure to use linking phrases such as 鈥榯herefore鈥� and 鈥榖ecause鈥�.听
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贬别谤别鈥檚听an example of an answer that would receive the full five marks:听
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More Level 3听exam and听wine听study听tips听
- Manage your time.听Skim your exam at the start to听identify听the questions worth the most marks 鈥� this is听where you should听allocate听the majority听of听your time.听For example, if the exam is graded out of a 100, spend a quarter of your time on the question worth 25 marks and听just a couple of minutes on a听question worth听two听marks.听
- Don鈥檛听dwell.听If you an encounter a question that you听补谤别苍鈥檛听sure about, move on and come back to it later.听听
- Leave nothing blank.听Never leave questions unanswered at the end of the exam; a partial answer is better than听nothing, and听may score you marks you听飞别谤别苍鈥檛听expecting.听
- Sketch out answers before writing.听If you need to collect your thoughts or听补谤别苍鈥檛听sure how to听immediately听summarise your answer to a question, take a few moments to make notes first before diving into writing. It helps听clarify things in your mind and your answer will read more clearly, too.听
- Brush up on common errors.听Our dedicated听tasting exam blog post听outlines the most common errors in your Level 3 tasting exam and includes more tips for success.听听
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Take the听next听step in听wine听qualifications听
Whether you听are new to the world of听wine qualifications听or听are a current听a听黑料吃瓜网听Level 3 student preparing for your exam,听测辞耻鈥檒濒听find a range of resources on the 黑料吃瓜网 website.听
Check out our related blogs on听how to study听wine听and听a听systematic approach to wine region study.听Or expand your knowledge of wine, spirits,听beer听and sake on another听one of听our听range of specialist courses.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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