WSET Level 2 Award in Wines (Classroom)

Course Dates

This WSET Level 2 course runs on 3 consecutive Mondays (9.30am-4.30pm) on Mondays 29th Sep + 6th and 13th Oct 2025.

The course is suitable for anybody who has a serious interest in wine and wishes to broaden their knowledge in a structured way.  You’ll gain knowledge of the principal and regionally important grape varieties of the world, the regions in which they are grown, and the styles of wine they produce. Through a combination of tasting and theory, you’ll explore the factors that impact style and quality and learn how to describe these wines with confidence.

The course covers the following topics:

• Wine Tasting: Taste and describe wines using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting
• Food and Wine Matching: You will learn about the key considerations when matching food and wine successfully
• Wine Service and Storage: Learn the correct way to store and serve wine and recognise common faults found in wines
• Labelling: Learn how to decode and understand labels
• Factors influencing the Style of Wine: Study the factors influencing the style, quality and price of wine in the vineyard and winery
• Grape Varieties: You'll learn about the styles of wines produced by the key international red and white grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah/Shiraz) as well as the styles of wines made with 22 regionally important grape varieties grown in 70 wine regions (GI's) around the world
• Sparkling and Fortified wines: You will be taught how grape varieties and winemaking processes influence the style of wines in these two key wine categories
• Key Wine-Producing regions of the World: Learn about the main styles of wines from the key wine-producing regions. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, USA, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

Click here to view the full Level 2 Course Specification

Examination: The 1 hour, 50 multiple-choice question exam is taken in the afternoon of the final day of the course and the exam fee is included in the course cost. A mark of 55% required to pass.

11 hours additional private study is also recommended for this course.

Registration deadline Fri 26th Sept 2025

The course fee includes

• All WSET course materials including; Looking Behind the Label course manual, Study Guide, Specification book, and SAT ® Tasting Card
• 43 delicious wines to taste including Champagne & Port
• The use of professional ISO tasting glasses
• 3 days of professional WSET tuition by a WSET Certified tutor
• Teaching of the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine (SAT) ® which will enable you to analyse wines objectively and consistently
• Registration with WSET and all examination fees
• Internationally-recognised certificate and pin badge upon successful completion
• Practice multiple choice questions provided FREE OF CHARGE
• Comprehensive student support outside of class time should you have any questions before, during and after the course

Study with confidence as our students consistently achieve higher than global average exam results.

Special Educational Needs

Please make us aware if you have a condition that may mean you qualify for additional help during the exam such as dyslexia.

Funding: Funding for this course is available: 

DEVELOP is the educational programme of The Drinks Trust, the drinks and hospitality industry charity. DEVELOP offers fully funded training and skills courses, delivered by industry-leading providers for people already working, or with an ambition to work, in the drinks and hospitality industry. Sussex Wine School has partnered with The Drinks Trust to bring courses free of charge to eligible students. All of the WSET courses are available for funding with DEVELOP. To learn more please visit the Drinks Trust website HERE

Criteria of eligibility for DEVELOP funding: must be 18 or over, eligible to work in the UK, have a National Insurance Number, and be earning less than £26k/pa