WSET Level 2 Wines: the studying starts
Written on 24 September 2026.
My WSET Level 2 Award in Wines materials arrived today, so the studying starts now.
I've spent more than a decade in food and beverage, from five-star hotel floors to running bars in Cork, and I've served and sold a lot of wine along the way. This is about putting proper structure behind that experience.
What Level 2 asks of you
WSET calls it a "beginner- to intermediate-level qualification exploring wines". The spine of it is the Systematic Approach to Tasting, so that two people at the same bar describe the same glass in the same words. Around that sit eight principal grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah), the growing and winemaking that shape them, wines from more than seventy geographical indications, sparkling and fortified styles, the label terms that signal origin, style and quality, storage and service, and the principles of pairing food and wine.
WSET sets a minimum of 28 hours: sixteen with a course provider, eleven of your own study, and a one-hour closed-book exam of fifty multiple-choice questions.
Why it matters on the floor
The part I care about is the last one: how to describe a wine in a way that actually helps a guest choose. "Dry, with a bit of citrus and a clean finish" sells a glass. A grape name on its own sells nothing, and a wine list the team can't talk about is a list nobody orders from.
It's also part of getting ready for the next step: Scotland, and a room where the wine list will be mine to teach. The spirits come next, and I'm learning my Scotch from the ground up; that piece is here.
Bartenders and sommeliers: what's the one phrase that sells a glass at your bar? Tell me in the comments on LinkedIn, or hit reply if this came to you by email.
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References
- Wine & Spirit Education Trust (2026) WSET Level 2 Award in Wines. Available at: wsetglobal.com (Accessed: 21 October 2026).
https://www.ciaran-murray.com/wset-level-2-wines-the-studying-starts/ · 24 September 2026 · Ciaran Murray
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