Level 1 is a door, not a requirement.

It is one of the first questions people ask before booking: do I have to start at Level 1? You do not. The WSET specifications are explicit: there are no restrictions on entry to Level 2 and candidates need no previous knowledge or experience of alcoholic drinks. Level 1 is an option, not a step you must climb.

This is an independent guide, based on the current specifications. Formats change, so check the WSET website before you book.

What Level 1 involves

Level 1 is WSET's entry level in wine: six hours of study time in total, all of it with a provider, including the exam.

• Exam. 30 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, closed book.
• Grades. Pass or fail only. The pass mark is 70%, higher than at Level 2.
• Content. The key stages of grape growing and winemaking; the main grape varieties and the styles of wine they make; how to store and serve wine. Two thirds of the marks sit on the grapes and styles.
• For whom. WSET describes it as a hands-on introduction for people new to wine study, with little or no prior knowledge.

There is no private study time in the specification: everything happens in the session itself.

What Level 2 asks

Level 2 is a different commitment: 28 hours of study time including a one-hour exam, with 11 of those hours as private study on your own.

• Exam. 50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, closed book.
• Grades. A pass from 55%, a merit from 70% and a distinction from 85%.
• Content. How the vineyard and the winery shape style and quality, the principal and regionally important grape varieties, sparkling and fortified wines, storage, service and food pairing. Grape varieties carry 31 of the 50 questions.
• For whom. WSET describes Level 2 as a beginner to intermediate qualification, for beginners as well as for people building on Level 1.

Tasting is part of the learning at both levels but is not examined. Choosing not to taste alcohol is no barrier to passing either one.

Start at Level 1 if

• Wine is new to you. You rarely buy it with any thought and the vocabulary feels foreign. A short, guided start removes that barrier before you commit more time.
• You want a low-stakes test of interest. Six hours tell you whether you enjoy learning about wine before you sign up for 28.
• You learn best in the room. Level 1 has no private study. If evenings with a book are unlikely, it fits your life.

Start at Level 2 if

• You already drink with curiosity. You know a few grapes and regions and want to understand them properly.
• You can find 11 hours of study on your own. That is the real difference between the levels: Level 2 expects you to revise between sessions.
• You want a graded result. Level 2 offers a merit and a distinction; Level 1 does not.
• You are aiming higher. WSET recommends Level 2 (or equivalent experience) before Level 3, which opens the Diploma. Level 1 is not part of that chain.

Choose the level that matches what you already know, not the one that comes first.

A quick test before you choose

Try ten Level 2 questions cold, without revising. If most of the vocabulary is unfamiliar, Level 1 is likely to make Level 2 easier and more enjoyable. If you follow most of the questions and miss only the details, start at Level 2 and use our Level 2 plan: six to eight weeks, studied to the weighting.

Worth Opening: WSET Level 2 has 20 mock exams of 50 questions and 1,000 questions with every answer explained. Mock 1 and the flashcards are free, so the test costs nothing. Independent study aid. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

When you are ready to look further ahead, our comparison of Level 2 and Level 3 shows what the next step asks.