WSET 2 - Climate

WSET 2 – Climate

This practice box is designed to clarify and quantify the effect of climate on wine style. All wines in this box are single-varietal , allowing you to fully focus on the influence of temperature, location, and origin on each grape, without the disruption of blends. By tasting the same grapes from distinctly different climate zones side by side, you'll see and taste how climate influences ripeness, structure, and balance. This box is a direct extension of WSET Level 2 and is also ideal for wine lovers who want to better understand why origin so significantly influences style.

Purpose and theme of this practice box

The goal of this box is to learn how cool, temperate, and warm climates translate to the glass. You'll practice comparing the same grape variety from contrasting conditions and learn to logically connect your observations to factors such as temperature, altitude, and continental or maritime influences. This is a core component of WSET Level 2, which uses climate to explain style differences.

How can you use this box

This box works best when tasting pairs of wines by grape variety. Always pair two wines from the same grape variety, preferably starting blind. First, describe the appearance, nose, and palate according to the SAT structure, and only then consider the origin and climate. By consistently following this order, you learn to reason based on what you observe in the glass and prevent prior knowledge from influencing your tasting notes. Comparing cool versus warm climates by grape variety quickly reveals patterns.

Background information per wine

Domaine Bégude Terroir 11300 Chardonnay

• Country: France.

• Region: Limoux, Languedoc.

• Climate: cool to temperate for southern France.

• Terroir: Higher-altitude vineyards influenced by Atlantic air and altitude.

Panamera Chardonnay

• Country: United States.

• Region: California, Central Valley.

• Climate: warm.

• Terroir: Low-lying vineyards with high solar intensity and limited natural cooling.

Villa Wolf Pinot Noir

• Country: Germany.

• Region: Palatinate.

• Climate: temperate with cool influences.

• Terroir: sheltered location on the edge of the Haardt Mountains.

Les Volets Pinot Noir

• Country: France.

• Region: Languedoc.

• Climate: warm Mediterranean.

• Terroir: lower-lying plots with many hours of sunshine.

Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

• Country: United States.

• Region: Livermore Valley, California.

• Climate: temperate with cool influences.

• Terroir: Hilly area with morning mist and good drainage.

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon

• Country: Chile.

• Region: Colchagua Valley.

• Climate: warm to temperate.

• Terroir: Vineyards with Andean influence and alluvial soils.

Van Volxem Riesling

• Country: Germany.

• Region: Saar, Moselle.

• Climate: cool.

• Terroir: steep vineyards with slate soils along the Saar River.

Von Winning Villa Niederberger Riesling

• Country: Germany.

• Region: Pfalz, Deidesheim.

• Climate: temperate and relatively warm for Germany.

• Terroir: calcareous soils around Deidesheim.

Working with the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting

The WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting helps you analyze climate differences in a structured way. By first objectively describing what you see, smell, and taste, and then linking your conclusions to the origin and climate, you learn to logically explain style differences. In WSET Level 2, recognizing cool and warm climates plays a central role. This practice box helps you consciously taste these differences and consistently explain them using the SAT method.