Free WSET Wine Tasting Techniques Test 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is true about Sweetness in food when pairing with wine?
- It makes a wine seem more acidic
- It makes a wine seem more bitter
- It makes seem less fruity
- All of the above (Correct answer)
Correct answer: All of the above
Sweetness in food has a significant impact on how wine is perceived. When paired with a dry wine, sweet food makes the wine seem less fruity, more acidic, and more bitter, often making it taste thin and unbalanced. To avoid this, it's generally recommended to pair sweet foods with wines that are at least as sweet, or sweeter, than the food itself.
Question 2: Which of the following is true about Umami in food when pairing with wine?
- It makes a wine seem more bitter (Correct answer)
- It makes a wine seem less acidic
- It makes a wine seem sweeter
- None of the above
Correct answer: It makes a wine seem more bitter
Umami in food, often found in ingredients like mushrooms, aged cheeses, and tomatoes, can have a challenging effect on wine. When paired with dry wines, umami tends to make the wine seem more bitter, more acidic, and less fruity, sometimes even imparting a metallic taste. This makes umami-rich dishes particularly tricky to pair harmoniously with many wines.
Question 3: Salt can enhance the flavour in wine.
- TRUE (Correct answer)
- FALSE
Correct answer: TRUE
TRUE. Salt in food is one of the most wine-friendly components, as it can positively enhance the perception of wine. It tends to soften bitterness and acidity in wine, making it seem fruitier, less astringent, and more balanced. This is why many salty foods, like cured meats or salty snacks, pair well with a wide range of wines.
Question 4: Acidity in food can make a wine seem:
- Drier
- Less acidic (Correct answer)
- Less fruity
- More bitter
Correct answer: Less acidic
When food has a high level of acidity, it makes the wine taste less acidic by comparison. This effect can make the wine seem softer, rounder, and fruitier, as its own acidity is perceived as less prominent. Therefore, pairing high-acid wines with acidic foods is often a successful strategy, as the wine's acidity acts as a refreshing counterpoint.
Question 5: Which statement is true about flavour intensity in food and wine pairing?
- The flavour intensity of the food should be higher that the flavour intensity of the wine
- The flavour intensity of the wine should be higher than the flavour intensity of the food
- The food and wine should have equal flavour intensities (Correct answer)
- None of the above
Correct answer: The food and wine should have equal flavour intensities
A fundamental principle of food and wine pairing is to match the intensity of the flavors. For a harmonious pairing, the flavor intensity of the food and the wine should be roughly equal. If one overpowers the other, the balance is lost, and the enjoyment of either the food or the wine (or both) can be diminished.
Question 6: Which of the following pairings is correct?
- Salt in food decreases Acidity in wine (Correct answer)
- Umami in food decreases Alcohol in wine
- Chili Heat in food decreases Bitterness in wine
- Sweetness in food decreases Acidity in wine
Correct answer: Salt in food decreases Acidity in wine
Salt in food has the effect of decreasing the perception of acidity in wine, making the wine seem softer and fruitier. Conversely, umami in food increases bitterness and acidity in wine, while chili heat exacerbates the burning sensation of alcohol. Sweetness in food makes dry wines seem more acidic and bitter, highlighting the unique impact of each food component on wine perception.
Question 7: The effect of chili heat is greatest in which wine style?
- Wines with higher alcohol (Correct answer)
- Wines with lower alcohol
- Wines with residual sugar
- Wines with intense fruity characters
Correct answer: Wines with higher alcohol
The effect of chili heat in food is most pronounced and often most detrimental when paired with wines that have higher alcohol content. Chili heat amplifies the burning sensation of alcohol, making high-alcohol wines seem even hotter and less pleasant on the palate. Therefore, wines with lower alcohol and some residual sugar are generally preferred with spicy dishes to mitigate this effect.
Question 8: A person’s sensitivities do not play an important role in matching food and wine.
- TRUE
- FALSE (Correct answer)
Correct answer: FALSE
FALSE. A person's individual sensitivities to tastes like bitterness, sweetness, acidity, or the burning sensation of chili heat play a very important role in food and wine pairing. What one person finds enjoyable, another might find unpleasant due to differing physiological responses and personal preferences. Therefore, successful pairing often involves considering individual palates.
Question 9: Food has a greater impact on wine than wine has on food.
- TRUE (Correct answer)
- FALSE
Correct answer: TRUE
TRUE. Generally, food has a more significant and often more negative impact on the taste of wine than wine has on food. A poorly chosen food pairing can drastically alter a wine's perception, making it taste bitter, acidic, or thin. While wine can certainly enhance or detract from a dish, the effect of food on wine is often more profound and potentially detrimental.
Question 10: Acidity in wine makes the palate seem cloying and unrefreshing when paired with fatty/oily foods.
- TRUE
- FALSE (Correct answer)
Correct answer: FALSE
Acidity in wine actually provides a refreshing contrast to fatty or oily foods, cutting through their richness and cleansing the palate. Instead of making the palate seem cloying, it helps to balance the meal and prevent a heavy, unrefreshing sensation. This is why high-acid wines are often recommended pairings for rich dishes.
Question 11: Which flavour profile best describes a Syrah?
- Strawberry, mushroom, and barnyard
- Black currants, green bell pepper, and cedar
- Red Plum, dark cherry, and coffee
- Blackberry, black pepper, and herbal (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Blackberry, black pepper, and herbal
Syrah (also known as Shiraz) is typically characterized by a robust flavor profile dominated by dark fruits like blackberry, often accompanied by savory notes of black pepper and sometimes herbal or smoky undertones. This combination of fruit, spice, and earthiness is a hallmark of the grape, especially from regions like the Rhône Valley or Australia. The other options describe different grape varieties.
Free WSET Wine Tasting Techniques Test 2
Which of the following is true about Sweetness in food when pairing with wine?