Mastering the WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT)

The WSET Level 3 tasting exam fills many students with dread. You have 30 minutes to blindly taste two wines (one white, one red) and accurately describe them using the specific WSET SAT lexicon.

This isn’t about writing poetic descriptions; it’s about data entry. You are a wine computer. The SAT is your operating system. Here is how to program yourself to pass.

The Golden Rule: Stick to the Lexicon

If you write “The wine smells like grandma’s strawberry jam,” you get zero points. If you write “Developing nose with notes of cooked strawberry and red plum,” you get points. Always keep the WSET Level 3 SAT card in front of you until you have memorized every single valid term.

1. Appearance (1-2 Marks)

Don’t rush this. It gives you clues for the nose and palate.

  • Clarity: Clear (almost always) or Hazy (faulty/unfiltered).
  • Intensity:
    • White: Extend your hand. Can you see your fingers clearly through the wine from top-down? Pale. Hard to see? Deep.
    • Red: Tilt the glass. Can you read text through the core? Pale/Medium. Opaque? Deep.
  • Colour:
    • White: Lemon-Green (very young), Lemon (standard), Gold (aged/oak), Amber (oxidized).
    • Red: Purple (young/thick skin), Ruby (standard), Garnet (aged/thin skin), Tawny (very old/oxidized).

2. Nose (6-7 Marks)

This is where the money is.

  • Condition: Clean. (If it smells like wet cardboard, it’s Corked/Faulty).
  • Intensity: Hold the glass at your chest. Smell it? Pronounced. Chin? Medium. Nose in glass? Light.
  • Aroma Characteristics: You need Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary descriptors.
    • Primary: Fruits, Flowers, Herbs (e.g., Lemon, Green Apple, Elderflower).
    • Secondary: Winemaking (Vanilla/Toast from oak, Biscuit/Bread from lees, Butter/Cream from MLF).
    • Tertiary: Aging (Petrol, Honey, Mushroom, Leather, Forest Floor).
  • Development:
    • Youthful: Only primary/secondary.
    • Developing: Primary + hints of Tertiary.
    • Fully Developed: Dominant Tertiary (rare in exams).

3. Palate (10+ Marks)

The structure is objective. Calibrate your mouth.

  • Sweetness: Dry (no sugar), Off-Dry (tiny hint), Medium-Dry/Sweet, Sweet (Dessert).
  • Acidity: Do you drool?
    • Low: No reaction.
    • Medium: Gentle salivation.
    • High: Instant, aggressive gushing (like biting a lemon).
  • Tannin (Reds): Rub your tongue on your gums.
    • Low: Smooth (Pinot Noir).
    • Medium: Some grip.
    • High: Drying, gums stick to lips (Cabernet, Nebbiolo).
  • Alcohol: Warming sensation in chest.
    • Low: <11%
    • Medium: 11-13.9%
    • High: 14%+ (Burn).
  • Body: Weight on tongue. Like Water (Light), Skim Milk (Medium), Cream (Full).
  • Flavour Intensity: Does it coat your mouth?
  • Finish: Count in seconds after swallowing.
    • Short: <5s
    • Medium: 5-10s
    • Long: 10s+ (Flavor persists, not just acidity/burn).

4. Conclusion (3-4 Marks)

You must back up your quality sentiment (Poor, Acceptable, Good, Very Good, Outstanding) with the BLIC method:

  • Balance: Do the acid/sugar/alcohol/tannin play nice?

  • Length: Is the finish long?

  • Intensity: Are the flavors concentrated?

  • Complexity: Are there primary, secondary, AND tertiary notes?

  • Assessment:

    • Good: Has Balance + Intensity.
    • Very Good: Balance + Intensity + Length.
    • Outstanding: All four (BLIC).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Ranges: Do NOT write “Medium (+)” or “Medium to High”. Commit. Write “High”.
  2. Missing Descriptors: If you check “Developing,” you MUST list tertiary aromas.
  3. Vagueness: “Citrus” is not enough. “Lemon” or “Grapefruit” is required.
  4. Second Guessing: Your first sniff is usually right. If you smell Lychee, it’s Gewurz. Don’t talk yourself out of it.

Practice Routine

Buy 3 wines a week: A high acid white (Riesling), an oaked white (Chardonnay), and a heavy red (Cabernet). Taste them blind. Write full notes. Compare with official examples. Repeat until the lexicon is your native language.