The 2011 MW exam, which took place last week, was as tough as always.
If you think you could do it, have a bash at the questions I tackled: you need 65% to pass – and remember to include examples from the old and new world!
Paper 1: The production of wine: part 1
What are the vineyard factors that influence the choice of rootstocks?
Compare and contrast the advantages of organic and non-organic viticulture
What are the options available for the control of acidity in must and wines from selecting the date of harvest to the end of the malolactic conversion?
Paper 2: The production of wine part 2
What factors should influence the choice of a wine’s closure?
What filtration techniques are available to the winemaker after malolactic conversion and before bottling? When and how might each of them be employed?
Critically assess the use of yeast lees in the maturation of both still and sparkling wines.
Paper 3: The Business of Wine
Examine the advantages and disadvantages of remaining a small wine estate
Volume or profit? Examine the options facing multinational wine companies
How can the internet influence the success (or failure) of a wine brand?
Paper 4: Contemporary Issues
How important is the influence of wine journalism in today’s media?
Some say the majority of wine consumers enjoy wine without understanding it. How will this shape the future of the international wine trade?
