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WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
The third of WSET's four wine qualifications, and the first with a blind tasting paper. Study online with live teaching, in person, or as a harvest bootcamp in Napa Valley. Exam registration and the exam fee are included in every course format.
WSET Level 3 Wine Online | Instructor-Led Course
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines | In-Person
WSET Level 3 Wine Early Access
WSET Level 3 Wine Harvest Bootcamp | Napa, California
WSET Level 3 Wine Harvest Bootcamp | Napa, California 2026
The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is the third of WSET's four wine qualifications. It moves beyond what a wine is to why it is that way, examining the natural and human factors behind still, sparkling and fortified wines and their effect on style, quality and price. Level 3 is also the first level to examine you on blind tasting. Assessment is in three parts: 50 multiple-choice questions, a paper of short written answers, and a blind tasting of two wines.
Compare the four WSET Level 3 formats
| Instructor-Led Online | In Person | Harvest Bootcamp | Early Access Prep | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $1,135 | $1,780 | $3,999 | $299 |
| Format | Online | In person | Hybrid — online, then in person in Napa Valley | Online, self-directed |
| Live teaching | Live webinars, all recorded for later viewing | Classroom teaching with an instructor in the room | Online teaching followed by consecutive days in Napa Valley | None — self-directed preparation before you enroll |
| Exam | Included | Included | Included | Not included — this is preparation, not the qualification |
| Best if you want | A structured cohort and live instruction without travelling | A calibrated palate and a room of people tasting alongside you | The qualification and a working harvest in Napa Valley | To start studying before a cohort opens, or to arrive better prepared |
The course listings at the top of this page always carry the live price, and group discounts apply automatically when several of you book together.
Which format is actually worth the money
All four routes lead to the same qualification. The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is a single global qualification, set and graded to one standard worldwide, and your certificate does not record which format you studied. The exam is identical whichever way you learned. So the honest way to choose is to ask what each step up in price actually buys.
Instructor-led online is the baseline for most people: live teaching on a fixed timetable, recorded so a missed week is not a lost week, without travel or accommodation. If you are working in the trade and studying around shifts, this is usually the rational purchase and the other formats are optional.
In person buys you a tasting flight poured for you and an instructor watching how you taste. Level 3 is the first level with a blind tasting paper, and calibration is the hardest part of it to teach remotely. If you are unsure whether what you are smelling is what everyone else is smelling, this is what the extra pays for.
The Harvest Bootcamp adds Napa Valley during harvest to the qualification. Be clear about what it does not buy: a better certificate. If the credential is what you need, the instructor-led online course is the better purchase and we would rather you bought that one. The bootcamp is for people who want the qualification and the harvest.
Early Access is not a fourth route to the qualification — it is preparation you can start today, before a cohort opens. Level 3 is a significant step up from Level 2, and arriving with the groundwork done is the single best predictor of a comfortable first attempt.
The short version. Buy the cheapest format that fits how you actually study, and pay more only for something you can name — wines poured for you, a calibrated palate, or harvest in the valley.
Entry requirements
- No formal prerequisite. We strongly recommend completing the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines first — Level 3 assumes the grape varieties, regions and tasting vocabulary that Level 2 teaches.
- Students must be at least 21 years of age to taste alcohol on any US course.
What you'll learn
- How decisions in the vineyard and the winery shape a wine's style, quality and price
- The principal still wine regions of the world, and the natural and human factors behind their signature styles
- How the finest sparkling wines are made, and what separates the methods
- How fortified wines are produced, and the traits that define each style
- How to assess quality and readiness for drinking, not merely describe a wine
- How to describe a wine using the WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting® (SAT)
- How to give expert advice on wine to customers and colleagues
What's included
- 30 hours of live and recorded training, plus guided tasting webinars covering 24 wines
- Exam registration and the exam fee
- Online Wine Academy™ student portal, with live webinars and a video library
- Access to our student discussion community
- Your WSET certificate and lapel pin on passing
Tasting samples are not included and are purchased separately.
The exam and how it is graded
The Level 3 exam has three parts: 50 multiple-choice questions, a paper of short written answers, and a blind tasting of two wines assessed using the Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting®. The theory and tasting components are passed separately — a strong tasting paper will not carry a weak theory paper, and the reverse is equally true.
Level 3 exams are sat in person, not by remote invigilation. Sittings and their venues are published in advance and seats are limited. See upcoming WSET Level 3 exam dates before you choose a cohort, so your course finishes in time for the sitting you want.
Why study WSET Level 3 with Napa Valley Wine Academy
- 73.8% pass rate. In the 2024–25 academic year, 73.8% of our 859 Level 3 candidates passed at the first attempt. See our published WSET pass rates, including the method behind every figure.
- Winner of the Riedel Trophy for WSET Educator of the Year in 2016 and 2019.
- Four ways to study, including a harvest bootcamp in Napa Valley that no other provider runs.
- Tasting taught by people who taste for a living — Masters of Wine, working winemakers and Diploma holders.
Frequently asked questions
How much does WSET Level 3 cost at Napa Valley Wine Academy?
Instructor-Led Online is $1,135, In Person is $1,780, and the Harvest Bootcamp is $3,999. Exam registration and the exam fee are included in all three. Early Access preparation is $299 and does not include the qualification. The course listings on this page always carry the live price.
Do I need to complete Level 2 first?
Not formally, but we strongly recommend it. Level 3 assumes the grape varieties, regions and tasting vocabulary taught at Level 2, and students who skip it usually find the written paper harder than they expected. If you are starting from scratch, begin with the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines.
Is there a tasting exam at Level 3?
Yes. This is the first WSET wine level with a blind tasting paper. You will taste two wines and assess them using the Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting®, and the tasting paper must be passed in its own right.
How hard is WSET Level 3?
It is a substantial step up from Level 2, and that surprises people. Level 2 asks what a wine is; Level 3 asks why, in writing, under time pressure, and adds a blind tasting paper on top. Our first-attempt pass rate at Level 3 is 73.8%, against 95.1% at Level 2 — that gap is the honest answer to this question.
What happens if I do not pass?
You can resit. Where only one component was failed, you resit that component rather than the whole exam. Resit fees and the next available sittings are listed on our Level 3 exam dates page.
Which format should I choose?
Choose instructor-led online for live teaching on a set timetable without travelling. Choose in person if you want wines poured for you and your palate calibrated by an instructor. Choose the Harvest Bootcamp if you want the qualification and an immersive stay in Napa Valley during harvest.
What comes after Level 3?
The WSET Level 4 Diploma, WSET's highest wine qualification. A pass at Level 3 is required before you can register for it, and the Diploma takes most students two to two and a half years across six units.