Preparing for the D3 Exams

The WSET 4 section of D3, Wines of the World, is seen as the most challenging part of the whole diploma course. The wine school I am registered at often refers to D3 as ‘The Beast’, but to give us courage they added that we can dance with the beast. Meaning we can, of course, get on top of it. Giving the large syllabus of this section, getting on top of it is not an easy task! Therefore, I am not ashamed to admit that yesterday I did not dance with the beast, but the beast danced with me…

I think my main mistake was, that I tried to do too much and too perfect. Determined as I was, I tried to study the different wine regions of California and repeat the Spanish regions of Castilla Y Leon and Rioja. That turned to be a lot to fit into one long afternoon! Adding to my stress, came that I didn’t have the sense that my brain was retaining any of the information I was feeding it. Anyway, I did push through and got everything that I had intended on doing, done. The question of course does remain if my brain retained any of the information, but I am sure somethings most have been absorbed, which is always a win. My second mistake was that, because I was tired of studying, I landed on the couch and put on Netflix for the entire evening. What I have should have done was go out for walk to clear my head. So, as soon as I am done writing this post, I am going to put on my hiking shoes and go out for a long walk, that is if the Dutch weather allows me. Before work tonight, I do still want to study the wine regions of Oregon, which luckily is a lot less than California!

To all my fellow Diploma students that are doing the D3 exams in October, I wish you the best of luck with the preparations. Make sure to get enough physical exercise in and try not to study too much in one day, we still got plenty of time to dance with the beast! Let the marathon continue!