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Episode Summary Welcome to Episode 50 of the Wine Educate Podcast. It’s a milestone week—Joanne just had a birthday, and we’ve reached our 50th episode. To mark the occasion, this episode brings you a fun, practical exercise to help improve your tasting vocabulary, especially for those studying for the WSET Level 3 exam.

Today’s topic is oak aromas and flavors—one of the most commonly underdeveloped sections of student tasting notes. Joanne explains why “oak” is not a sufficient descriptor and walks you through how to build your own Oak Aroma Kit using things you likely already have at home. From vanilla extract and baking spices to chocolate, toast, dill, and even suntan lotion, this is a creative way to get those key aromas into your memory before the exam.

She also shares tips for using your new kit in a tasting group and how to tie these aromas back to real wine examples, including wines that clearly express American oak and French oak.

In This Episode

• Why generic terms like “oak” cost you points on the WSET exam

• A walkthrough of each aroma listed under the Oak cluster in the Level 3 SAT

• How to assemble your own oak aroma kit with household items

• How to turn it into a tasting game with friends or classmates

• Where to find wines that highlight oak character for comparison

• A special listener request: Joanne wants to hear from you

Episode Homework

• Sign up for the Wine Educate newsletter to receive the Oak Aroma Kit PDF

• Gather the kit items from around your house and start practicing

• Share the episode with your tasting group and try the recall game

• Taste and compare a wine that shows clear oak character—American and French

• Email Joanne and let her know what episodes or topics you’ve enjoyed most

Looking Ahead The tasting series continues next week with more exercises to strengthen your sensory memory and build confidence for the exam. Stay tuned, and as always, thank you for being part of the Wine Educate community.