This episode is part of The Sommpour D5 Audible Cheat Sheet Series, created specifically for WSET Diploma candidates preparing for the Fortified Wines (D5) exam.
These episodes are not introductions to fortified wines, and they are not region walkthroughs. They are methodical, exam-calibrated revision tools designed for on-the-go recall at distinction level.
Each episode follows the logic of the official WSET D5 specification, building fortified wine understanding through a complete causal chain: grape attributes, growing environment, production and ageing choices and business and market drivers.
Fortification is always treated as a response to grape, climate, stability, and market constraints — never as an isolated technique.
This series is intended to complement, not replace:
- the D5 tasting framework (how fortified wines show in the glass), and
- the D5 theory framework (how to structure exam answers).
If you are listening while walking, commuting, or revising lightly, the goal is simple: to help you recall why fortified wines exist, how their styles are created, and what the examiners are actually rewarding.
