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Certified Sommelier Exam

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Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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1. Pfalz
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris

2. Loire Valley Major Regions
Cava (most in Catalonia)
Alluvial & volcanic soils - granite - clay - sand - Cool coastal regions vs. hot inland area - Chardonnay - Riesling - Muscat - Pinot Noir - Shiraz - Bordeaux varietals (sparkling - still - fortified) - Yarra Valley - Rutherglen - Heathco
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor

3. Hawkes Bay
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
3 years
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Driest region in NZ - 2nd in size to Marlborough - Sandy alluvial soils over gravel - limestone - Sunny climate - warmest in NZ - Known for Chardonnay - CS - and Syrah

4. Malbec (Argentina)
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Blueberry
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.

5. Washington State
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
eanut shell

6. South Spain
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion

7. Appellations shared between WA and OR
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
'Re -passed' - Traditional winemaking technique in the Veneto - Young Valp put into tanks or barrels containing lees or dried fruits from previous Amarone fermentation - Causes secondary fermentation - increasing alcohol content - and adding Amaron

8. Ahr Valley
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Sicily - Full -bodied reds from vineyards on the slopes of Mt. Etna made from Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio - White grape is Carricante (clone of Garganega)
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
What varietals are called in South Africa

9. Champagne Dryness/Sweetness Levels
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian

10. 85% Varietal Madeiras
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Anjou AOC - Dry wines from Chenin Blanc - Tiny appellation with low yields - Best wines have great aging potential - Clos de la Coulee de Serrant - Chateau de la Roche aux Moines
hite wines from Viognier
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve

11. Saumur Champigny

12. Niederosterreich
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris

13. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
Orange Candy
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Vintage dated sherries
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983

14. Anbaugebiete
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Major Growing Region
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir

15. Primary Greek Red Varietals
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
Cooler coastal climate with an active sparkling wine industry- Warm interior with old vine Zinfandel - Petite Sirah - Carigange - etc. - Notables include Anderson Valley (Alsatian varietals) - Guenoc - Redwood Valley - Yorkville - Potter Valle

16. South Australia

17. Dao
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Terraced vineyards on granite slopes - 90% red; 10% white - 12 approved grape varieties - By law - 20% minimum of red wines must be from Touriga Nacional - Predominant white grapes are Arinto and Encruzado
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc

18. Gruner Veltliner
Clay -based soils with chalk - Sparkling wines from Maria Gomez and Bical - Red wines must contain a minimum of 50% Baga grape (normally 80%) - Predominant white grape is Maria Gomez
Lentils
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Driest region in NZ - 2nd in size to Marlborough - Sandy alluvial soils over gravel - limestone - Sunny climate - warmest in NZ - Known for Chardonnay - CS - and Syrah

19. Layon Valley AOCs
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages

20. Sangiovese (Tuscany)
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Volcanic soils - red basalt - low fertility - Cool maritime climate - high humidity - windy (East facing slopes) - Chardonnay - Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Pinot Noir - sparkling wines - Hobart - Launceston - Piper's River - Coal River
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Sour red cherry

21. Almacenistas
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Semi -sparkling
America's oldest wine industry

22. Soils in St. Joseph and Crozes Hermitage
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Sweet pear
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli

23. Canterbury
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
High acid
Anjou AOC - Dry wines from Chenin Blanc - Tiny appellation with low yields - Best wines have great aging potential - Clos de la Coulee de Serrant - Chateau de la Roche aux Moines
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines

24. Wairarapa
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Vinho de Mesa: table wines - Vinho Regional (VR); similar to VdP - IPR: similar to VDQS or IGT - Denominacao de Origem Controlada (DOC) - Garrafeira: reserve wines
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)

25. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Plum
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
High acid

26. Ruby Port & Styles

27. Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura

28. Rioja DOCa Sub -Zones
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Finesse
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes

29. Campania

30. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
Bordered by the Vosges Mountains on the west and Germany's Rhein river to the east - 51 Grand Cru vineyards - Purity of fruit and terroir - New oak rarely used - Wines labeled by varietal - not by terroir - Concentrated - full -bodied dry white win
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc

31. Vintage Madeira
Tafelwein: table wine - Landwein: regional wine - Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugbiete (QbA): quality wine from one of the 13 major regions - Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP): quality wine determined by the degree of ripeness at harvest; only classif
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Must be made from 100% of stated varietal - Must be aged for a minimum of 20 years in wood and 2 years in bottle before release
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine

32. Monterey County
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Known as the "Garden of France" - France's longest river (625 miles) - Agricultural center of France - Maritime Climate to West/Coastal - Continental Climate to East/Inland
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

33. Schist
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes

34. Red Port Varietals
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao

35. Pinot Noir
Cranberry
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch

36. Loire Valley Primary Red Varietals
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Hazelnut

37. Paso Robles

38. Late Bottled Vintage Port
Vinho de Mesa: table wines - Vinho Regional (VR); similar to VdP - IPR: similar to VDQS or IGT - Denominacao de Origem Controlada (DOC) - Garrafeira: reserve wines
Produced in non -declared vintages - Fruit sourced from top quintas - Aged 4 -6 years in casks - Vintage and bottling years must be declared on label - Some are age -worthy
Structure
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect

39. Condrieu
Lisboa (formerly Estramadura - Atlantic influenced climate) - Tejo (formerly Alentejo - Periquita grape - white wines from chalky soils) - Colares (Ramisco grape - ungrafted vines grown in sand) - Algarve (red and white - 4 DO districts
Plum skin
hite wines from Viognier
Vintage dated sherries

40. Sauvignon Blanc
Grass
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot

41. Sancerre
Vinho de Mesa: table wines - Vinho Regional (VR); similar to VdP - IPR: similar to VDQS or IGT - Denominacao de Origem Controlada (DOC) - Garrafeira: reserve wines
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Fino: lightest; fortified to 15.5% - Manzanilla: a delicate style of Fino aged only in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda - Amontillado: a Fino that has been left in cask for additional aging and develops a rich - nutty flaor; usually dry -
Hazelnut

42. Margaux
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Established in the late 1870's - Alluvial soild - red clay - sand - and clay - Hot & humid with cyclonic rains possible - Semillon - Chardonnay - Riesling - Shiraz - Hunter Valley (predominantly white - established by Penfolds in the 1960's)
Vineyards established in 1829 - Gravels and sands over clay - Warm maritime climate - ocean breezes - Chardonnay - Riesling Bordeaux grapes - Shiraz - Margaret River (AUS first appellation system in 1978 - known for elegance and finesse) - Great
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)

43. Mendocino County
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Fino: lightest; fortified to 15.5% - Manzanilla: a delicate style of Fino aged only in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda - Amontillado: a Fino that has been left in cask for additional aging and develops a rich - nutty flaor; usually dry -
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Cooler coastal climate with an active sparkling wine industry- Warm interior with old vine Zinfandel - Petite Sirah - Carigange - etc. - Notables include Anderson Valley (Alsatian varietals) - Guenoc - Redwood Valley - Yorkville - Potter Valle

44. Rias Biaxas
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao

45. SA's Primary White Cultivars
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out
Sweet pear
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray

46. Colheita
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes

47. Primary Tuscan White Varietals
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto

48. Saumur AOCs
Sits in GravesWorld famous botrytis dessert wines - Semillon - Sauvignon Blanc - Muscadelle - Dry wines labeled as Graves Blanc or Bordeaux Blanc Saint - Estephe - Northernmost commune of the Haut - Medoc - Wines are rustic
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal

49. Nahe
Generic term for sparkling
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Anjou AOC - Dry wines from Chenin Blanc - Tiny appellation with low yields - Best wines have great aging potential - Clos de la Coulee de Serrant - Chateau de la Roche aux Moines

50. California Major Regions
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Structure
Sour red cherry
North Coast Super AVA - Sierras - Central Coast (Santa Cruz to Santa Barbera) - Central Valley (south to Clarksburg and Lodi) - Southern Valleys ( Santa Ynez to San Diego)