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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. Late Bottled Vintage Port
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
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
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Soils: Mostly alluvial mountain runoff with sandstone - some limestone - schist - clay - and chalk - Climate: Cool (South) to warm (North) maritime - windy from West (must plant East of mountain ranges) - high rainfall and humidity

2. Anada
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Vintage dated sherries
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound

3. Colheita
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
Alluvial clays
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Red wines from 100% Syrah

4. South African Wine Regions
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Finesse
Marsannay - Fixin - Gevrey -Chambertin (8 Grand Crus) - Morey St. Denis (5 Grand Crus) - Chambolle -Musigny (2 Grand Crus) - Vougeot (1 Grand Cru) - Flagey Echezeaux (2 Grand Crus) - Vosnee -Romanee (6 Grand Crus) - Nuits St. Georges (Premier Cru onl
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)

5. Appassimento Process
Pinot Noir
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier

6. Saint -Joseph
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed

7. Victoria
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
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Pinot Noir
90km northeast of Paris

8. Palo Cortado
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
A method of fractional blending wherein old wine is periodically refreshed with younger wine (no more than 1/3) to ensure consistency - Wine is taken from a cask in one criadera and blended into a cask fro the next
NZ's original wine region - Home to Kumeu -Huapai and Waiheke Island - Very warm maritime climate with high humidity - Heavy clay soils (except for Waiheke Island) - Known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

9. Almacenistas
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
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
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

10. Etna DOC
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Terroir
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)
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed

11. Alsace Noble Varietals

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12. Provence
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Vino de Mesa (VdM) - Vino de la Tierra (VdIT): 60% from region - Denominacion de Origen (DO) - Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOCa - DOC - DOQ): Rioja and Priorat in 1988; Ridera del Duero pending - DO Pagos: single estates only
White wines from Viognier from small single estate
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)

13. Disgorging/Degorgement
True tawnies matured entirely in cask - After 6 years in cask - wines take on a smooth - creamy character - fruitcake spices - Age declarations: 10yr - 20yr - 30yr - 40yr (based on how old it "feels")
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
12 months
Yeast remnant popped out

14. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
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 -
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes

15. Southern Rhone Climate and Vineyards
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
New Zealand

16. Lombardy
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
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)

17. Beaumes -de -Venise
One of Italy's largest producing regions - Over 250 miles of coastline - flat regions of fertile plains - Montepulciano - Negroamaro - Primitivo - Malvasia Nera - Bombino are primary red grapes - Brindisi - Salice Salentino - San Severo - Man
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

18. Sauvignon Blanc
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Grass
Produced by adding distillate to UNfermented must - The distillate is a local brandy - and the must is from similarly local grapes - Pineau des Charentes and Floc de Gascogne

19. Rueda
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
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
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

20. Australia Primary Red Varietals
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine

21. Alsace
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years
Alluvial clays
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine

22. Niederosterreich
hite wines from Viognier
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal

23. Airen
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Most widely planted grape in the world

24. Northern Rhone Grape Varietals
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages

25. Washington State
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny

26. White Port Varietals
Tartared raspberry
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market

27. Oregon AVAs
Aged in glass - may be ready to drink on release OR aged further in bottle - Sees less oxygen than Tawny - so it doesn't lose its color - Vintage Port - LBV Port (4 -6 years) - Single Quinta Port - Reserve Port
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
NZ's most important and fastest growing wine region - Alluvial gravel - Protected from Westerly winds by South Alps and Easterlies by Southern tip of North Island - Awatere Valley and Wairau Valley

28. Right Bank Grapes (Bordeaux)
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe

29. Port Styles
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc

30. Portugal DOC Regions
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
Cava (most in Catalonia)
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values

31. Tasmania

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32. North Central Spain: Primary White Varietals
Stewed fruits
1/4 annual production of France - 60% Whites - Extreme northern latitudes - Primary Whites: Riesling - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Scheurebe - Weissburgunder - Grauburgunder - Primary Reds: Spatburgunder - Dornfelder - Portugieser
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo

33. Penedes
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
'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
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.

34. Franken (Franconia)
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Cranberry
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache

35. Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG

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36. Cabernet Sauvignon
Bourgogne Aligote Bouzeron (Aligote) - Rully (AC & Premier Cru) - Mercurey (AC & Premier Cru) - Givry (AC & Premier Cru) - Montagny AC (white only) - Premier Cru if more than 11.5% alcohol
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Black plum
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)

37. Saumur AOCs
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon

38. Primary Spanish White Varietals
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
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
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot

39. Portugal Red Varietals
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)

40. Pinot Noir's Role in Champagne
Structure
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot

41. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
Alluvial clays
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

42. Northern Rhone Appellations
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
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
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)

43. Red Port Varietals
One of Italy's largest producing regions - Over 250 miles of coastline - flat regions of fertile plains - Montepulciano - Negroamaro - Primitivo - Malvasia Nera - Bombino are primary red grapes - Brindisi - Salice Salentino - San Severo - Man
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages

44. Primary Greek White Varietals
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Tartared raspberry
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

45. Sicily

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46. Lazio
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau

47. South Spain
Orange Candy
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
Terroir
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes

48. Chateauneuf -de -Pape Soils
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier

49. Layon Valley AOCs
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Red - white - and rose wines produced in the Minho province (9 sub -districts) - Bottled young to undergo malolactic fermentation in the bottle (thus - have a prickle or bubble to it) - Best whites are from Alvarinho or Loureiro

50. Bual & Malmsey
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit