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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. Musca
Orange Candy
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Lentils

2. Douro
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Vintage dated sherries
Only a small percentage of grapes grown may be used for Port production - DOC status for table wines earned in 1982 - Grapes: Touriga Nacional - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca

3. Primary Spanish Red Varietals
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Howell Mountain - Chiles Valley - Napa Valley - Atlas Peak - Stag's Leap District - Oak Knoll - Wild Horse Valley - Los Carneros - Yountville - Mount Veeder - Oakville - Rutherford - Spring Mountain District - Diamond Mountain District

4. Chablis Grand Crus
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Aged in wood - ready to drink on release - Sees oxygen in the barrel and - thus - loses its color - Aged Tawny Port (with indication of age)
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio

5. Pierce's Disease
Sweet pear
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)

6. Rheingau
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)

7. Alsace Noble Varietals

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8. Malbec (Argentina)
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
Blueberry
Lentils

9. Northeast Spain
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion

10. Loire Valley

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11. Chateauneuf -de -Pape Soils
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Sweet pear

12. Primary Spanish White Varietals
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

13. Tasmania

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14. Priorat DOCa
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Howell Mountain - Chiles Valley - Napa Valley - Atlas Peak - Stag's Leap District - Oak Knoll - Wild Horse Valley - Los Carneros - Yountville - Mount Veeder - Oakville - Rutherford - Spring Mountain District - Diamond Mountain District
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris

15. Listrac & Moulis
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Albariza - Barros - Arenas

16. Produces more sparkling wine than any other country
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Cava (most in Catalonia)
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve

17. Gisborne
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
roduce of Australia: most general; no vontage - variety allowed on label - South -Eastern Australia Super Zone - State of Origin - Zones (e.g. Barossa is a zone in S. Australia) - Regions (e.g. Barossa is divided into Barossa Valley and Eden Valley)
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine

18. Grapes in Valpolicella and Amarone
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Vino Joven: no aging requirements - Vino de Crianza: one year in barrels - one year further aging - Reserva: one year in barrels - two years further aging - Gran Reserva: two years in barrels - three years further aging
Continental with LeMistral winds
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

19. Vintage Port
Accounts for less than 3% of all port - Most expensive - BUT easiest to produce (2 years wood aging) - Produced from top quintas - Vintages must be declared and approved by IVP
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
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

20. Washington State
The Hamptons - North Fork Long Island - Long Island - Hudson Valley - Seneca Lake - Cayuga Lake - Finger Lakes
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy

21. Cotes de Beaune ACs
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
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Aloxe Corton (red Grand Cru is Corton - white Grand Cru is Corton Charlemagne) - Beaune (Premier Cru only) - Pommard (Premier Cru only) - Volnay (Premier Cru only) - Puligny -Motrachet (4 Grand Cru*) - Chassagne -Montrachet (4 Grand Cru*) *2 overlap

22. Montlouis
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
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

23. Brunello di Montalcino Aging
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Wine pumped into tanks with liqueur de tirage - Fermentation complete in 4 -5 days - Best for certain varietals (e.g. Moscato d'Asti - Prosecco - Sekt)
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak

24. Southern Rhone Climate and Vineyards
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
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
Aloxe Corton (red Grand Cru is Corton - white Grand Cru is Corton Charlemagne) - Beaune (Premier Cru only) - Pommard (Premier Cru only) - Volnay (Premier Cru only) - Puligny -Motrachet (4 Grand Cru*) - Chassagne -Montrachet (4 Grand Cru*) *2 overlap

25. Liqueur d'Expedition
West of Rioja on the River Duero - Red wines from Tempranillo (Tinto del Pais) and Bordeaux varietals - Wines are richer and fuller than Rioja wines with good aging potential
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out

26. VOS
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Lentils
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)

27. SA's Primary White Cultivars
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
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
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon

28. Cabernet Sauvignon
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Black plum
AOC for whites only - exclusively Chardonnay - limestone ove Kimmeridgian Clay (think crushed oyster shells) - region susceptible to late frost - Grand Cru sites have SW exposure
West of Rioja on the River Duero - Red wines from Tempranillo (Tinto del Pais) and Bordeaux varietals - Wines are richer and fuller than Rioja wines with good aging potential

29. Chateau -Grillet
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
White wines from Viognier from small single estate

30. Rheinhessen

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31. Pipe
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Larger area than Napa Valley with a great range of micro -climates - Maritime influence an important factor - Notables include Dry Creek - Rockpile - Alexander Valley - Los Carneros - Russian River

32. Tempranillo (Rioja Riserva/Gran Riserva)
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
Stewed fruits
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero

33. South Africa
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia
Howell Mountain - Chiles Valley - Napa Valley - Atlas Peak - Stag's Leap District - Oak Knoll - Wild Horse Valley - Los Carneros - Yountville - Mount Veeder - Oakville - Rutherford - Spring Mountain District - Diamond Mountain District
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals

34. Nahe
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
Accounts for less than 3% of all port - Most expensive - BUT easiest to produce (2 years wood aging) - Produced from top quintas - Vintages must be declared and approved by IVP
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

35. Ahr Valley
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.

36. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary White Varietals
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
Larger area than Napa Valley with a great range of micro -climates - Maritime influence an important factor - Notables include Dry Creek - Rockpile - Alexander Valley - Los Carneros - Russian River
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Juicyfruit Gum

37. Zinfandel
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Plum skin
Structure

38. Tawny Port
Lychee
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Aged in wood - ready to drink on release - Sees oxygen in the barrel and - thus - loses its color - Aged Tawny Port (with indication of age)

39. Chenin Blanc (Loire)
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Plum skin
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

40. Cote Challonaise ACs
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
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
Just under half of production is rose - Whites from Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and Roses (both AOCs) from Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others

41. Estufagem
The heating process causes maderization of the wine - caramelizing sugars and promoting oxidation - Estufa do Sol - finest wines are cask aged in lodges exposed to the sun for many years - Estufa - a vat or tank heated by hot water to approximatel
Fruit character
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines

42. Portugal White Varietals
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Bubblegum
Wine pumped into tanks with liqueur de tirage - Fermentation complete in 4 -5 days - Best for certain varietals (e.g. Moscato d'Asti - Prosecco - Sekt)

43. Friuli Venezia Giulia
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
Most widely planted grape in the world
Orange Candy

44. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine

45. Soils in Cote Rotie
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Single Vineyard
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas

46. Grenache
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Dehydrated strawberries
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
Accounts for less than 3% of all port - Most expensive - BUT easiest to produce (2 years wood aging) - Produced from top quintas - Vintages must be declared and approved by IVP

47. North Coast Super AVAs
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
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

48. VORS
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
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
Smoked meats/Bacon fat

49. Palo Cortado
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
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage

50. Edna Valley
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Vintage dated sherries
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB