Test your basic knowledge |

Certified Sommelier Exam

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Madeira Grapes (Driest to Sweetest)
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
3 years

2. Advantages to Transfer Method
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
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
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
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle

3. Trentino

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

4. Dao
Blueberry
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
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
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes

5. Disgorging/Degorgement
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
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Yeast remnant popped out

6. Primary Spanish Red Varietals
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

7. Victoria
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
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
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

8. Sherry Vinification
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Aged 12 months in bottle or barrel

9. Left Bank Communes
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes

10. Anjou
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
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
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
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

11. Southern Rhone Varietals (White)
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Orange Candy

12. Penedes Sub -Districts
Stewed fruits
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes

13. Canterbury
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
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

14. Saumur AOCs
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny

15. Spumante
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
Generic term for sparkling
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

16. Chablis Grand Crus
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
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
hite wines from Viognier
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs

17. Australian Wine Producing States
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
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
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
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

18. Gamay (Beaujolais)
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
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
Bubblegum
Finesse

19. Gisborne
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Alto Adige - Northernmost region in Italy with steep alpine valleys - Home of Tocai (now known as Friulano) - Lagrein - and Schiava - Key Regions: Valle d'Isarco - Santa Maddalena - Trentino - and Trento
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve

20. Bairrada
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
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
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache

21. Grosslage
Collection of vineyards
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG

22. AVA
Fruit loops
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
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

23. Burgundy (Climate)
Single Vineyard
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages

24. Cotes de Nuits Appellations
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
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
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)
Juicyfruit Gum

25. Sangiovese (Tuscany)
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Sour red cherry
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown

26. Vintage Madeira
Pinot Noir
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
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
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland

27. Cultivars
What varietals are called in South Africa
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache

28. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

29. Transfer Method
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo

30. Saint -Joseph
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted

31. Australia Primary White Varietals
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Vintage dated sherries
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

32. Chardonnay
Hazelnut
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals

33. Nahe
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Dried sour red cherry
The Hamptons - North Fork Long Island - Long Island - Hudson Valley - Seneca Lake - Cayuga Lake - Finger Lakes

34. Chinon
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
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
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
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

35. Vin Doux Naturel
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.

36. Merlot
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Plum

37. Vinho Verde
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
Dehydrated strawberries
Major Growing Region
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

38. Red Rioja Quality Levels & Requirements
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
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
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Alluvial clays

39. Washington State Appellations
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
3 years

40. Bual & Malmsey
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Produces 55% of Australia's wine - Limestone - clays - loams - Cool southern coastal climates vs. warm northern inland (cool evenings in hilly areas due to altitude) - Barossa Valley - Eden Valley (wetter - rocky soils - hilly) - McLaren Vale
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit

41. Monterey County
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Red wines from 100% Syrah

42. Pinot Noir
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Cranberry

43. Austria Major Regions
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement

44. Prosecco
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot

45. White Port Varietals
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Cranberry
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes

46. Vacqueyras
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache

47. California Major Regions
Blueberry
District of villages & vineyards
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
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)

48. Australia
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
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
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.

49. Tax and Trade Bureau
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas

50. NV Champagne Aging Requirements
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
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
Hazelnut
12 months