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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. Cote Rotie
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)

2. Rheinhessen

3. Pinot Meunier's Role in Champagne
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Fruit character
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder

4. Loire Valley

5. Gigondas
Fruit loops
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin

6. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
Single Vineyard
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian

7. Wairarapa
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Red wines are predominantly Grenache

8. Palo Cortado
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)

9. Carricante
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
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)

10. Chateau -Grillet
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Grass
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
White wines from Viognier from small single estate

11. Regions of Alsace
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
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)
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.

12. Gruner Veltliner
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
Lentils
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

13. Veneto
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
75% minimum varietal composition (except OR) - 95% from year stated on bottle (85% if appellation is state or county) - 85% from stated AVA (except super AVA) - Every wine must be labeled with a brand name with the bottler's name and location
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect

14. Produces more sparkling wine than any other country
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Cava (most in Catalonia)
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser

15. Australian Wine Producing States
Sweet pear
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)
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

16. Charmat Process (Cuve Close)

17. Tasmania

18. Autolysis
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
Gradual breakdown of yeasts

19. Disgorging/Degorgement
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Yeast remnant popped out
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)

20. Spumante
Generic term for sparkling
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines

21. Prosecco
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
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
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani

22. Portugal DOC Regions
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil

23. Cannonau
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
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
District of villages & vineyards
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache

24. Marches
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
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
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero

25. Syrah/Shiraz
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
Collection of vineyards

26. Savennieres
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
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out

27. South Australia

28. Pauillac
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
Considered the epitome of "claret" - Wines balance power and finesse - 3 First Growths: Latour - Lafite Rothschild - Mouton Rothschild Saint - Julien - Smallest commune - but 11 classified growths - Styles combine elegance and sturdiness -
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)

29. Sangiovese (Tuscany)
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Single Vineyard
Sour red cherry

30. Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
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
Lentils

31. Beaujolais ACs
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
hite wines from Viognier
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)

32. Provence
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
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
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
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

33. Southern Rhone Varietals (White)
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
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)
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
America's oldest wine industry

34. TTB Estate Bottled Requirements
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch

35. Valdepenas
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Cava (most in Catalonia)
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray

36. Musca
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
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
Orange Candy
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths

37. Nebbiolo
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
Dried sour red cherry
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve

38. Douro
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
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound

39. Loire Valley Primary White Varietals
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
'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
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny

40. Zinfandel
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Plum skin
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
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey

41. Solera system
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
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona

42. Willamette Valley Subregion AVAs
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone

43. Oxidative Sherry Styles & Descriptions
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Bubblegum
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
Palo Cortado: only partially oxidative - develops limited flor - Oloroso: rich style fortified to 18% and usually long -aged; start dry but almost all are sweetened and sold as Cream Sherries

44. VORS
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
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
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
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)

45. Reuilly
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
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
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
Palo Cortado: only partially oxidative - develops limited flor - Oloroso: rich style fortified to 18% and usually long -aged; start dry but almost all are sweetened and sold as Cream Sherries

46. Colheita
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)

47. Touraine AOCs
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
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil

48. Sherry Vinification
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
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Yeast remnant popped out

49. Chablis Grand Crus
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
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 form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)

50. Wachau Wine Classifications
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
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
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
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)