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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. Nelso

2. Edna Valley
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Collection of vineyards

3. TTB Label Laws I

4. Canterbury
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)

5. Central Otago
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Fruit loops
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
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier

6. Grenache
Dehydrated strawberries
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy

7. Niederosterreich
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
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
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal

8. Vintage Solera Madeira
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
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

9. Ribera del Duero
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
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

10. Marlborough

11. Left Bank Communes
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
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 -
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)

12. Saumur Champigny

13. Napa County AVAs

14. Soave
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
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines

15. Ruby Port & Styles

16. New Zealand's South Island Regions
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua

17. Carricante
Yeast remnant popped out
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily

18. Einzellage
Single Vineyard
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
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian

19. Red Port Varietals
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Alluvial clays

20. Savennieres
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
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
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Gradual breakdown of yeasts

21. Central Vineyards AOCs
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
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
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
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 -

22. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
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
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor

23. Cornas
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years

24. Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils

25. Viognier
Fruit loops
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
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
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)

26. Aged Tawny Port
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
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")
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983

27. Navarra
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

28. Australian Wine Producing States
Fruit loops
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Cava (most in Catalonia)
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland

29. Rias Biaxas Sub -Zones
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla

30. Estufagem
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
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

31. Mosel Valley
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
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

32. Portugal DOC Regions
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - 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
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon

33. Sherry Soil Types
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
Dehydrated strawberries
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
Albariza - Barros - Arenas

34. Sancerre
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Orange Candy
Plum skin
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy

35. Chardonnay's Role in Champagne
Finesse
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

36. Chianti Sub -Zones
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Juicyfruit Gum

37. White Port Varietals
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua

38. Primary Spanish Red Varietals
White wines from Viognier from small single estate
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell

39. Vendage Tardive (VT)
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis

40. Southern Rhone Climate and Vineyards
eanut shell
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Blueberry
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills

41. Cotes de Nuits Appellations
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
Yeast remnant popped out
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne

42. Dao
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
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
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

43. New Zealand's North Island
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
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
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983

44. Lirac
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Red wines are predominantly Grenache

45. Frizzante
Terroir
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Semi -sparkling
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

46. Australia Primary Red Varietals
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.

47. Madeira Grapes (Driest to Sweetest)
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
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)
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey

48. Rainwater
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
What varietals are called in South Africa

49. North Coast Super AVAs
Fruit character
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

50. Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG