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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. South Spain
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
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac

2. Victoria
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
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
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

3. SA's Primary White Cultivars
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
Dried sour red cherry
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc

4. Sherry Vinification
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

5. Australia
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira

6. Pauillac
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
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 -

7. Alsace
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
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts

8. North Coast Super AVAs
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

9. Champagne Dryness/Sweetness Levels
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Great oyster wines made from Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne - Maritime climate - Muscadet de Sevre et Maine AOC - Muscadet Sur Lie (must be used in conjunction with one of the appellations - Sur lie bottling: wines matured on lees for 6 -9 months follo
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted

10. Portugal DOC Regions
Great oyster wines made from Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne - Maritime climate - Muscadet de Sevre et Maine AOC - Muscadet Sur Lie (must be used in conjunction with one of the appellations - Sur lie bottling: wines matured on lees for 6 -9 months follo
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino

11. NV Champagne Aging Requirements
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
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 -
12 months

12. Pinot Grigio (Italy)
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
eanut shell
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
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

13. Rheinhessen

14. Rioja DOCa Sub -Zones
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
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
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

15. Primary Greek Red Varietals
Pinot Noir
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
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)

16. Oxidative Sherry Styles & Descriptions
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
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
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years

17. Frizzante
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Semi -sparkling
'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

18. Marsala DOC
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
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays

19. Northern Rhone Climate
Collection of vineyards
Lychee
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Continental with LeMistral winds

20. Sherry Classifications
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
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
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)

21. Palo Cortado
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
Bubblegum
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino

22. Sicily

23. Pinot Noir
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
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Cranberry
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot

24. Merlot
New Zealand
Plum
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

25. North Central Spain: Primary Red Varietals
Driest region in NZ - 2nd in size to Marlborough - Sandy alluvial soils over gravel - limestone - Sunny climate - warmest in NZ - Known for Chardonnay - CS - and Syrah
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

26. Vin de Liqueur
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
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
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc

27. North Central Spain: Primary White Varietals
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)
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Lychee

28. Crozes -Hermitage
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines

29. Right Bank Communes (Bordeaux)

30. Condrieu
hite wines from Viognier
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot

31. Southern Rhone Varietals (White)
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
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

32. Ripasso

33. Reuilly
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak

34. Vinho Verde
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Most important DO in Southern Spain
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

35. Vendage Tardive (VT)
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Juicyfruit Gum
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines

36. New Zealand's South Island Regions
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
90km northeast of Paris
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN

37. Priorat DOCa
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
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

38. Hawkes Bay
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
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
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
Driest region in NZ - 2nd in size to Marlborough - Sandy alluvial soils over gravel - limestone - Sunny climate - warmest in NZ - Known for Chardonnay - CS - and Syrah

39. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
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 -
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero

40. Lazio
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
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
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)

41. Western Australia
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
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 -
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
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

42. Central Otago
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel

43. Brunello di Montalcino Aging
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
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
Tartared raspberry
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja

44. Ribera del Duero
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Lychee
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)
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

45. 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
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
Fruit loops
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray

46. Campania

47. Rainwater
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Great oyster wines made from Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne - Maritime climate - Muscadet de Sevre et Maine AOC - Muscadet Sur Lie (must be used in conjunction with one of the appellations - Sur lie bottling: wines matured on lees for 6 -9 months follo
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
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")

48. Gisborne
Finesse
Stewed fruits
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes

49. Left Bank Communes
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot

50. Southern Rhone Climate and Vineyards
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor