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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. Cornas
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Most important DO in Southern Spain
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated

2. Noble
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Aged 12 months in bottle or barrel

3. Wachau Wine Classifications
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Fruit character
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others

4. Tax and Trade Bureau
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
High acid

5. Chardonnay
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
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
Hazelnut
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

6. QmP Pradikate Levels (Dry to Sweet)
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux

7. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary White Varietals
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
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

8. Lirac
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port

9. Grenache
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
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
Dehydrated strawberries
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate

10. Pinot Gris (Alsace)
Sweet pear
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
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
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

11. Marsala DOC
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
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
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out

12. Left Bank Communes
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
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")

13. Sardinia
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua

14. North Central Spain: Primary White Varietals
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)

15. Northern Rhone Appellations
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

16. Rioja DOCa Sub -Zones
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac

17. Oxidative Sherry Styles & Descriptions
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
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
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

18. Paso Robles

19. Primary Greek White Varietals
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)

20. Southern Rhone Varietals (White)
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
America's oldest wine industry
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 -
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin

21. Almacenistas
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
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

22. Hawkes Bay
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Blueberry
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
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets

23. Cotes de Beaune ACs
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
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
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays

24. Victoria
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
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
Structure
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World

25. Marches
America's oldest wine industry
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero

26. Fino vs. Oloroso Sherry
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
eanut shell
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus

27. German Wine Classifications
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
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
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Fruit character

28. Chardonnay's Role in Champagne
Finesse
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)

29. Valdepenas
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils

30. SA's Primary Red Cultivars
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau

31. Riesling
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
High acid
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube

32. Friuli Venezia Giulia
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
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

33. Monterey County
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
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

34. Alsace Noble Varietals

35. Label Integrity Program (LIP)
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
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone

36. Rias Biaxas
Recent prominence due to ancient indigenous varietals - Home of Mount Vesuvius - Primitivo - Aglianico - Falanghina - Fiano - Greco - Fiano d'Avellino DOCG - Greco di Tufo DOCG - Taurasi DOCG
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
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

37. Reuilly
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Vintage dated sherries
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.

38. Soave
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor

39. Saumur Champigny

40. Sicily

41. Vinsobres
High acid
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes

42. Tawny Port
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)
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine

43. Cote Rotie
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
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

44. Etna DOC
Blueberry
Most important DO in Southern Spain
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)
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils

45. Primary Greek Red Varietals
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths

46. New Zealand's North Island Regions
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

47. Musca
Orange Candy
Pinot Noir
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis

48. Sherry Soil Types
Bubblegum
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)

49. Gigondas
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines

50. Nahe
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau