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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. New Zealand's North Island
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
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
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
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe

2. Colheita
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
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay

3. Appellations shared between WA and OR
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
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 -
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago

4. Ribera del Duero
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
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
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB

5. Chablis Grand Crus
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties

6. Merlot
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
Plum
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia

7. Southern Rhone Appellations
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Terroir
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

8. Wairarapa
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
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
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)

9. Maconnais ACs
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
Yeast remnant popped out
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
What varietals are called in South Africa

10. Zinfandel
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
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
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak

11. Rias Biaxas Sub -Zones
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
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

12. Pinot Grigio (Italy)
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
eanut shell
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny

13. Spanish Wine Classifications
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
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)
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

14. Pays Nantais
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Cranberry
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
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

15. 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)
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
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

16. Saint -Joseph
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
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

17. North Central Spain: Primary White Varietals
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer

18. Portugal DOC Regions
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
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
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
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

19. Champagne Location
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
90km northeast of Paris
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio
eanut shell

20. Northeast Spain
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona

21. Margaux
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
New Zealand
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc

22. Gewurztraminer (Alsace)
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
Lychee
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
Sweet pear

23. Champagne Grapes
Orange Candy
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Fruit loops

24. Washington State Appellations
Bubblegum
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

25. Pinot Gris (Alsace)
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
Tartared raspberry
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Sweet pear

26. South Australia

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27. Languedoc -Roussillon

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28. Anbaugebiete
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Major Growing Region
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
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray

29. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Generic term for sparkling
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache

30. Oxidative Sherry Styles & Descriptions
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
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

31. Pauillac
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
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
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 -
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel

32. Gigondas Soil
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Alluvial clays
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed

33. Red Rioja Quality Levels & Requirements
Generic term for sparkling
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Juicyfruit Gum
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

34. North Coast Super AVAs
Lentils
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
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
Single Vineyard

35. Right Bank Communes (Bordeaux)

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36. German Wine Classifications
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
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
Grass
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

37. South Africa's Wine of Origin System (WO)
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
White wines from Viognier from small single estate

38. Edna Valley
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Red wines from 100% Syrah

39. Vin de Liqueur
Dried sour red cherry
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
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)
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe

40. Portugal Red Varietals
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
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
America's oldest wine industry

41. Airen
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 -
Most widely planted grape in the world
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam

42. Tax and Trade Bureau
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.

43. Chardonnay's Role in Champagne
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Finesse
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
Bubblegum

44. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
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
Continental with LeMistral winds
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

45. Most widely planted grape in Champagne
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
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
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
Pinot Noir

46. Biologically -aged Sherry Styles & Descriptions
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
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 -
3 years
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")

47. Ruby Port & Styles

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48. Layon Valley AOCs
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
Major Growing Region
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages

49. Saumur AOCs
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
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 -
Heavier - clay -oriented soils

50. Cremant de la Loire
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
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
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot