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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. Navarra
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
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura

2. Rheingau
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe

3. Franken (Franconia)
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted

4. Viognier
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Fruit loops
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
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

5. Madeira Grapes (Driest to Sweetest)
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
Dried sour red cherry
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey

6. Pfalz
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

7. Australian Wine Producing States
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Tartared raspberry
Lychee

8. North Central Spain: Primary Red Varietals
Orange Candy
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
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

9. Pinot Meunier's Role in Champagne
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)
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Fruit character

10. Tokaji
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)
Renowned botrytis dessert wine from Hungary that has been produced for centuries - Technically a dry still wine sweetened with botrytized grapes (Aszu) - Sweetness levels measured in 3 -6 puttonyos - Eszencia is 100% botrytised grapes
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
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")

11. Regions of Southern Portugal
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
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
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"

12. Primary Greek White Varietals
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)
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 -

13. Australia
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement

14. Edelzwicker
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
High acid
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
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache

15. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
90km northeast of Paris
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)

16. Cabernet Sauvignon
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)
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Black plum

17. Santa Barbera County
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
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
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 -

18. Pinot Gris (Alsace)
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)
Sweet pear
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle

19. Priorat DOCa
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
Sour red cherry

20. Champagne Grapes
Grass
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau

21. Monterey County
'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
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe

22. Chablis Grand Crus
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
America's oldest wine industry
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

23. Canterbury
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch

24. Australia Primary White Varietals
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
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

25. Wachau Wine Classifications
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
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
Red wines are predominantly Grenache

26. Lombardy
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Bubblegum

27. Sherry Vinification
Alluvial clays
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

28. Hawkes Bay
The Hamptons - North Fork Long Island - Long Island - Hudson Valley - Seneca Lake - Cayuga Lake - Finger Lakes
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
12 months
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas

29. Ripasso

30. Cotes -du -Rhone
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
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona

31. Sonoma County
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Larger area than Napa Valley with a great range of micro -climates - Maritime influence an important factor - Notables include Dry Creek - Rockpile - Alexander Valley - Los Carneros - Russian River
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa

32. GI Quality Categories
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
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)
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
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

33. Northern Rhone Grape Varietals
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties

34. Soil in Cote d'Or
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin

35. Beaumes -de -Venise
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Bubblegum
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux

36. Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG

37. Washington State
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Bubblegum
Black plum
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted

38. Hermitage
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Fruit loops
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part

39. Palo Cortado
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
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")
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot

40. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
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
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

41. Disgorging/Degorgement
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
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
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Yeast remnant popped out

42. Vinho Verde
3 years
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
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc

43. Quincy
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
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
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays

44. Sauvignon Blanc
Grass
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages

45. Champagne Dryness/Sweetness Levels
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
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Larger area than Napa Valley with a great range of micro -climates - Maritime influence an important factor - Notables include Dry Creek - Rockpile - Alexander Valley - Los Carneros - Russian River
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

46. Zinfandel
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Plum skin
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values

47. Southern Rhone Appellations
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Lentils

48. Chateau -Grillet
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
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 -
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
White wines from Viognier from small single estate

49. NV Champagne Aging Requirements
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Collection of vineyards
12 months
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

50. Edna Valley
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
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
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli