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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. Marlborough

2. Cava Varietals
Generic term for sparkling
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color

3. Trentino

4. Southern Rhone Varietals (Red)
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
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
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes

5. Languedoc -Roussillon AOCs
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian
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
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir

6. Liqueur d'Expedition
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
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
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts

7. Musca
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
Orange Candy
Tartared raspberry

8. Pinot Grigio (Italy)
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)
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
eanut shell

9. 2009 or 2008 in Cotes -du -Rhone?
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Wine pumped into tanks with liqueur de tirage - Fermentation complete in 4 -5 days - Best for certain varietals (e.g. Moscato d'Asti - Prosecco - Sekt)
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

10. Viognier
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)
Fruit loops
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux

11. AVA
Plum
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)
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
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983

12. Burgundy (Climate)
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
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre

13. Oregon AVAs
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
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

14. VOS
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)
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)
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils

15. Tuscany
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Juicyfruit Gum
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.

16. Palo Cortado
3 years
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
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus

17. Montlouis
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Fruit loops
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century

18. Alsace

19. Rias Biaxas Sub -Zones
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray

20. Nebbiolo
Dried sour red cherry
3 years
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
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

21. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)

22. Anjou
Fruit character
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
Single Vineyard

23. Edelzwicker
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)

24. Grenache
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Dehydrated strawberries
Collection of vineyards
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines

25. Charmat Process (Cuve Close)

26. Gigondas Soil
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Sweet pear
District of villages & vineyards
Alluvial clays

27. Riesling
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
High acid
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
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder

28. Spumante
Generic term for sparkling
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
District of villages & vineyards
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years

29. Primary Greek White Varietals
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Tartared raspberry
Hazelnut
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel

30. North Coast Super AVAs
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot

31. Pierce's Disease
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
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
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
Glassy -winged sharpshooter

32. Paso Robles

33. New Zealand's South Island Regions
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago

34. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated

35. Auckland

36. White Port Varietals
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Terroir

37. Menetou Salon
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
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

38. Chateauneuf -de -Pape Soils
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"

39. Late Bottled Vintage Port
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
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
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement

40. Saumur Champigny

41. Bereich
District of villages & vineyards
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
Vintage dated sherries
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.

42. Valdepenas
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Wine pumped into tanks with liqueur de tirage - Fermentation complete in 4 -5 days - Best for certain varietals (e.g. Moscato d'Asti - Prosecco - Sekt)

43. South Australia

44. Tokaji
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
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
Bubblegum

45. Most widely planted grape in Champagne
Continental with LeMistral winds
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Pinot Noir
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

46. Spanish Wine Classifications
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
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
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")
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes

47. Loire Valley Major Regions
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Cranberry

48. Madeira Grapes (Driest to Sweetest)
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
Dried sour red cherry
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto

49. Emilia Romagna
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
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")

50. Vin Santo DOC
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
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero