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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. Frizzante
Semi -sparkling
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Tartared raspberry
Yeast remnant popped out

2. Primary Tuscan White Varietals
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia
Grass
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)

3. Santa Barbera County
Most widely planted grape in the world
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
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot

4. Gigondas Soil
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Alluvial clays

5. Chenin Blanc (Loire)
Alto Adige - Northernmost region in Italy with steep alpine valleys - Home of Tocai (now known as Friulano) - Lagrein - and Schiava - Key Regions: Valle d'Isarco - Santa Maddalena - Trentino - and Trento
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Grass

6. Vin de Liqueur
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
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
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
3 years

7. Solera system
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
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG

8. Northeast Spain
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona

9. Australia Primary Red Varietals
Cava (most in Catalonia)
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
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot

10. Mosel Valley
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
Lychee
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell

11. Campania

12. Cabernet Franc (Loire)
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Tartared raspberry
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

13. Sauvignon Blanc
Grass
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Yeast remnant popped out

14. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years
Major Growing Region

15. Advantages to Transfer Method
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Cranberry
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac

16. Willamette Valley Subregion AVAs
Semi -sparkling
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths

17. Rueda
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
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
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

18. Provence
hite wines from Viognier
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle

19. 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)
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
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily

20. Vinsobres
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
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

21. Veneto
Stewed fruits
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Lychee
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona

22. Saumur Mousseux
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)

23. Zinfandel
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
Plum skin
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)

24. Left Bank Grapes
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
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 -
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market

25. Alsace Noble Varietals

26. Port
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
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
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto

27. Ruby Port & Styles

28. Margaux
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
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache

29. Nahe
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
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
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone

30. Loire Valley Primary Red Varietals
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
America's oldest wine industry
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")
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

31. Carricante
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)

32. Ribera del Duero
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more 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
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache

33. Wairarapa
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Sour red cherry
Most important DO in Southern Spain
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)

34. Tavel
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris

35. Douro
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)
Dehydrated strawberries
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
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

36. Sangiovese (Tuscany)
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
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
Black plum
Sour red cherry

37. Autolysis
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out

38. Primary Hungarian White Varietals
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)

39. Label Integrity Program (LIP)
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
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
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin

40. Beaumes -de -Venise
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated

41. Soils in Cote Rotie
Stewed fruits
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
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

42. New York State

43. Primary Tuscan Red Varietals
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Most widely planted grape in the world
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah

44. Tokaji
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
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
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)

45. Port Styles
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
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages

46. White Port Varietals
Structure
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
90km northeast of Paris
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part

47. California Major Regions
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)
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
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

48. SA's Primary Red Cultivars
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Aged 12 months in bottle or barrel

49. Southern Rhone Varietals (White)
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah

50. Gewurztraminer (Alsace)
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
Lychee
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine