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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. Pinot Noir's Role in Champagne
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Structure

2. Left Bank Grapes
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia
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

3. Beaujolais Cru ACs
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly

4. Zinfandel
Fruit character
Plum skin
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals

5. GI Quality Categories
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)
New Zealand
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak

6. AVA
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua

7. Colheita
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 -
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)

8. Single Quinta Port
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona

9. Loire Valley Primary Red Varietals
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)
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot

10. Niederosterreich
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
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
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer

11. Sherry Grape Varietals
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Collection of vineyards
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura

12. Palo Cortado
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay

13. North Coast Super AVAs
Pinot Noir
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
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
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

14. Southern Rhone Appellations
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Sweet pear
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Blueberry

15. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine

16. Colheita Madeiras
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)

17. Pinot Grigio (Italy)
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
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
eanut shell

18. Nelso

19. Red Port Varietals
Finesse
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Vineyards established in 1829 - Gravels and sands over clay - Warm maritime climate - ocean breezes - Chardonnay - Riesling Bordeaux grapes - Shiraz - Margaret River (AUS first appellation system in 1978 - known for elegance and finesse) - Great

20. Napa County AVAs

21. Alsace
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
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
Glassy -winged sharpshooter

22. Soils in St. Joseph and Crozes Hermitage
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
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
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Pinot Noir

23. Produces more sparkling wine than any other country
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Cava (most in Catalonia)
Aged 12 months in bottle or barrel
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine

24. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
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)
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

25. Tawny Port
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
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)

26. Gamay (Beaujolais)
What varietals are called in South Africa
Bubblegum
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc

27. Chateauneuf -de -Pape
Aged 12 months in bottle or barrel
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Yeast remnant popped out

28. Australia
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
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
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement

29. Australian Wine Producing States
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Sour red cherry

30. Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards established in 1829 - Gravels and sands over clay - Warm maritime climate - ocean breezes - Chardonnay - Riesling Bordeaux grapes - Shiraz - Margaret River (AUS first appellation system in 1978 - known for elegance and finesse) - Great
90km northeast of Paris
Black plum
Plum

31. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
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
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell

32. Schist
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)

33. Friuli Venezia Giulia
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Plum skin
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal

34. Portugal Red Varietals
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
Lentils
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro

35. 2009 or 2008 in Cotes -du -Rhone?
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
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 -
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN

36. Pouilly Fume
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja

37. Chianti Sub -Zones
Juicyfruit Gum
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli

38. Ahr Valley
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Semi -sparkling
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils

39. Right Bank Communes (Bordeaux)

40. Estufagem
High acid
Grass
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
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

41. Brunello di Montalcino Aging
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 -
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)

42. Southern Rhone Climate and Vineyards
What varietals are called in South Africa
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio

43. Priorat DOCa
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Single Vineyard
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)

44. QmP Pradikate Levels (Dry to Sweet)
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
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
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus

45. Vintage Solera Madeira
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
Known as the "Garden of France" - France's longest river (625 miles) - Agricultural center of France - Maritime Climate to West/Coastal - Continental Climate to East/Inland
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Pinot Noir

46. Almacenistas
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
America's oldest wine industry
Dehydrated strawberries
New Zealand

47. Santa Barbera County
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Orange Candy
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot

48. Monterey County
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
12 months

49. Chateauneuf -de -Pape Soils
Alluvial clays
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
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
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"

50. Northern Rhone Climate
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Continental with LeMistral winds