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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. Nelso

2. Highest average bottle price of any country
New Zealand
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
Dried sour red cherry
Howell Mountain - Chiles Valley - Napa Valley - Atlas Peak - Stag's Leap District - Oak Knoll - Wild Horse Valley - Los Carneros - Yountville - Mount Veeder - Oakville - Rutherford - Spring Mountain District - Diamond Mountain District

3. Appellations shared between WA and OR
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
America's oldest wine industry
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge

4. Tuscany
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
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
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara

5. Prosecco
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
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 -
Sweet pear
Stewed fruits

6. Basis for Burgundy AOC
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
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
Terroir
Plum skin

7. Red Rioja Quality Levels & Requirements
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
New Zealand
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
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

8. New Zealand's North Island
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Sweet pear
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
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc

9. Advantages to Transfer Method
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
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 -

10. Liqueur d'Expedition
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
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)
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto

11. South African Wine Regions
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
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
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Tartared raspberry

12. Galets
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
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
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)

13. SA's Primary White Cultivars
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Cranberry

14. Priorat DOCa
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Grass

15. Palo Cortado
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
Tartared raspberry
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
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

16. Edelzwicker
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
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
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines

17. Anada
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
Vintage dated sherries
12 months
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache

18. Fino vs. Oloroso Sherry
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)

19. VORS
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
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
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals

20. Primary Spanish White Varietals
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)

21. Sauvignon Blanc
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Grass
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor

22. Champagne Regions (North to South)
3 years
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube

23. New Zealand's North Island Regions
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
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

24. Red Port Varietals
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
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Orange Candy

25. Almacenistas
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
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)
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak

26. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
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
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc

27. Rias Biaxas
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
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
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted

28. Vinho Verde
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
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

29. VOS
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)
Lychee
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")

30. Niederosterreich
Black plum
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Pinot Noir
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro

31. Savennieres
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
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
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)

32. Regions of Southern Portugal
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
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
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian

33. Marches
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
12 months

34. Madeira Grapes (Driest to Sweetest)
High acid
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey

35. Bual & Malmsey
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Sweet pear
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley

36. South Africa
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)

37. Alsace
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
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)

38. Medoc First Growths
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed
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
Semi -sparkling
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion

39. Wachau Wine Classifications
Finesse
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Grass

40. Rias Biaxas Sub -Zones
Plum skin
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
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
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla

41. Bairrada
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 -
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)
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
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

42. Ribera del Duero
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
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
Alluvial clays

43. Maconnais ACs
Pinot Noir
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse

44. Friuli Venezia Giulia
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Juicyfruit Gum
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

45. Schist
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years
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
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)

46. Port Styles
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

47. Pauillac
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
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
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 -
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor

48. Northern Rhone Grape Varietals
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
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Lychee
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)

49. Trentino

50. Cotes de Beaune ACs
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
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
hite wines from Viognier
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja