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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. SA's Primary White Cultivars
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
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon

2. Gigondas
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
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

3. Nahe
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes

4. Sercial & Verdelho Vinification Styles
Yeast remnant popped out
Major Growing Region
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed

5. White Port Varietals
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
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
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
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

6. Chianti Classico
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah

7. Touraine AOCs
eanut shell
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

8. Vinsobres
12 months
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau

9. VOS
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache

10. Bereich
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
District of villages & vineyards
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
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils

11. South Africa's Wine of Origin System (WO)
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
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
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

12. Saint -Joseph
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Glassy -winged sharpshooter

13. Pinot Noir
Cranberry
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
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

14. Vintage Madeira
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
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil

15. Tavel
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Dried sour red cherry
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault

16. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

17. Pouilly Fume
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
District of villages & vineyards

18. Loire Valley Primary Red Varietals
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils

19. Cava Varietals
Orange Candy
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
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils

20. Cornas
Dried sour red cherry
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
Red wines from 100% Syrah

21. Sauvignon Blanc
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Grass
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray

22. Rias Biaxas
Terroir
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Orange Candy

23. Tuscany
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
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

24. Cultivars
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
What varietals are called in South Africa
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas

25. Languedoc -Roussillon

26. Vintage Port
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
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 -
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

27. Carricante
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
New Zealand
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily

28. Primary Hungarian White Varietals
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
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

29. Chateauneuf -de -Pape
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
12 months
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound

30. Nebbiolo
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Dried sour red cherry
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse

31. Southern Rhone Varietals (Red)
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
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
Fruit loops
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer

32. California Major Regions
Fruit loops
Pinot Noir
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
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)

33. QmP Pradikate Levels (Dry to Sweet)
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Plum skin
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG

34. Southern Rhone Climate and Vineyards
Alluvial clays
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
America's oldest wine industry

35. Sardinia
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
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
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier

36. 85% Varietal Madeiras
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years
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
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

37. Palo Cortado
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor

38. Sauternes
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
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

39. New York State

40. Vin Santo DOC
'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
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages

41. Cotes de Nuits Appellations
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
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
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
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB

42. Chablis
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
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
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)

43. Portugal White Varietals
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)

44. Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre

45. Primary Tuscan White Varietals
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
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia

46. North Coast Super AVAs
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)

47. Southern Rhone Appellations
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
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
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres

48. Tasmania

49. Vin Doux Naturel
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
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)

50. Pipe
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
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
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties