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Certified Sommelier Exam

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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1. South Spain
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Lentils
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes

2. Left Bank Communes
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine

3. Rheingau
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
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)

4. Touraine AOCs
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
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Most widely planted grape in the world

5. Penedes
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")
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years

6. Champagne Location
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
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
Hazelnut
90km northeast of Paris

7. Sauvignon Blanc
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
Grass
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
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

8. Champagne Grapes
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
New Zealand
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier

9. Lazio
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine

10. Soave
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
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
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay

11. Airen
Most widely planted grape in the world
Terraced vineyards on granite slopes - 90% red; 10% white - 12 approved grape varieties - By law - 20% minimum of red wines must be from Touriga Nacional - Predominant white grapes are Arinto and Encruzado
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

12. Pfalz
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray

13. 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
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa

14. Southern Rhone Appellations
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

15. Languedoc -Roussillon AOCs
Plum skin
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)
75% minimum varietal composition (except OR) - 95% from year stated on bottle (85% if appellation is state or county) - 85% from stated AVA (except super AVA) - Every wine must be labeled with a brand name with the bottler's name and location
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian

16. Franken (Franconia)
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau

17. North Coast Super AVAs
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa 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
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

18. Mendocino County
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
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

19. Reuilly
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
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)
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris

20. Palo Cortado
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
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
White wines from Viognier from small single estate
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect

21. Paso Robles

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22. Anejo
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel

23. Pinot Noir
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
Cranberry
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Lychee

24. Primary Hungarian White Varietals
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro

25. Trentino

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26. Grapes in Valpolicella and Amarone
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
Dried sour red cherry
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja

27. Northern Rhone Appellations
High acid
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia

28. Produces more sparkling wine than any other country
Cava (most in Catalonia)
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN
Finesse
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine

29. Wachau Wine Classifications
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
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
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World

30. Anjou
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
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
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)

31. Regions of Southern Portugal
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
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Hazelnut
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja

32. Primary Spanish White Varietals
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia

33. South Africa
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
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland

34. Vintage Solera Madeira
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor

35. North Central Spain: Primary Red Varietals
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

36. Colheita Madeiras
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
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

37. Oxidative Sherry Styles & Descriptions
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
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN

38. Bereich
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
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
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
District of villages & vineyards

39. Prosecco
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
Most widely planted grape in the world

40. Transfer Method
Cranberry
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
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
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam

41. Veneto
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted

42. Layon Valley Wines
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years

43. Niederosterreich
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion

44. Vinsobres
Plum
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache

45. Rias Biaxas
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted

46. Sercial & Verdelho Vinification Styles
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
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)
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
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey

47. Rioja DOCa Sub -Zones
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Stewed fruits
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years

48. Grenache
Dehydrated strawberries
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
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona

49. Port Styles
White wines from Viognier from small single estate
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino

50. Left Bank Grapes
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Black plum
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)