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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. Vintage Champagne Aging Requirements
Finesse
90km northeast of Paris
3 years
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.

2. Gigondas
12 months
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache

3. Aguardente
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
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)
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine

4. 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)
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino

5. Loire Valley

6. Primary Greek Red Varietals
District of villages & vineyards
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
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

7. Apulia

8. Sercial & Verdelho Vinification Styles
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Aged in glass - may be ready to drink on release OR aged further in bottle - Sees less oxygen than Tawny - so it doesn't lose its color - Vintage Port - LBV Port (4 -6 years) - Single Quinta Port - Reserve Port
Stewed fruits
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed

9. AVA
Alluvial & volcanic soils - granite - clay - sand - Cool coastal regions vs. hot inland area - Chardonnay - Riesling - Muscat - Pinot Noir - Shiraz - Bordeaux varietals (sparkling - still - fortified) - Yarra Valley - Rutherglen - Heathco
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983

10. Noble
Aged 12 months in bottle or barrel
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit

11. Friuli Venezia Giulia
Sour red cherry
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo

12. Southern Rhone Varietals (Red)
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
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
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC

13. Mosel Valley
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
hite wines from Viognier
One of Italy's largest producing regions - Over 250 miles of coastline - flat regions of fertile plains - Montepulciano - Negroamaro - Primitivo - Malvasia Nera - Bombino are primary red grapes - Brindisi - Salice Salentino - San Severo - Man

14. Pouilly Fume
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
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
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

15. New Zealand's South Island
Yeast remnant popped out
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio

16. Monterey County
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
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

17. Chianti Classico
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted
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
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes

18. Label Integrity Program (LIP)
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
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
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin

19. Vinsobres
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache

20. Wachau Wine Classifications
Collection of vineyards
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Terroir
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)

21. Touraine AOCs
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
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
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
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

22. White Port Varietals
Terroir
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux

23. Airen
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
12 months
Most widely planted grape in the world

24. Pauillac
Vintage dated sherries
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 -
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century

25. Vintage Solera Madeira
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
Hazelnut
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market

26. Produces more sparkling wine than any other country
Cava (most in Catalonia)
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
What varietals are called in South Africa
Terroir

27. Wairarapa
Aged in glass - may be ready to drink on release OR aged further in bottle - Sees less oxygen than Tawny - so it doesn't lose its color - Vintage Port - LBV Port (4 -6 years) - Single Quinta Port - Reserve Port
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

28. Riesling
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
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
High acid

29. Sherry Soil Types
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal

30. Rheingau
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay

31. Washington State Appellations
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)

32. Priorat DOCa
Generic term for sparkling
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
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
Collection of vineyards

33. Chardonnay
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Mediterranean climate with maritime mountain influences - Whites: Grillo - Grecanico - Inzolia - Carricante - Catarratto - Reds: Nero d'Avola - Nerello Mascalese - Nerello Capuccio
Hazelnut

34. Gamay (Beaujolais)
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Finesse
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
Bubblegum

35. Marches
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
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
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero

36. Champagne Grapes
France's largest wine producing region (750K acres) - Cinsault -Grenache blends dominant - Also dry whites and Vin Doux Naturels - Mediterranean climate
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed

37. Sonoma County
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
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
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed

38. Albarino (Rias Baixas)
12 months
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Juicyfruit Gum
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy

39. Charmat Process (Cuve Close)

40. Almacenistas
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
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
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

41. Port
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
12 months

42. Red Rioja Quality Levels & Requirements
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
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
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne

43. Provence
The Hamptons - North Fork Long Island - Long Island - Hudson Valley - Seneca Lake - Cayuga Lake - Finger Lakes
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel

44. Anada
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Vintage dated sherries
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve

45. Victoria
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
Aged in glass - may be ready to drink on release OR aged further in bottle - Sees less oxygen than Tawny - so it doesn't lose its color - Vintage Port - LBV Port (4 -6 years) - Single Quinta Port - Reserve Port
Alluvial & volcanic soils - granite - clay - sand - Cool coastal regions vs. hot inland area - Chardonnay - Riesling - Muscat - Pinot Noir - Shiraz - Bordeaux varietals (sparkling - still - fortified) - Yarra Valley - Rutherglen - Heathco
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

46. Layon Valley Wines
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted

47. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Finesse
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc

48. Trentino

49. Dao
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
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
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Grass

50. TTB Label Laws I