Certified Sommelier Exam

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• Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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1. TTB Label Laws I

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2. Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
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
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages


3. Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG

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4. Reuilly
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
Cava (most in Catalonia)


5. Portugal Red Varietals
Fruit loops
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Hazelnut


6. Musca
Orange Candy
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
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
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted


7. Right Bank Grapes (Bordeaux)
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
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
Alluvial clays


8. Advantages to Transfer Method
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
Sicily - Full -bodied reds from vineyards on the slopes of Mt. Etna made from Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio - White grape is Carricante (clone of Garganega)
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes


9. Prosecco
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault


10. Autolysis
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Semi -sparkling
Gradual breakdown of yeasts


11. Marsala DOC
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers


12. Northern Rhone Climate
Continental with LeMistral winds
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages


13. Pierce's Disease
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge


14. Aguardente
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years


15. Gigondas Soil
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)
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)
Alluvial clays
Structure


16. Champagne Dryness/Sweetness Levels
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero


17. Rioja DOCa Sub -Zones
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
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out
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


18. Colheita Madeiras
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
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
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino


19. Pinot Meunier's Role in Champagne
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Sweet pear
Fruit character


20. Listrac & Moulis
Juicyfruit Gum
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs


21. Loire Valley Primary Red Varietals
Orange Candy
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau


22. Port Styles
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Great oyster wines made from Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne - Maritime climate - Muscadet de Sevre et Maine AOC - Muscadet Sur Lie (must be used in conjunction with one of the appellations - Sur lie bottling: wines matured on lees for 6 -9 months follo


23. Chinon
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
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Alto Adige - Northernmost region in Italy with steep alpine valleys - Home of Tocai (now known as Friulano) - Lagrein - and Schiava - Key Regions: Valle d'Isarco - Santa Maddalena - Trentino - and Trento


24. Loire Valley Major Regions
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG


25. Southern Rhone Appellations
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
District of villages & vineyards
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.


26. Condrieu
hite wines from Viognier
Juicyfruit Gum
District of villages & vineyards
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge


27. Margaux
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara


28. Riesling
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
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
High acid
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)


29. South African Wine Regions
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
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)
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.


30. Loire Valley Primary White Varietals
Juicyfruit Gum
90km northeast of Paris
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier


31. Chianti Sub -Zones
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
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao


32. Dao
Terroir
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
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG


33. Bairrada
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
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
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 -


34. Champagne Regions (North to South)
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port


35. Spanish Wine Classifications
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
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla


36. Portugal Wine Quality Levels
High acid
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
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
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil


37. Right Bank Communes (Bordeaux)

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38. Colheita
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 -
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging


39. Crozes -Hermitage
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
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
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN


40. VOS
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago


41. Gamay (Beaujolais)
Generic term for sparkling
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Bubblegum
Lentils


42. Albarino (Rias Baixas)
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Juicyfruit Gum
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja


43. Northern Rhone Grape Varietals
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
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
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey


44. Campania

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45. Left Bank Grapes
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
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
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona


46. Douro
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
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


47. Saumur Mousseux
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel


48. Produces more sparkling wine than any other country
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
Cava (most in Catalonia)
White wines from Viognier from small single estate


49. Loire Valley

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50. Cremant de la Loire
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
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 -
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others