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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. North Coast Super AVAs
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 -
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
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
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed

2. Pfalz
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder

3. Soave
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
District of villages & vineyards

4. Maconnais ACs
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
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN

5. Loire Valley Major Regions
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
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
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)

6. DO Pagos Estates
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine

7. Wairarapa
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

8. Grapes in Valpolicella and Amarone
What varietals are called in South Africa
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
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)

9. Edelzwicker
Plum
Dehydrated strawberries
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona

10. Condrieu
hite wines from Viognier
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils

11. Sherry Grape Varietals
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB

12. Champagne Location
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
90km northeast of Paris
Fruit loops
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

13. Cotes de Nuits Appellations
Continental with LeMistral winds
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
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
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

14. Right Bank Communes (Bordeaux)

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15. Sherry Classifications
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
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
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.

16. Late Bottled Vintage Port
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
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
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
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

17. Sercial & Verdelho Vinification Styles
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
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

18. Northeast Spain
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse

19. Galets
Fruit character
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
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
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir

20. South Africa's Wine of Origin System (WO)
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others

21. Vintage Madeira
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
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
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
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal

22. Australia
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
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
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)

23. Australia Primary White Varietals
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis

24. Mosel Valley
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Blueberry
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect

25. Rheinhessen

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26. Saint -Joseph
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Sour red cherry

27. New Zealand's North Island
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
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
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
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

28. Valdepenas
Most important DO in Southern Spain
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Red wines are predominantly Grenache

29. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Structure
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly

30. Penedes
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
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

31. Sangiovese (Tuscany)
Lentils
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Sour red cherry

32. Syrah/Shiraz
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
Single Vineyard

33. Anjou
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
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
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)

34. Red Port Varietals
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Juicyfruit Gum
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre

35. Southern Rhone Appellations
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin

36. Gruner Veltliner
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Lentils
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed
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

37. Aged Tawny Port
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Stewed fruits
America's oldest wine industry
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")

38. Portugal Red Varietals
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
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)

39. Medoc First Growths
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
12 months

40. Saumur Mousseux
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch

41. Saumur Champigny

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42. South Spain
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
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

43. Wachau Wine Classifications
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Dried sour red cherry

44. Auckland

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45. Cava Varietals
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay

46. Sauternes
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
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
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)

47. Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Sweet pear
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
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

48. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years
Single Vineyard
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

49. 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
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
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

50. Washington State
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
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
'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