Test your basic knowledge |

Certified Sommelier Exam

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. 2009 or 2008 in Cotes -du -Rhone?
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
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 -

2. Syrah/Shiraz
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
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
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC

3. Notable Anbaugebiete
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

4. Cotes -du -Rhone
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone

5. Vacqueyras
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 Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Fruit character
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

6. Etna DOC
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
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)
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse

7. Appellations shared between WA and OR
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily

8. Chianti Classico
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
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
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted

9. Gigondas Soil
Alluvial clays
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
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)

10. Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
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

11. Central Vineyards AOCs
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
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
Yeast remnant popped out

12. Sardinia
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
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

13. Champagne Dryness/Sweetness Levels
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux

14. Hermitage
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
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
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

15. Chinon
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
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris

16. Soils in Cote Rotie
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
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

17. Disgorging/Degorgement
Yeast remnant popped out
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino

18. Franken (Franconia)
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache

19. Saint -Peray
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
12 months

20. Soave
Tafelwein: table wine - Landwein: regional wine - Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugbiete (QbA): quality wine from one of the 13 major regions - Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP): quality wine determined by the degree of ripeness at harvest; only classif
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Plum skin

21. Portugal White Varietals
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy

22. Sonoma County
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
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
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)
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

23. Maconnais ACs
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Juicyfruit Gum
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache

24. Victoria
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
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

25. Oregon AVAs
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Collection of vineyards

26. Layon Valley Wines
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
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
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century

27. Montlouis
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

28. Rheingau
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)

29. Australia
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
Hazelnut
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian

30. Almacenistas
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay

31. Loire Valley Major Regions
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
12 months
Stewed fruits
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

32. Sancerre
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)

33. Albarino (Rias Baixas)
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
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
Juicyfruit Gum

34. Bual & Malmsey
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port

35. Sercial & Verdelho Vinification Styles
Collection of vineyards
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Plum skin
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed

36. Label Integrity Program (LIP)
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
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)
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

37. Australia Primary Red Varietals
What varietals are called in South Africa
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal

38. Portugal Red Varietals
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
12 months
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita

39. Vouvray
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
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

40. Priorat DOCa
12 months
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Rugged mountainous region - Dry temperate climate - Stony schistous soild - Varietals: Garnacha - Carinena - Cabernet
Generic term for sparkling

41. Tawny Port
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
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)
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
Black plum

42. Sherry Vinification
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
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 -

43. Aged 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)
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")
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay

44. Loire Valley

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

45. Beaujolais ACs
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)

46. Rias Biaxas
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
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)

47. Solera system
Vintage dated sherries
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
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
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

48. Primary Spanish White Varietals
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
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

49. Austria Major Regions
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
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
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

50. Spumante
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Generic term for sparkling
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Most widely planted grape in the world