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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 Madeira
Juicyfruit Gum
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 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market

2. Lombardy
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
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)
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

3. Penedes Sub -Districts
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Yeast remnant popped out
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux

4. Oregon AVAs
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)
Generic term for sparkling
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)

5. North Central Spain: Primary Red Varietals
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills

6. Dao
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Generic term for sparkling
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
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

7. Provence
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
America's oldest wine industry

8. GI Quality Categories
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Cranberry
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
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)

9. Transfer Method
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
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
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards

10. Vin Santo DOC
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years

11. Soil in Cote d'Or
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
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)
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)

12. Colheita
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
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Fruit character

13. California Major Regions
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
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
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)
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)

14. Central Otago
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County

15. Pipe
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
Continental with LeMistral winds
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone

16. Primary Greek White Varietals
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
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

17. Red Port Varietals
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
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
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values

18. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

19. Australia
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
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

20. Ruby Port & Styles

21. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
New Zealand
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache

22. Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG

23. Valdepenas
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
Most important DO in Southern Spain
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Lychee

24. Bairrada
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
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
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

25. White Port Varietals
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)
Black plum
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino

26. Alsace Noble Varietals

27. South Spain
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
West of Rioja on the River Duero - Red wines from Tempranillo (Tinto del Pais) and Bordeaux varietals - Wines are richer and fuller than Rioja wines with good aging potential
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
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

28. Late Bottled Vintage Port
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
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
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone

29. Pinot Grigio (Italy)
Generic term for sparkling
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
eanut shell
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus

30. Gigondas
Generic term for sparkling
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Major Growing Region
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache

31. Portugal Red Varietals
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Blueberry
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah

32. Tax and Trade Bureau
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
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
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Semi -sparkling

33. Veneto
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
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
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN

34. Soave
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto

35. Cornas
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Fruit character
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color

36. Auckland

37. QmP Pradikate Levels (Dry to Sweet)
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
High acid
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

38. Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils

39. Pouilly Fume
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne

40. Chateauneuf -de -Pape Soils
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
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

41. Aguardente
Neutral grape spirit at 77% alcohol added to port wine
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
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier

42. Mendocino County
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
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)
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
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

43. Port
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
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG

44. TTB Estate Bottled Requirements
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Continental with LeMistral winds
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown

45. Pauillac
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
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
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 -
Vintage dated sherries

46. Tavel
Red wines from 100% Syrah
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills

47. Vintage Champagne Aging Requirements
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
3 years

48. Zinfandel
Black plum
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Plum skin

49. Ribera del Duero
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
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
West of Rioja on the River Duero - Red wines from Tempranillo (Tinto del Pais) and Bordeaux varietals - Wines are richer and fuller than Rioja wines with good aging potential
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

50. Northern Rhone Appellations
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray