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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. Loire Valley Major Regions
12 months
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
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
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault

2. Portugal White Varietals
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part

3. Galets
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
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
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
Red - white - and rose wines produced in the Minho province (9 sub -districts) - Bottled young to undergo malolactic fermentation in the bottle (thus - have a prickle or bubble to it) - Best whites are from Alvarinho or Loureiro

4. Victoria
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
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
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
Red - white - and rose wines produced in the Minho province (9 sub -districts) - Bottled young to undergo malolactic fermentation in the bottle (thus - have a prickle or bubble to it) - Best whites are from Alvarinho or Loureiro

5. Beaujolais ACs
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
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
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

6. Pfalz
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
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder

7. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed

8. Cotes -du -Rhone
Vintage dated sherries
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
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)

9. Beaujolais Cru ACs
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja

10. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor

11. Alsace
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)
Most widely planted grape in the world
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years

12. Edelzwicker
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
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
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel

13. Ahr Valley
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC

14. Edna Valley
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne

15. Spumante
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Generic term for sparkling

16. Sherry Grape Varietals
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Cava (most in Catalonia)
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Red - white - and rose wines produced in the Minho province (9 sub -districts) - Bottled young to undergo malolactic fermentation in the bottle (thus - have a prickle or bubble to it) - Best whites are from Alvarinho or Loureiro

17. Einzellage
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Single Vineyard
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted

18. Lombardy
Fruit character
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Finesse
Albariza - Barros - Arenas

19. Estufagem
Sweet pear
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
The heating process causes maderization of the wine - caramelizing sugars and promoting oxidation - Estufa do Sol - finest wines are cask aged in lodges exposed to the sun for many years - Estufa - a vat or tank heated by hot water to approximatel
Most important DO in Southern Spain

20. Friuli Venezia Giulia
Most widely planted grape in the world
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)

21. Gisborne
eanut shell
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Cava (most in Catalonia)
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault

22. Oregon AVAs
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay

23. Apulia

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24. Burgundy (Climate)
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
Red wines with a minimum of 50% Grenache
2009 Great 2008 Not so great

25. Nelso

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26. Loire Valley Primary White Varietals
Finesse
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
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")

27. Champagne Dryness/Sweetness Levels
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone

28. Port Styles
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny

29. Central Vineyards AOCs
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

30. South Spain
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Sweet pear
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone

31. Colheita Madeiras
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
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin

32. Anada
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils
Vintage dated sherries
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)

33. Left Bank Communes
Most widely planted grape in the world
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
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

34. Sonoma County
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
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
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
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part

35. Vouvray
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc - Limestone over tufa - Wide range of styles (Sec - demi -sec - moelleux - doux - still - petillant - mousseux)

36. Northern Rhone Grape Varietals
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Most important DO in Southern Spain
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache

37. Campania

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38. Nebbiolo
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Dried sour red cherry
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

39. Southern Rhone Varietals (Red)
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.
Bubblegum
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World

40. Lirac
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
hite wines from Viognier
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Lentils

41. Hawkes Bay
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
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")
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
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

42. QmP Pradikate Levels (Dry to Sweet)
White wines from Viognier from small single estate
District of villages & vineyards
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

43. Rias Biaxas Sub -Zones
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla

44. North Central Spain: Primary White Varietals
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
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

45. Tuscany
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Most widely planted grape in the world
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

46. Menetou Salon
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay

47. Sangiovese (Tuscany)
Sour red cherry
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
Alluvial clays
Orange Candy

48. Paso Robles

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49. New Zealand's North Island
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
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
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
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. Marches
White wines from Viognier from small single estate
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley