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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. Touraine AOCs
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
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
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers

2. Zinfandel
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Dehydrated strawberries
Plum skin
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet

3. Late Bottled Vintage Port
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
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 Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc

4. Primary Greek Red Varietals
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
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
Stewed fruits

5. Hawkes Bay
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
District of villages & vineyards
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
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out

6. Anada
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
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
Vintage dated sherries

7. Notable Anbaugebiete
Plum
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Structure
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

8. South Africa
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)
Single Vineyard
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
Red wines from 100% Syrah

9. Cotes de Nuits Appellations
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
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
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Red wines from 100% Syrah

10. Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac

11. Palo Cortado
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas

12. Bairrada
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
Cava (most in Catalonia)
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
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny

13. Chateau -Grillet
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
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
Hazelnut
White wines from Viognier from small single estate

14. Primary Greek White Varietals
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla

15. Central Otago
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
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines

16. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red Varietals
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy

17. Cornas
Red wines from 100% Syrah
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor

18. Primary Hungarian White Varietals
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards

19. New Zealand's South Island
Alluvial clays
Finesse
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect

20. Listrac & Moulis
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
High acid

21. Single Quinta Port
Trajadura - Alvarinho - Loureiro - Gouveio - Encruzado - Maria Gomez - Fernao Pires - Arinto - Roupeiro
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto

22. Saumur Champigny

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23. Sauvignon Blanc
Grass
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)

24. Champagne Location
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
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
90km northeast of Paris
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

25. Sherry Classifications
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
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)
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes

26. Spumante
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Generic term for sparkling
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging

27. Biologically -aged Sherry Styles & Descriptions
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
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 -
hite wines from Viognier

28. Tax and Trade Bureau
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Fruit character
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas

29. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

30. Primary Spanish Red Varietals
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita
Black plum
Dehydrated strawberries
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell

31. Cremant de la Loire
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
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

32. South Spain
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
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Yeast remnant popped out

33. Santa Barbera County
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Hazelnut

34. Northern Rhone Grape Varietals
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
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
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

35. Loire Valley Primary White Varietals
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay
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
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills

36. Soave
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Continental with LeMistral winds
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra

37. Gisborne
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone
Major Growing Region
Known for Poverty Bay - High yields and large quantities of Muller -Thurgau - Bulk wine and carafe wine

38. Layon Valley AOCs
Collection of vineyards
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages

39. Ruby Port & Styles

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40. Provence
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis

41. Wachau Wine Classifications
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
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Juicyfruit Gum
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)

42. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary White Varietals
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac

43. Madeira Grapes (Driest to Sweetest)
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey

44. Sherry Grape Varietals
Aloxe Corton (red Grand Cru is Corton - white Grand Cru is Corton Charlemagne) - Beaune (Premier Cru only) - Pommard (Premier Cru only) - Volnay (Premier Cru only) - Puligny -Motrachet (4 Grand Cru*) - Chassagne -Montrachet (4 Grand Cru*) *2 overlap
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
Palomino (95% of all plantings) - Pedro Ximenez - Moscatel: along with PX - used to sweeten blended wines and to add color
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily

45. Western Australia
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
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
Fruit character
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)

46. Saumur Mousseux
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
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
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle

47. Primary Tuscan White Varietals
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
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
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
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia

48. Cote Challonaise ACs
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
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
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

49. Emilia Romagna
Bubblegum
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
Known as the "Garden of France" - France's longest river (625 miles) - Agricultural center of France - Maritime Climate to West/Coastal - Continental Climate to East/Inland
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)

50. Pfalz
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
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle