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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. Northern Rhone Climate
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Continental with LeMistral winds
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak

2. TTB Estate Bottled Requirements
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
Juicyfruit Gum
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Pinot Noir

3. Champagne Location
90km northeast of Paris
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
Appellation for red and dry whites - No ranking; all designated Cru Classe - Pessac -Leognan AC in northern part
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)

4. Central Vineyards AOCs
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Albariza - Barros - Arenas

5. Liqueur d'Expedition
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
The Hamptons - North Fork Long Island - Long Island - Hudson Valley - Seneca Lake - Cayuga Lake - Finger Lakes
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
Used in dosage phase to fill the space left after the yeast remnant pops out

6. Late Bottled Vintage Port
Bubblegum
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed
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

7. Beaujolais ACs
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis 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
District of villages & vineyards

8. Franken (Franconia)
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
New Zealand

9. Pinot Meunier's Role in Champagne
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
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Fruit character
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone

10. Spumante
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
33 total - Important ones are Minho (Vinho Verde) - Dao - Bairrada - Porto & Douro - Borba - Alentejo - Madeira
Generic term for sparkling

11. Malbec (Argentina)
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
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
Blueberry
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla

12. Valdepenas
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Terroir
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Most important DO in Southern Spain

13. Sicily

14. Soils in Cote Rotie
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Condrieu - and Hermitage Steep slopes with granite soils
eanut shell
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero

15. Chianti Classico
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Continental with LeMistral winds

16. VORS
Orange Candy
Lychee
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)

17. Cabernet Sauvignon
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Black plum

18. Appellations shared between WA and OR
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
Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge
Produces aromatic whites from Verdejo plus Sauvignon Blanc and Viura
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted

19. Anada
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
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")
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Vintage dated sherries

20. Germany
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
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

21. 2009 or 2008 in Cotes -du -Rhone?
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
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
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua

22. Grenache
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
Dehydrated strawberries
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)

23. Northwest Spain: Notable Regions
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
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
Dried sour red cherry

24. Gamay (Beaujolais)
Sour red cherry
Bubblegum
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)

25. Rheinhessen

26. 85% Varietal Madeiras
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 -
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
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
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)

27. Chinon
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Orange Candy
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils

28. Monterey County
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Santa Lucia Highlands - Chalone - San Bernabe
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube
Wine pumped into tanks with liqueur de tirage - Fermentation complete in 4 -5 days - Best for certain varietals (e.g. Moscato d'Asti - Prosecco - Sekt)

29. Umbria
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
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 from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

30. Pierce's Disease
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Plum skin
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris

31. Gigondas Soil
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Alluvial clays
Primary Whites Grown are Vernaccia and Vermentino - Primary Reds Grown are Cannonau - Carignano - and Nuragua
Syrah - Grenache - Mourvedre - Cinsault - Counoise - Terret Noir - Vaccarese - Muscardin - etc.

32. South African Wine Regions
Baix Penedes - Medio Penedes - Alta Penedes
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)

33. Primary Spanish Red Varietals
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
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell

34. Australia
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Heavier - clay -oriented soils

35. Portugal Red Varietals
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone
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
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Touriga Nacional - Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo) - Aragonez (Tempranillo) - Baga - Ramisco - Trincadeira - Castelao Frances - Joao de Santarem - Periquita

36. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino

37. Oregon AVAs
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays
Yeast remnant popped out
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
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

38. Frizzante
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Semi -sparkling
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

39. Loire Valley

40. Sancerre
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Dehydrated strawberries
Cava (most in Catalonia)

41. Appassimento Process
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
America's oldest wine industry
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Reds from Cabernets and Pineau d'Aunis - Best will mature 6 -10 years

42. Transfer Method
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
Wine pumped into tanks with liqueur de tirage - Fermentation complete in 4 -5 days - Best for certain varietals (e.g. Moscato d'Asti - Prosecco - Sekt)
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne

43. Saint -Joseph
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")
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
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

44. Southern Rhone Appellations
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
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

45. Alsace Noble Varietals

46. Navarra
Beaujolais AC - Beaujolais Nouveau AC - Beaujolais -Superieur AC - Beaujolais Villages AC - Beaujolais Cru AC
Collection of vineyards
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay

47. Brunello di Montalcino Aging
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto

48. South Africa's Wine of Origin System (WO)
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
Plum
100% of grapes from named appellation - Vintage must be 85% of stated year - Varietal must be 85% of stated
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

49. Solera system
Generic term for sparkling
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
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)
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. Pipe
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
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
High acid
Traditional Port cask holding 500 liters (440L of wine added to 110L of aguardente)