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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. Tokaji
Renowned botrytis dessert wine from Hungary that has been produced for centuries - Technically a dry still wine sweetened with botrytized grapes (Aszu) - Sweetness levels measured in 3 -6 puttonyos - Eszencia is 100% botrytised grapes
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor

2. SA's Primary Red Cultivars
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
Saint Amour - Julienas - Chenas - Chiroubles - Moulin a Vent - Fleurie - Morgon - Regnie - Brouilly - Cote de Brouilly
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN

3. Ahr Valley
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.

4. Cotes de Nuits Appellations
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
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)
Major Growing Region

5. Viognier
AVAs - Columbia Valley - Yakima Valley - Walla Walla Valley - Red Mountain - Horse Heaven Hills - Columbia Gorge - Wahluke Slope - Snipes Mountain - Lake Chelan - Puget Sound
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
Generic term for sparkling
Fruit loops

6. Sicily

7. Condrieu
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Dehydrated strawberries
hite wines from Viognier
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel

8. Southern Rhone Climate and Vineyards
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor

9. Cote Challonaise ACs
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
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
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards

10. Central Otago
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau
Most southerly wine region in the world - Alluvial soils with outcroppings of chalk and limestone loams - Potential for Rieslings and sparkling wines
Terroir

11. Loire Valley Primary White Varietals
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay

12. TTB Label Laws I

13. Pinot Gris (Alsace)
Sweet pear
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
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
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 -

14. Cotes -du -Rhone Villages
Smoked meats/Bacon fat
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian

15. Rias Biaxas
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Maritime climate - 90% Albarino planted
Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara

16. Willamette Valley Subregion AVAs
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills

17. Champagne Location
Cranberry
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
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
90km northeast of Paris

18. Advantages to Transfer Method
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
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

19. Beaumes -de -Venise
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
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
Red wines are predominantly Grenache - Home of a famous Vin Doux Naturel

20. Southern Rhone Varietals (White)
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds - Many vineyards planted on flat valley floor
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Most widely planted grape in the world

21. Transfer Method
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
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
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank - filtered - and rebottled - Used for bottles smaller than half/larger than Jeroboam

22. Cabernet Sauvignon
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
Black plum
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)

23. North Coast Super AVAs
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
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
Cranberry

24. Estufagem
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
What varietals are called in South Africa
Sweet pear
Red wines from 100% Syrah

25. Regions of Southern Portugal
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Roussanne - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourbolenc - Grenache Blanc - etc.
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
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

26. Brunello di Montalcino Aging
18 villages with elevated status - Red wines are predominantly Grenache
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets

27. Friuli Venezia Giulia
hite wines from Viognier
Chaume Premier Cru - Bonnezeaux - Quarts de Chaume - Coteaux du Layon -Chaume - Coteaux du Layon Villages
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Slovenia and Austria - Known for whites - but Merlot is most planted varietal

28. Charmat Process (Cuve Close)

29. Cotes -du -Rhone
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Vintage dated sherries
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
Base Rhone appellation - 95% in the Southern Rhone

30. Mendocino County
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
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
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
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

31. South Africa
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
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc
Terroir
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World

32. Edna Valley
New Zealand
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
NZ's 2nd fastest growing region (to Marlborough) - Stony - well -drained soils - Quality SB - Chardonnay - Riesling - and PN
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

33. Lirac
12 months
Red wines are predominantly Grenache
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
On the Rhine - Muller -Thurgau - Silvaner - Reisling - Scheurebe - Quality extremes: Liebfraumilch (low quality) to Nackenheimer Rothenberg (one of Germany's great vineyards)

34. Sherry Soil Types
Saint -Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc) - Pomerol (Petrus - Le Pin - La Fleur Petrus - La Conseillante - Vieux -Chateau -Certan - Trotanoy)
Collection of vineyards
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Albariza - Barros - Arenas

35. Umbria
Trebbiano called "Procanico" - Grechetto - Drupeggio - Sangiovese - and Sagrantino grown - Best know white is Orvieto - Torgiano DOC - Torgiano Riserva DOCG - Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
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
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)

36. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

37. Prosecco
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
Chenin Blanc wines in the same styles as Vouvray

38. Northeast Spain
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser

39. Languedoc -Roussillon

40. Victoria
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
Vernaccia - Trebbiano - Malvasia
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
2009 Great 2008 Not so great

41. Alsace

42. Port
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Blueberry
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Red and rose classified as Vin de Pays

43. Cava Varietals
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Parellada - Chardonnay
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne

44. Loire Valley

45. Chablis Grand Crus
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Vaudesir - Valmur - Les Preuses - Grenouilles - Bougros - Les Clos - Blanchot - Highest minimum alcohol of Chablis ACs

46. Ribera del Duero
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
Pinot Noir
Very Old Sherry - Aged 20 years (average minimum age)
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

47. Marches
Sour red cherry
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Borders Rioja - Known for Rosado wines - Five sub -districts - Reds based on Garnacha - Tempranillo - Cabernet - Merlot - Whites based on Viura with Malvasia and Chardonnay
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

48. Ruby Port & Styles

49. California Major Regions
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily
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)
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona

50. Rioja DOCa Sub -Zones
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Red wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Xynomavro - Agiorgitiko - Mavrodaphne
Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja