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Certified Sommelier Exam

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Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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1. New Zealand's North Island
Rose from Grenache and Cinsault
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 -
South of Paso Robles - Maritime influence - cool climate - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
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

2. Northeast Spain
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed
AC for reds and whites - 13 grapes authorized - Minimum 12.5% alcohol content - Galets
Major Growing Region
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona

3. Vintage Port
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Galicia (Rias Biaxas) - Toro - Rueda - Ribera del Duero
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
Red wines are predominantly Grenache

4. Chinon
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)
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 -
Red wines from Cabernet Franc and up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Tufa soils

5. Loire Valley Primary White Varietals
Glassy -winged sharpshooter
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
Chenin Blanc - Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay

6. Champagne Regions (North to South)
Plum skin
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona

7. Sancerre
Kabinett - Spatlese - Auslese - Beerenauslese (BA) - Eiswein - Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Sparkling wines from Marsanne and Roussanne

8. Vin Santo DOC
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted
Dessert wine from passito grapes (Trebbiano & Malvasia) fermented slowly in small wooden barrels - Matured minimum 3 years and up to 6 years
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

9. South Africa
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
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
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier

10. Nelso

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11. Spanish Wine Classifications
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
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
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 -

12. Vintage Madeira
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Alsatian late harvest wines - Rich - full -bodied in style - Not necessarily sweet
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
Continental with LeMistral winds

13. Canterbury
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
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Wachau: steep vineyards facing the Danube - Wagram - Kremstal - Kamptal

14. Listrac & Moulis
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Longest tenure of winemaking in the New World
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Lesser appellations - Cabernet Sauvignon -based wines - No classified growths

15. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary Red 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
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Cinsault - Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Clone of Garganega grown in Sicily

16. Regions of Alsace
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
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)
Bas Rhin (North) - Haut Rhin (South)
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc

17. Port
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
'Re -passed' - Traditional winemaking technique in the Veneto - Young Valp put into tanks or barrels containing lees or dried fruits from previous Amarone fermentation - Causes secondary fermentation - increasing alcohol content - and adding Amaron
Airen - Viura (Macabeo) - Chardonnay - Verdejo - Albarino
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils

18. Cultivars
What varietals are called in South Africa
Largest AOC in Haut Medoc - Wines know for elegance and finesse - First Growth (Chateau Margaux) - Other notables: Chateau Palmer - Giscours - Brane - Cantenac
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

19. Label Integrity Program (LIP)
Introduced in Australia in 1990 - Guarantees all claims made on label (variety - vintage - region - etc.) - 85% for vintage - variety - and origin
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
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
Red wines from Grenache blends with Syrah - Mourvedre - Clairette - and Bourboulenc

20. 85% Varietal Madeiras
3yr - 5yr Reserve - 10yr Special Reserve - 15yr Extra Reserve
Cotes du Roussillon - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Collioure (southernmost AC in France other than Corsica) - Coteaux du Languedoc - Minervois - Fitou - Corbieres - St. Chinian
Winery and vineyards must be located in the same AVA - Winery must own or control the vineyards where the grapes are grown
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor

21. Touraine AOCs
12 months
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
District of villages & vineyards

22. Wachau Wine Classifications
Steinfeder (11% alcohol) - Federspiel (Kabinett level) - Smaragd (Spatlese level)
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Sour red cherry

23. Disgorging/Degorgement
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah
Yeast remnant popped out
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier
Finos fortified to 15.5% (let the flor grow) - Oloroso fortified to 18% (NO intention to let the flor grow)

24. Primary Hungarian White Varietals
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Cote Rotie - Condrieu - Chateau -Grillet - St. Joseph - Crozes -Hermitage - Hermitage - Cornas - Saint -Peray
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
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

25. Champagne Dryness/Sweetness Levels
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
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
Moderate climate - Tradition - influence - innovation - research - Maremma - Morellino di Scansano - etc.
Brut Zero (Bone Dry) - Brut (Dry) - Extra Dry (Off -Dry - Sec - Demi -Sec - Doux

26. VORS
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
Albariza - Barros - Arenas
Sweet botrytis wines from Chenin Blanc made only in exceptional years

27. North Central Spain: Primary Red Varietals
Howell Mountain - Chiles Valley - Napa Valley - Atlas Peak - Stag's Leap District - Oak Knoll - Wild Horse Valley - Los Carneros - Yountville - Mount Veeder - Oakville - Rutherford - Spring Mountain District - Diamond Mountain District
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)

28. Chenin Blanc (Loire)
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
Tuscany's dry white DOCG - Up to 10% Chardonnay and Trebbiano allowed
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
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

29. Saint -Joseph
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
New Zealand
Regions: Penedes and Priorat DOCa - Mediterranean - Home of Catalunya and Barcelona
Red wines from minimum 90% Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne

30. Appassimento Process
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
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
Central Italy - The food center of Italy - Divided by 7 rivers
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines

31. Sauternes
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
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
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)

32. New Zealand's South Island
Soils: volcanic - gravel alluvial with sandstone - Cool maritime climate (warmer north - cooler south) - mountain ranges create rain shadow effect
Grass
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)

33. Willamette Valley Subregion AVAs
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
Chehalem Mountains - Ribbon Ridge - Yamhill -Carlton - Dundee Hills - McMinnville - Eola -Amity Hills
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland

34. Sercial & Verdelho Vinification Styles
Dry Madeiras served chilled as aperitifs - Alcohol is added after fermentation has been completed
ed wines from Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne - Whites from Marsanne and Roussanne
Regulators of American Viticultural Areas
Red wines from Syrah with up to 20% Viognier allowed

35. Vin de Liqueur
Same styles as Chinon - Sandy soils
Orange Candy
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)
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

36. Biologically -aged Sherry Styles & Descriptions
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
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
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 -
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres

37. Hawkes Bay
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
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
Home of Rome - Cesanese del Piglio Rosso/Reserva DOCG - Frascati (carafe wine blended from Trebbiano & Malvasia) - Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone

38. Tempranillo (Rioja Riserva/Gran Riserva)
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Sparkling wine made from Glera (Prosecco) grape - Superiore DOCG: Conegliano - Valdobiaddene - Colli Asolani
Stewed fruits

39. Almacenistas
As little as 90 from harvest to final bottling - Potential for lees contact - Eliminates need for riddling - More suitable for some grapes
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
A single Solera sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities

40. SA's Primary White Cultivars
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market

41. South Spain
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
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Castilla: La Mancha - Whites from Airen (63%) - Reds from Cencibel (Tempranillo) - Large elevated central plateau - Arid climate with temperature extremes
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)

42. Cremant de la Loire
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Val do Salnes - O Rosal - Condado do Tea - Soutomaiort - Ribeira do Ulla
Saumur AOC - Minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and others
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac

43. Grenache
Riesling & Spatburgunder - Wines are richer than Mosel - great aging potential - trocken wines are important - Erstes Gewachs (First Growths)
Generic term for sparkling
Dehydrated strawberries
Medium sweet & sweet Madeiras served with dessert or cheese course - Fermentation is stopped by addition of spirit

44. Savennieres
Aged 24 months in bottle or barrel
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
Alluvial clays
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch

45. Pinot Noir
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa
Cranberry
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)
Arinto - Codega - Malvasia Fino - Malvasia Corada - Rabigato - Vioshino

46. Edelzwicker
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
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)
Southwest Sicily - Blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Frappatto (30%)
Red wines are predominantly Grenache

47. Charmat Process (Cuve Close)

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48. Zinfandel
Plum skin
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
Yeast remnant popped out
Sercial - Verdelho - Bual - Malmsey

49. Red Port Varietals
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
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
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse

50. Medoc First Growths
Lafite -Rothschild - Latour - Mouton -Rothschild - Margaux - Haut -Brion
Produced by adding distillate to a fermenting must (deliberately stuck fermentation) - Fortified wines typically 15 -16% - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - Banyuls - etc.
White wines from Viognier from small single estate
The Hamptons - North Fork Long Island - Long Island - Hudson Valley - Seneca Lake - Cayuga Lake - Finger Lakes