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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. Languedoc -Roussillon Primary White Varietals
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Grenache Blanc - Clairette - Picpoul - Bourboulenc - Mauzac
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines
Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir - Gamay - Groslot

2. South African Wine Regions
Aged 12 months in bottle or barrel
Coastal (Stellenbosch - Paarl - Constantia - etc.) - Breede River Valley - Olifants River - Klein Karoo (Sweet Muscadelle and light whites) - Boberg (for fortified wines only)
Sangiovese & clones (Prugnolo Gentile - Brunello - Morellino) - Canaiolo - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Syrah
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland

3. New York State AVAs
New South Wales - Victoria - Tasmania - South Australia - Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland
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
The Hamptons - North Fork Long Island - Long Island - Hudson Valley - Seneca Lake - Cayuga Lake - Finger Lakes
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement

4. Ribera del Duero
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
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
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
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

5. Champagne Location
90km northeast of Paris
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
One of CA's oldest growing regions - Significant diurnal swings - Known for Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres

6. Sherry Vinification
Steen (Chenin Blanc) - Hanepoot (Muscat) - Chardonnay - SB - Semillon
Fruits sourced from BEST quintas - Usually produced in non -declared vintages - Ageworthy - excellent values
AKA Palatinate - Warm climate - Trocken wines important (Grosses Gerwachs) - Riesling - Scheurebe - Grauburgunder - Muller -Thurgau - Spatburgunder
Harvest in early September - Palomino grapes pressed immediately - Pedro Ximenez grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents - Fortification with neutral grape spirit

7. Valdepenas
Most important DO in Southern Spain
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
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages

8. Red Rioja Quality Levels & Requirements
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage
One of Italy's largest producing regions - Over 250 miles of coastline - flat regions of fertile plains - Montepulciano - Negroamaro - Primitivo - Malvasia Nera - Bombino are primary red grapes - Brindisi - Salice Salentino - San Severo - Man
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
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

9. Most widely planted grape in Champagne
Pinot Noir
The "pudding stones" found in Chateauneuf -de -Pape responsible for terroir
White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Pinot Gris
Single Vineyard

10. 2009 or 2008 in Cotes -du -Rhone?
2009 Great 2008 Not so great
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Yeast remnant popped out
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

11. Einzellage
70% Merlot - 25% Cabernet Franc - 5% minor varietals
Single Vineyard
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Wines traditionally bottled in bocksbeutel - Wines from Silvaner - Riesling - and Muller -Thurgau

12. North Coast Super AVAs
Fruit loops
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Napa County - Sonoma County - Mendocino County - Lake County - Marin County - Solano County
What varietals are called in South Africa

13. Sauvignon Blanc
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
Southern OR - Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley - Umqua - Douglas Red Hills - Snake River - Columbia River - Walla Walla Valley - Columbia Gorge - Willamette Valley
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market
Grass

14. Primary Hungarian White Varietals
Best wines are made from Riesling - Area around Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach - Donhoff is a notable producer
Furmint - Harslevelu - Muskatoly (Muscat Ottonel) - Oremus
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
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

15. Lombardy
Vouvray - Montlouis - Chinon - Bourgueil & Saint -Nicolas -de -Bourgueil
Pinotage - CS - CF - Merlot - Syrah - Grenache - PN
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Auckland - Hawkes Bay - Gisborne - Wairarapa

16. VORS
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino - etc.) - Carinena - Garnacha - Cabernet Sauvignon - Mencia - Monastrell
Chateauneuf -de -Pape - Gigondas - Vacqueyras - Cotes -du -Rhone - Cotes -du -Rhone Villages - Tavel - Lirac - Beaumes -de -Venise - Vinsobres
Very Old Rare Sherry - Aged 30 years (average minimum age)
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)

17. Bereich
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
District of villages & vineyards
Young industry - Semi -continental desert climate requiring irrigation - Cascade Mountains rain shadow effect; long - dry growing season - Drastic diurnal shifts
Fruit loops

18. North Central Spain: Primary Red Varietals
Lychee
A dry style of Sherry that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso - Develops limited flor
Tempranillo - Graciano - Mazuelo (Carinena)
Montagne de Reims (known for PN) - Vallee de la Marne - Cote de Blancs (lots of Chardonnay) - Cote de Sezanne - Aube

19. German Wine Classifications
Tafelwein: table wine - Landwein: regional wine - Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugbiete (QbA): quality wine from one of the 13 major regions - Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP): quality wine determined by the degree of ripeness at harvest; only classif
Red grape grown in Sardinia similar to Grenache
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas

20. Bairrada
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
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
District of villages & vineyards
VOS (Very Old Sherry) - VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) - Anada - Almacenistas

21. Merlot
Plum
Gradual breakdown of yeasts
'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
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

22. Chardonnay's Role in Champagne
Dry white made from Garganega (with some Trebbiano) - DOCG versions: Superiore - Superiore Classico - Recioto
Lentils
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Finesse

23. Australia
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
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
A form of slate with strata which allow the vine roots to penetrate and grow (common in Douro for grapes used in Port)
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement

24. Edelzwicker
Marlborough - Nelson - Canterbury - Otago
New Zealand
'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
Alsatian blended carafe wine (2 or more grapes)

25. Pouilly Fume
Limestone and silex soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
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
Volcanic slate soils - Predominantly reds from Spatburgunder and Portugieser

26. Chateauneuf -de -Pape Soils
Sparkling wines made from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - Best wines made by Methode Traditionelle
Alluvial deposits and "pudding stones"
Dehydrated strawberries
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

27. Rainwater
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Lentils
Soft Verdelho -style wine created in the 18th century
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

28. Port Styles
Sancerre - Pouilly Fume - Menetou Salon - Quincy - Reuilly
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")
Tawny Port: - Ruby Port
Most widely planted grape in the world

29. Pinot Gris (Alsace)
Structure
South end of North Island - Includes Marlborough - Quality Pinot Noir (up and coming region)
Quality Riesling and Pinot Noir - Warm summers - cool autumns - lower rainfall - Most vineyards in plains surrounding Christchurch
Sweet pear

30. North Central Spain: Primary White Varietals
Riesling is king - Very steep vineyards with S/SW aspect - Slate soils - Delicacy - purity of fruit - racy acidity - terroir - low alcohol - ageworthy
Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Verdejo
Saumur Mousseux - Cremant de la Loire - Saumur Champigny
Chardonnay - Riesling - Semillon - Muscat - Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin Blanc - Verdelho - Viognier

31. Vintage Solera Madeira
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
Dominio de Valdepusa - Finca Elez - Pago Guijoso - Dehesa del Carrizal (Toledo) - Senorio de Arinzano (Navarra) - Bodegas Otazu (Navarra)
Semi -sparkling
19th century style now illegal to produce - but still available on the market

32. Cotes de Beaune ACs
eanut shell
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
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)
Limestone (best whites) and Marl (best reds)

33. Marches
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Heavier - clay -oriented soils
American Viticultural Area - Refers only to geographic region - Guidelines finalized in 1978 - became mandatory in 1983
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

34. Chianti Sub -Zones
Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Cao - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Baroca - Mourisco Tinto - Sousao
All DOCG - Classico - Rufina - Colli Fiorentini (Florence) - Colli Senesi (Siena) - Colline Pisane (Pisa) - Colli Aretini (Arezzo) - Montalbano - Montespertoli
America's oldest wine industry
Sangiovese and Canaiolo with Trebbiano and Malvasia - Addition of white grapes no longer mandatory - Up to 20% CS - Merlot - and Syrah permitted

35. Loire Valley Major Regions
Semi -continental (four seasons; climate issues like frost - rain at harvest - hail)
Pays Nantais - Anjou -Saumur - Layon - Touraine - Central Vineyards
Adriatic Sea coast - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Conero DOCG - Rosso Conero
Whites: Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne Reds: Syrah

36. Spumante
(Bordeaux)Haut Medoc - Saint -Estephe - Pauillac - Saint -Julien - Listrac & Moulis - Margaux - Graves - Pessac - Leognan - Sauternes
District of villages & vineyards
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre
Generic term for sparkling

37. Pauillac
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 -
Plum
Assyrtiko - Moschofilero - Malagousia - Roditis - White Muscat - Chardonnay - SB
Alsatian dessert wines from botrytis fruit - Made in small quantities and only in exceptional vintages

38. Chenin Blanc (Loire)
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
Bruised red apple (Oxidative)
Dry with warm - sunny summers - Rain shadow effect - Tremendously diverse soils - Bound by Vosges Mountains and the Rhine
Structure

39. Left Bank Grapes
Adjacent to Sancerre - White - red - and rose from SB - PN - and Gamay
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)
Lugana (Trebbiano) - Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - Franciacorta DOCG - Lugana di San Benedetto DOC - Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Semi -sparkling

40. Savennieres
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
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
From Lake Garda in the west to the Adriatc - Venice and Verona
Siciliy - Fortified wine in both dry and sweet styles made from a blend including Catarratto - Inzolia - Grillo - etc.

41. Cultivars
What varietals are called in South Africa
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
Arrested fermentation fortified wine - Vineyards planted on steep slopes (up to 60 degrees) with schist soils
Mosel Valley - Rheingau - Rheinhessen - Pfalz - Ahr Valley - Nahe - Franken

42. Gigondas
Red wines with maximum with maximum 80% Grenache
Longest growing season in CA - Series of east -west valleys - Cool - dry coastal climate - Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Syrah - Merlot
Vintage dated sherries
Burgenland - Niederosterreich - Steiermark (Styria) - Wien (Vienna)

43. Colheita
Tafelwein: table wine - Landwein: regional wine - Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugbiete (QbA): quality wine from one of the 13 major regions - Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP): quality wine determined by the degree of ripeness at harvest; only classif
A vintage tawny with a minimum of seven years cask aging
Limestone -based soils - Whites from Sauvignon Blanc - Reds and roses from Pinot Noir and Gamay (25% total productions)
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

44. Vintage Madeira
Sicily - Full -bodied reds from vineyards on the slopes of Mt. Etna made from Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio - White grape is Carricante (clone of Garganega)
America's oldest wine industry
BdM: 4 years with minimum 2 years in oak - BdM Riserva: 5 years with minimum 2.5 years in oak
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

45. Paso Robles

46. North Central Spain: Notable Regions
GI originated in 1994 with EU agreement
Macon - Macon -Superieur - Macon -Villages - Saint -Veran - Pouilly -Loche - Pouilly -Vinzelles - Pouilly -Fuisse
Rioja DOCa (sub -zones are Rioja Alta - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Baja) - Navarra
Center of Cava production - Traditional Whites: Parellada - Xarel -lo - Macabeo - Traditional Reds: Garnacha - Monstrell - Ull de Liebre

47. Appassimento Process
America's oldest wine industry
One of Italy's largest producing regions - Over 250 miles of coastline - flat regions of fertile plains - Montepulciano - Negroamaro - Primitivo - Malvasia Nera - Bombino are primary red grapes - Brindisi - Salice Salentino - San Severo - Man
Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache - Pinot Noir - Merlot
After harvest - grapes are dried for several weeks - Used to produce passito - recioto - and Amarone wines

48. Colheita Madeiras
Plum skin
America's oldest wine industry
Riesling - Gewurztraminer - Muscat - Pinot Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) - Sylvaner (Zotzenberg only)
Minimum 7 years aging from a single vintage

49. Provence
Well -known for quality rose wines - Includes Southern Rhone varietals and more - Bandol - Cassis
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)
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
(Bordeaux)Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot - minor varietals (30%)

50. Loire Valley