CERTIFIED SOMMELIER LATEST 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔What term refers to a white Champagne made from Pinot Noir and/or Meunier? -
✔✔Blancs de Noirs
✔✔The primary color (or colors) of Wachau DAC wine is/are ___________. - ✔✔White
✔✔The muselet is used as a closure for what type of wine? - ✔✔Sparkling
✔✔What term on a bottle of Rioja DOCa indicates the longest amount of aging before
release? - ✔✔Gran Reserva
✔✔Schist, marl, and silt are types of ___________. - ✔✔Soil
✔✔Relative to the general harvest timing in Bordeaux, grapes used in the production of
Sauternes AOP are picked ___________. - ✔✔After they are affected by Botrytis
✔✔Where is the Stellenbosch wine region located? - ✔✔South Africa
✔✔Which color best describes the extended barrel and bottle aging of a white wine? -
✔✔Golden or Amber
✔✔The Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, and Brouilly AOPs are all located in ____________. -
✔✔Beaujolais
✔✔The climate of the Columbia Valley AVA can best be categorized as
_____________. - ✔✔Continental
✔✔True or False: Price per bottle is a consideration in defining an AOP. - ✔✔False
✔✔Which label term indicates that a sake is unpasteurized? - ✔✔Namazake
✔✔Alto Adige is most known for producing ___________ wines. - ✔✔Sweet, still red
wines
✔✔Which AOPs from the Rhône Valley features the greatest percentage of steep
hillside vineyards? - ✔✔Côte-Rôtie and Cornas
✔✔Which wine is a classic pairing with fresh goat cheese? - ✔✔Sancerre
✔✔Which fortified wine is made using the Solera system? - ✔✔Sherry
, ✔✔Which grape is most commonly associated with white wine production in Argentina?
- ✔✔Torrontés
✔✔What is name of the process of removal of unwanted items and damaged fruit from
desired grape bunches arriving at the winery after picking? - ✔✔Sorting
✔✔What are the primary grape varieties grown in the Priorat DOCa? - ✔✔Garnacha
and Cariñena
✔✔What is the minimum number of months of lees aging required to produce
Champagne AOP? - ✔✔12 months
✔✔What wine region produces Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino? -
✔✔Tuscany
✔✔Tokaji Aszú is a sweet, white wine from which country? - ✔✔Hungary
✔✔The base material in the production of rum is __________. - ✔✔Sugarcane
✔✔Riesling generally produces wines with elevated __________. - ✔✔Acidity
✔✔What is the local name for the most renowned soil of the Coonawarra GI of
Australia? - ✔✔Terra Rossa
✔✔What is the primary grape variety used to produce Chinon AOP? - ✔✔Cabernet
Franc
✔✔Quinta from Portugal is best defined as _____________. - ✔✔A vineyard.
✔✔True or False: At 10 years of age, Syrah would likely require decanting due to
sediment. - ✔✔True
✔✔What color is Vintage Port when bottled? - ✔✔Purple
✔✔The Maipo Valley DO is located in _____________. - ✔✔Chile
✔✔The climate of the Champagne AOP can best be categorized as _____________. -
✔✔Continental
✔✔Which physical feature most affects the vineyards of Pauillac AOP in Bordeaux? -
✔✔Gironde Estuary
AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔What term refers to a white Champagne made from Pinot Noir and/or Meunier? -
✔✔Blancs de Noirs
✔✔The primary color (or colors) of Wachau DAC wine is/are ___________. - ✔✔White
✔✔The muselet is used as a closure for what type of wine? - ✔✔Sparkling
✔✔What term on a bottle of Rioja DOCa indicates the longest amount of aging before
release? - ✔✔Gran Reserva
✔✔Schist, marl, and silt are types of ___________. - ✔✔Soil
✔✔Relative to the general harvest timing in Bordeaux, grapes used in the production of
Sauternes AOP are picked ___________. - ✔✔After they are affected by Botrytis
✔✔Where is the Stellenbosch wine region located? - ✔✔South Africa
✔✔Which color best describes the extended barrel and bottle aging of a white wine? -
✔✔Golden or Amber
✔✔The Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, and Brouilly AOPs are all located in ____________. -
✔✔Beaujolais
✔✔The climate of the Columbia Valley AVA can best be categorized as
_____________. - ✔✔Continental
✔✔True or False: Price per bottle is a consideration in defining an AOP. - ✔✔False
✔✔Which label term indicates that a sake is unpasteurized? - ✔✔Namazake
✔✔Alto Adige is most known for producing ___________ wines. - ✔✔Sweet, still red
wines
✔✔Which AOPs from the Rhône Valley features the greatest percentage of steep
hillside vineyards? - ✔✔Côte-Rôtie and Cornas
✔✔Which wine is a classic pairing with fresh goat cheese? - ✔✔Sancerre
✔✔Which fortified wine is made using the Solera system? - ✔✔Sherry
, ✔✔Which grape is most commonly associated with white wine production in Argentina?
- ✔✔Torrontés
✔✔What is name of the process of removal of unwanted items and damaged fruit from
desired grape bunches arriving at the winery after picking? - ✔✔Sorting
✔✔What are the primary grape varieties grown in the Priorat DOCa? - ✔✔Garnacha
and Cariñena
✔✔What is the minimum number of months of lees aging required to produce
Champagne AOP? - ✔✔12 months
✔✔What wine region produces Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino? -
✔✔Tuscany
✔✔Tokaji Aszú is a sweet, white wine from which country? - ✔✔Hungary
✔✔The base material in the production of rum is __________. - ✔✔Sugarcane
✔✔Riesling generally produces wines with elevated __________. - ✔✔Acidity
✔✔What is the local name for the most renowned soil of the Coonawarra GI of
Australia? - ✔✔Terra Rossa
✔✔What is the primary grape variety used to produce Chinon AOP? - ✔✔Cabernet
Franc
✔✔Quinta from Portugal is best defined as _____________. - ✔✔A vineyard.
✔✔True or False: At 10 years of age, Syrah would likely require decanting due to
sediment. - ✔✔True
✔✔What color is Vintage Port when bottled? - ✔✔Purple
✔✔The Maipo Valley DO is located in _____________. - ✔✔Chile
✔✔The climate of the Champagne AOP can best be categorized as _____________. -
✔✔Continental
✔✔Which physical feature most affects the vineyards of Pauillac AOP in Bordeaux? -
✔✔Gironde Estuary
