Certified Sommelier Exam Graded A+
Gamay (Beaujolais) ✔️✔️BUBBLEGUM, BANANA, STRONG CRUSHED GRANITE, strawberry, black
cherry, violets, pear drop
Riesling ✔️✔️HIGH ACID, SLATE, PETROL, RS, apricot, peach, lime, lime zest (NW), lime blossom, linear
texture
Albarino (Rias Baixas) ✔️✔️JUICYFRUIT GUM, ORANGE OIL, CREAMY TEXTURE, SOMETIMES SLIGHTLY
OXIDATIVE (BLANCHED ALMONDS), fresh ripe peach, bright finish
Gruner Veltliner ✔️✔️LENTILS, RADISH, CELERY, WHITE PEPPER, watercress, lime blossom, lime,
under-ripe stone fruit, subtle, bitterness on finish
Merlot ✔️✔️PLUM, BLACKBERRY, CHOCOLATE, fern leaf, round shape/texture
Chardonnay ✔️✔️HAZELNUT, SOFT CHEESE RIND, BUTTER/DIACETYL (NW), golden apple, lemon,
pineapple (NW), rich texture
Malbec (Argentina) ✔️✔️BLUEBERRY, GREEN COFFEE BEAN, MAGENTA/ELECTRIC PINK RIM, ripe plum,
blackberry, violets, bright acid
Cabernet Franc (Loire) ✔️✔️TART RED RASPBERRY, JALAPENO, STEMMY/TWIGGY, MARIJUANA, black
currant, red currant, green bell pepper, cut grass, violets, tart finish, pronounced earth, brettanomyces
is often encountered
Cabernet Sauvignon ✔️✔️BLACK PLUM, GREEN BELL PEPPER, TOBACCO, SAGE, black currant, edgy
texture
Sauvignon Blanc ✔️✔️GRASS, JALAPENO, GOOSEBERRY, grapefruit, tarragon & chervil (OW),
passionfruit (NW)
,Pinot Noir ✔️✔️CRANBERRY, VIOLETS, BLACK TEA, TOMATO LEAF, black cherry, red cherry, cola nut,
strawberry
Tempranillo (Rioja Riserva/Gran Riserva) ✔️✔️STEWED FRUITS, DESSICATED FRUITS, SWEET & SOUR
(CHINESE RESTAURANT AROMA), tart red raspberry, tobacco, dill, bay leaf, ripe strawberries, coconut,
MP acid, M-MP alcohol
Gewurztraminer (Alsace) ✔️✔️LYCHEE, CANDIED GINGER, BITTER FINISH, rose, potpourri, grapefruit
pith
Syrah/Shiraz ✔️✔️SMOKED MEATS/BACON FAT, LEATHER, VIOLETS, raspberry, blackberry, freshly
cracked pepper, sometimes blueberry
Grenache ✔️✔️DEHYDRATED STRAWBERRIES, BLACK PEPPER, RAISINS, GRENADINE, OXIDATIVE,
SWEETNESS TO THE FRUIT ON THE FINISH, strawberry jam, raspberry, black cherry, powdered sugar
Chenin Blanc (Loire) ✔️✔️BRUISED RED APPLE (OXIDATIVE), CHAMOMILE, WASABI, WET WOOL,
PRONOUNCED CHALK/LIMESTONE, honey, tangerine, high acid
Sangiovese (Tuscany) ✔️✔️SOUR RED CHERRY, CHERRY PITH, LEAFY UNDERBRUSH, HIGH ACID, licorice
root, fennel, black tea
Pinot Gris (Alsace) ✔️✔️SWEET PEAR, POTTING SOIL, SMALL AMOUNTS OF RS, WHITE FLOWERS,
white mushrooms, green apple, honey, slightly bitter finish
Viognier ✔️✔️FRUIT LOOPS, ORANGE PEEL, VANILLA, M-MM ACIDITY, peach apricot, mandarin
orange, orange blossom, honeysuckle, mango, weighty texture, bitter finish
Muscat ✔️✔️ORANGE CANDY, ROSE PETAL
Pinot Grigio (Italy) ✔️✔️PEANUT SHELL, FLAT BEER, lemon rind, melon, bitter finish
,Nebbiolo ✔️✔️DRIED SOUR RED CHERRY, TRUFFLE, FENNEL, HIGH TANNIN, CINNAMON,
MARASCHINO CHERRY, tar, dried rose petal, red licorice, anise, mushroom, clay, high acid, MP-H alcohol
Zinfandel ✔️✔️PLUM SKIN, BLUEBERRY JAM, PEPPERCORN, PEACH YOGURT, cranberry, blackberry
pie, high alcohol
Listrac & Moulis ✔️✔️- Lesser appellations
- Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines
- No classified growths
Margaux ✔️✔️- Largest AOC in Haut Medoc
- Wines know for ELEGANCE and FINESSE
- 1 First Growth (Chateau Margaux)
- Other notables: Chateau Palmer, Giscours, Brane- Cantenac
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
- 5 Second Growths: Ducru-Beaucaillou, Leoville-Las-Cases, Leoville-Poyferre, Leoville- Barton, Gruard-
Larose
Graves & Pessac-Leognan ✔️✔️- Appellation for red AND dry whites
- No ranking; all designated Cru Classe
- Pessac-Leognan AC in northern part
, Right Bank Communes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️- Saint-Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc)
- Pomerol (Petrus, Le Pin, La Fleur Petrus, La Conseillante, Vieux-Chateau-Certan, Trotanoy)
Right Bank Grapes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% minor varietals
Sauternes ✔️✔️- Sits in Graves
- World 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, STURDY, FULL-BODIED
- 5 classified growths, including 2nd growths (Cos d'Estournel and Montrose)
Left Bank Communes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️- Haut Medoc
- Saint-Estephe
- Pauillac
- Saint-Julien
- Listrac & Moulis
- Margaux
- Graves
- Pessac-Leognan
- Sauternes
Left Bank Grapes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot, minor varietals (30%)
Medoc First Growths ✔️✔️- Lafite-Rothschild
- Latour
Gamay (Beaujolais) ✔️✔️BUBBLEGUM, BANANA, STRONG CRUSHED GRANITE, strawberry, black
cherry, violets, pear drop
Riesling ✔️✔️HIGH ACID, SLATE, PETROL, RS, apricot, peach, lime, lime zest (NW), lime blossom, linear
texture
Albarino (Rias Baixas) ✔️✔️JUICYFRUIT GUM, ORANGE OIL, CREAMY TEXTURE, SOMETIMES SLIGHTLY
OXIDATIVE (BLANCHED ALMONDS), fresh ripe peach, bright finish
Gruner Veltliner ✔️✔️LENTILS, RADISH, CELERY, WHITE PEPPER, watercress, lime blossom, lime,
under-ripe stone fruit, subtle, bitterness on finish
Merlot ✔️✔️PLUM, BLACKBERRY, CHOCOLATE, fern leaf, round shape/texture
Chardonnay ✔️✔️HAZELNUT, SOFT CHEESE RIND, BUTTER/DIACETYL (NW), golden apple, lemon,
pineapple (NW), rich texture
Malbec (Argentina) ✔️✔️BLUEBERRY, GREEN COFFEE BEAN, MAGENTA/ELECTRIC PINK RIM, ripe plum,
blackberry, violets, bright acid
Cabernet Franc (Loire) ✔️✔️TART RED RASPBERRY, JALAPENO, STEMMY/TWIGGY, MARIJUANA, black
currant, red currant, green bell pepper, cut grass, violets, tart finish, pronounced earth, brettanomyces
is often encountered
Cabernet Sauvignon ✔️✔️BLACK PLUM, GREEN BELL PEPPER, TOBACCO, SAGE, black currant, edgy
texture
Sauvignon Blanc ✔️✔️GRASS, JALAPENO, GOOSEBERRY, grapefruit, tarragon & chervil (OW),
passionfruit (NW)
,Pinot Noir ✔️✔️CRANBERRY, VIOLETS, BLACK TEA, TOMATO LEAF, black cherry, red cherry, cola nut,
strawberry
Tempranillo (Rioja Riserva/Gran Riserva) ✔️✔️STEWED FRUITS, DESSICATED FRUITS, SWEET & SOUR
(CHINESE RESTAURANT AROMA), tart red raspberry, tobacco, dill, bay leaf, ripe strawberries, coconut,
MP acid, M-MP alcohol
Gewurztraminer (Alsace) ✔️✔️LYCHEE, CANDIED GINGER, BITTER FINISH, rose, potpourri, grapefruit
pith
Syrah/Shiraz ✔️✔️SMOKED MEATS/BACON FAT, LEATHER, VIOLETS, raspberry, blackberry, freshly
cracked pepper, sometimes blueberry
Grenache ✔️✔️DEHYDRATED STRAWBERRIES, BLACK PEPPER, RAISINS, GRENADINE, OXIDATIVE,
SWEETNESS TO THE FRUIT ON THE FINISH, strawberry jam, raspberry, black cherry, powdered sugar
Chenin Blanc (Loire) ✔️✔️BRUISED RED APPLE (OXIDATIVE), CHAMOMILE, WASABI, WET WOOL,
PRONOUNCED CHALK/LIMESTONE, honey, tangerine, high acid
Sangiovese (Tuscany) ✔️✔️SOUR RED CHERRY, CHERRY PITH, LEAFY UNDERBRUSH, HIGH ACID, licorice
root, fennel, black tea
Pinot Gris (Alsace) ✔️✔️SWEET PEAR, POTTING SOIL, SMALL AMOUNTS OF RS, WHITE FLOWERS,
white mushrooms, green apple, honey, slightly bitter finish
Viognier ✔️✔️FRUIT LOOPS, ORANGE PEEL, VANILLA, M-MM ACIDITY, peach apricot, mandarin
orange, orange blossom, honeysuckle, mango, weighty texture, bitter finish
Muscat ✔️✔️ORANGE CANDY, ROSE PETAL
Pinot Grigio (Italy) ✔️✔️PEANUT SHELL, FLAT BEER, lemon rind, melon, bitter finish
,Nebbiolo ✔️✔️DRIED SOUR RED CHERRY, TRUFFLE, FENNEL, HIGH TANNIN, CINNAMON,
MARASCHINO CHERRY, tar, dried rose petal, red licorice, anise, mushroom, clay, high acid, MP-H alcohol
Zinfandel ✔️✔️PLUM SKIN, BLUEBERRY JAM, PEPPERCORN, PEACH YOGURT, cranberry, blackberry
pie, high alcohol
Listrac & Moulis ✔️✔️- Lesser appellations
- Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines
- No classified growths
Margaux ✔️✔️- Largest AOC in Haut Medoc
- Wines know for ELEGANCE and FINESSE
- 1 First Growth (Chateau Margaux)
- Other notables: Chateau Palmer, Giscours, Brane- Cantenac
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
- 5 Second Growths: Ducru-Beaucaillou, Leoville-Las-Cases, Leoville-Poyferre, Leoville- Barton, Gruard-
Larose
Graves & Pessac-Leognan ✔️✔️- Appellation for red AND dry whites
- No ranking; all designated Cru Classe
- Pessac-Leognan AC in northern part
, Right Bank Communes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️- Saint-Emillion (PGCC's are Ausone and Cheval Blanc)
- Pomerol (Petrus, Le Pin, La Fleur Petrus, La Conseillante, Vieux-Chateau-Certan, Trotanoy)
Right Bank Grapes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% minor varietals
Sauternes ✔️✔️- Sits in Graves
- World 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, STURDY, FULL-BODIED
- 5 classified growths, including 2nd growths (Cos d'Estournel and Montrose)
Left Bank Communes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️- Haut Medoc
- Saint-Estephe
- Pauillac
- Saint-Julien
- Listrac & Moulis
- Margaux
- Graves
- Pessac-Leognan
- Sauternes
Left Bank Grapes (Bordeaux) ✔️✔️Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (70%); Merlot, minor varietals (30%)
Medoc First Growths ✔️✔️- Lafite-Rothschild
- Latour
