CERTIFIED SOMMELIER 2026 TEST PAPER QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔Sugar in food will make wine taste more ___________. - ✔✔Tart and/or Bitter
✔✔Who is largely considered the "Father of Modern Napa Valley"? - ✔✔Robert
Mondavi
✔✔Which grape variety produces wine in both Stellenbosch WO and Vouvray AOP? -
✔✔Chenin Blanc
✔✔Which French wine AOC is known for gravelly and well-drained soils? - ✔✔Pauillac
✔✔The Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne are all located in
_____________. - ✔✔Champagne
✔✔The Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise regions are all located
in _____________. - ✔✔Burgundy
✔✔The Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape regions are all located in
_____________. - ✔✔Rhône Valley
✔✔____________ is a red grape variety known for producing tannic wines with
blackcurrant flavors. - ✔✔Cabernet Sauvignon
✔✔____________ is a yeast genus that can cause wine faults. - ✔✔Brettanomyces
✔✔____________ is the oak species used for cork production. - ✔✔Quercus suber
✔✔What is the predominant grape variety of Gevrey-Chambertin? - ✔✔Pinot Noir
✔✔What is the predominant grape variety of the Pauillac AOC? - ✔✔Cabernet
Sauvignon
✔✔What is the predominant grape variety of the Cahors AOC? - ✔✔Malbec
✔✔The ____________ Mountains provide protection for the vineyards of Rioja DOCa. -
✔✔Sierra Cantabria
✔✔The ____________ Mountains influence the climate of the Santa Cruz Mountains
AVA. - ✔✔Santa Cruz
, ✔✔The ____________ Mountains create cool maritime influence for Sonoma Coast
vineyards. - ✔✔Coastal
✔✔The ____________ label term indicates a lightly sparkling Italian wine. -
✔✔Frizzante
✔✔The ____________ label term indicates a sweet Italian wine. - ✔✔Dolce
✔✔The ____________ label term indicates a dry Italian wine. - ✔✔Secco
✔✔Late harvest wines from cool climates generally produce wines with __________. -
✔✔Higher residual sugar
✔✔Warm climates generally produce wines with __________. - ✔✔Elevated alcohol
✔✔Wines made using carbonic maceration generally produce wines with __________. -
✔✔Fruit aromas and lower tannins
✔✔Winemakers wanting increased banana and bubblegum aromas in red wines
promote __________. - ✔✔Carbonic maceration
✔✔Winemakers in hot climates wanting to increase tartness and balance in wines
promote __________. - ✔✔Acidification
✔✔Winemakers in cool climates wanting to increase alcohol levels in wines promote
__________. - ✔✔Chaptalization (Adding sugar to unfermented grape juice or must to
increase the alcohol content of the finished wine.)
✔✔The primary grape variety of the Wachau is _____________. - ✔✔Grüner Veltliner
✔✔The primary red grape variety of the Ahr is _____________. - ✔✔Spätburgunder
(Pinot Noir)
✔✔The most widely planted grape variety in Germany is _____________. - ✔✔Riesling
✔✔Which grape variety produces wine with intense aromas of black pepper and dark
fruit? - ✔✔Syrah
✔✔Which grape variety produces wine with intense aromas of tar and roses? -
✔✔Nebbiolo
ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔Sugar in food will make wine taste more ___________. - ✔✔Tart and/or Bitter
✔✔Who is largely considered the "Father of Modern Napa Valley"? - ✔✔Robert
Mondavi
✔✔Which grape variety produces wine in both Stellenbosch WO and Vouvray AOP? -
✔✔Chenin Blanc
✔✔Which French wine AOC is known for gravelly and well-drained soils? - ✔✔Pauillac
✔✔The Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne are all located in
_____________. - ✔✔Champagne
✔✔The Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise regions are all located
in _____________. - ✔✔Burgundy
✔✔The Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape regions are all located in
_____________. - ✔✔Rhône Valley
✔✔____________ is a red grape variety known for producing tannic wines with
blackcurrant flavors. - ✔✔Cabernet Sauvignon
✔✔____________ is a yeast genus that can cause wine faults. - ✔✔Brettanomyces
✔✔____________ is the oak species used for cork production. - ✔✔Quercus suber
✔✔What is the predominant grape variety of Gevrey-Chambertin? - ✔✔Pinot Noir
✔✔What is the predominant grape variety of the Pauillac AOC? - ✔✔Cabernet
Sauvignon
✔✔What is the predominant grape variety of the Cahors AOC? - ✔✔Malbec
✔✔The ____________ Mountains provide protection for the vineyards of Rioja DOCa. -
✔✔Sierra Cantabria
✔✔The ____________ Mountains influence the climate of the Santa Cruz Mountains
AVA. - ✔✔Santa Cruz
, ✔✔The ____________ Mountains create cool maritime influence for Sonoma Coast
vineyards. - ✔✔Coastal
✔✔The ____________ label term indicates a lightly sparkling Italian wine. -
✔✔Frizzante
✔✔The ____________ label term indicates a sweet Italian wine. - ✔✔Dolce
✔✔The ____________ label term indicates a dry Italian wine. - ✔✔Secco
✔✔Late harvest wines from cool climates generally produce wines with __________. -
✔✔Higher residual sugar
✔✔Warm climates generally produce wines with __________. - ✔✔Elevated alcohol
✔✔Wines made using carbonic maceration generally produce wines with __________. -
✔✔Fruit aromas and lower tannins
✔✔Winemakers wanting increased banana and bubblegum aromas in red wines
promote __________. - ✔✔Carbonic maceration
✔✔Winemakers in hot climates wanting to increase tartness and balance in wines
promote __________. - ✔✔Acidification
✔✔Winemakers in cool climates wanting to increase alcohol levels in wines promote
__________. - ✔✔Chaptalization (Adding sugar to unfermented grape juice or must to
increase the alcohol content of the finished wine.)
✔✔The primary grape variety of the Wachau is _____________. - ✔✔Grüner Veltliner
✔✔The primary red grape variety of the Ahr is _____________. - ✔✔Spätburgunder
(Pinot Noir)
✔✔The most widely planted grape variety in Germany is _____________. - ✔✔Riesling
✔✔Which grape variety produces wine with intense aromas of black pepper and dark
fruit? - ✔✔Syrah
✔✔Which grape variety produces wine with intense aromas of tar and roses? -
✔✔Nebbiolo
