Advanced Sommelier — General Knowledge Level 1
ADVANCED MASTER SOMMELIER GENERAL KNOWLEDGE LEVEL 1
| VERIFIED EXAM SOLUTIONS - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -
CURRENT VERSION
Advanced Sommelier - General Knowledge Level 1
1. Which of the following best describes “bud break”?
A. The point at which grape berries change color and begin ripening
(véraison)
B. The stage in the vine's annual cycle when leaf buds begin to swell and
open after winter dormancy
C. The stage when the vine sheds its leaves in autumn
D. The process of removing excess shoots from the vine canopy
ANSWER : B. Bud break marks the start of the growing season,
typically triggered by soil temperatures reaching about 50°F (10°C).
2. “Véraison” refers to:
A. The harvest of grapes at full ripeness
B. The onset of ripening, when grape berries change color and begin to
soften
C. The pruning of vines during dormancy
D. The initial swelling of buds in spring
ANSWER : B. Véraison typically occurs 40–50 days after fruit set and
signals the shift from berry growth to sugar accumulation.
Page 1 of 53
, Advanced Sommelier — General Knowledge Level 1
3. Which training system is characterized by canes trained along wires
in a flat, vertical plane, commonly used in Bordeaux?
A. Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP)
B. Lyre system
C. Pergola
D. Gobelet (bush vine)
ANSWER : A. VSP maximizes canopy exposure and airflow and is the
dominant trellising system in cool, high-vigor European regions like
Bordeaux.
4. The term “millerandage” describes:
A. The thinning of clusters by hand before harvest
B. The complete failure of flowers to set fruit due to cold or wet weather
C. The shriveling of berries due to noble rot
D. An uneven fruit set producing berries of varying sizes, including small
seedless ones, within the same cluster
ANSWER : D. Millerandage is often caused by poor weather during
flowering and can concentrate flavor in the resulting small berries.
5. “Coulure” is best defined as:
A. A fungal disease affecting the vine's trunk
B. A poor fruit set caused by cool, wet, or windy conditions during
flowering, resulting in reduced yields
C. The process of grafting European vines onto American rootstock
D. The desiccation of grapes late in the season to concentrate sugars
ANSWER : B. Coulure results in fewer berries per cluster; Grenache
and Merlot are particularly prone to it.
6. Which soil type is most associated with the top vineyards of Chablis,
famous for its marine fossil content?
A. Kimmeridgian marl (limestone-clay with fossilized oyster shells)
B. Decomposed granite
C. Alluvial gravel
D. Volcanic tuff
ANSWER : A. Kimmeridgian soil, rich in Exogyra virgula fossils,
underlies the Grand and Premier Cru slopes of Chablis.
Page 2 of 53
, Advanced Sommelier — General Knowledge Level 1
7. Phylloxera vastatrix is a:
A. Bacterial infection affecting vine trunks
B. Root-feeding aphid-like insect that devastated European vineyards in
the late 19th century
C. Viral disease transmitted by nematodes
D. Fungal disease that causes powdery mildew
ANSWER : B. Most Vitis vinifera vines today are grafted onto
phylloxera-resistant American rootstock as a result.
8. What is the primary purpose of “green harvesting” (crop thinning)?
A. To increase total tonnage per acre
B. To remove diseased leaves from the canopy
C. To prevent frost damage to buds
D. To reduce yield and concentrate flavor and ripeness in the remaining
clusters
ANSWER : D. Green harvesting, performed around véraison, drops
unripe or excess clusters to improve concentration in the remaining
fruit.
9. Biodynamic viticulture, as codified by Rudolf Steiner and certified by
Demeter, requires practices including:
A. The exclusive use of stainless steel fermentation vessels
B. The use of specific herbal and mineral preparations applied according
to a lunar/cosmic calendar
C. Certification by the EU Organic body only
D. Mandatory irrigation on a fixed schedule
ANSWER : B. Biodynamics treats the vineyard as a self-sustaining
organism and uses preparations such as horn manure (500) and
horn silica (501).
10. A vineyard's “aspect” refers to:
A. The density of vines planted per hectare
B. The average age of the vines
C. The elevation of the vineyard above sea level
D. The direction a slope faces relative to the sun
Page 3 of 53
, Advanced Sommelier — General Knowledge Level 1
ANSWER : D. In the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing aspects
typically receive the most sunlight and heat, critical in cool regions
like Germany's Mosel.
Winemaking & Vinification
11. Malolactic fermentation (MLF) converts:
A. Sugar into alcohol via yeast
B. Tannins into anthocyanins
C. Sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid
D. Alcohol into acetic acid
ANSWER : C. MLF, driven by lactic acid bacteria such as Oenococcus
oeni, softens acidity and can add buttery diacetyl notes.
12. “Carbonic maceration” is most classically associated with:
A. Beaujolais, producing fruity, low-tannin wines
B. Barolo, producing tannic, age-worthy wines
C. Port, producing fortified wines
D. Sauternes, producing botrytized sweet wines
ANSWER : A. Whole uncrushed berries ferment intracellularly in a
CO2-rich environment, producing the bright, bubblegum-like notes
typical of Beaujolais Nouveau.
13. The “Solera” system is a fractional blending process traditionally
used for:
A. Champagne
B. Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
C. Barolo
D. Sherry and some Madeira
ANSWER : D. The Solera system blends wine of different ages
through tiers of barrels (criaderas) topped with younger wine to
ensure consistency.
14. What does “bâtonnage” refer to?
A. Racking wine off its sediment
B. Stirring the lees during barrel aging to add texture and complexity
C. The process of pressing grapes for the first time
D. Blending wines of different vintages
Page 4 of 53
ADVANCED MASTER SOMMELIER GENERAL KNOWLEDGE LEVEL 1
| VERIFIED EXAM SOLUTIONS - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -
CURRENT VERSION
Advanced Sommelier - General Knowledge Level 1
1. Which of the following best describes “bud break”?
A. The point at which grape berries change color and begin ripening
(véraison)
B. The stage in the vine's annual cycle when leaf buds begin to swell and
open after winter dormancy
C. The stage when the vine sheds its leaves in autumn
D. The process of removing excess shoots from the vine canopy
ANSWER : B. Bud break marks the start of the growing season,
typically triggered by soil temperatures reaching about 50°F (10°C).
2. “Véraison” refers to:
A. The harvest of grapes at full ripeness
B. The onset of ripening, when grape berries change color and begin to
soften
C. The pruning of vines during dormancy
D. The initial swelling of buds in spring
ANSWER : B. Véraison typically occurs 40–50 days after fruit set and
signals the shift from berry growth to sugar accumulation.
Page 1 of 53
, Advanced Sommelier — General Knowledge Level 1
3. Which training system is characterized by canes trained along wires
in a flat, vertical plane, commonly used in Bordeaux?
A. Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP)
B. Lyre system
C. Pergola
D. Gobelet (bush vine)
ANSWER : A. VSP maximizes canopy exposure and airflow and is the
dominant trellising system in cool, high-vigor European regions like
Bordeaux.
4. The term “millerandage” describes:
A. The thinning of clusters by hand before harvest
B. The complete failure of flowers to set fruit due to cold or wet weather
C. The shriveling of berries due to noble rot
D. An uneven fruit set producing berries of varying sizes, including small
seedless ones, within the same cluster
ANSWER : D. Millerandage is often caused by poor weather during
flowering and can concentrate flavor in the resulting small berries.
5. “Coulure” is best defined as:
A. A fungal disease affecting the vine's trunk
B. A poor fruit set caused by cool, wet, or windy conditions during
flowering, resulting in reduced yields
C. The process of grafting European vines onto American rootstock
D. The desiccation of grapes late in the season to concentrate sugars
ANSWER : B. Coulure results in fewer berries per cluster; Grenache
and Merlot are particularly prone to it.
6. Which soil type is most associated with the top vineyards of Chablis,
famous for its marine fossil content?
A. Kimmeridgian marl (limestone-clay with fossilized oyster shells)
B. Decomposed granite
C. Alluvial gravel
D. Volcanic tuff
ANSWER : A. Kimmeridgian soil, rich in Exogyra virgula fossils,
underlies the Grand and Premier Cru slopes of Chablis.
Page 2 of 53
, Advanced Sommelier — General Knowledge Level 1
7. Phylloxera vastatrix is a:
A. Bacterial infection affecting vine trunks
B. Root-feeding aphid-like insect that devastated European vineyards in
the late 19th century
C. Viral disease transmitted by nematodes
D. Fungal disease that causes powdery mildew
ANSWER : B. Most Vitis vinifera vines today are grafted onto
phylloxera-resistant American rootstock as a result.
8. What is the primary purpose of “green harvesting” (crop thinning)?
A. To increase total tonnage per acre
B. To remove diseased leaves from the canopy
C. To prevent frost damage to buds
D. To reduce yield and concentrate flavor and ripeness in the remaining
clusters
ANSWER : D. Green harvesting, performed around véraison, drops
unripe or excess clusters to improve concentration in the remaining
fruit.
9. Biodynamic viticulture, as codified by Rudolf Steiner and certified by
Demeter, requires practices including:
A. The exclusive use of stainless steel fermentation vessels
B. The use of specific herbal and mineral preparations applied according
to a lunar/cosmic calendar
C. Certification by the EU Organic body only
D. Mandatory irrigation on a fixed schedule
ANSWER : B. Biodynamics treats the vineyard as a self-sustaining
organism and uses preparations such as horn manure (500) and
horn silica (501).
10. A vineyard's “aspect” refers to:
A. The density of vines planted per hectare
B. The average age of the vines
C. The elevation of the vineyard above sea level
D. The direction a slope faces relative to the sun
Page 3 of 53
, Advanced Sommelier — General Knowledge Level 1
ANSWER : D. In the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing aspects
typically receive the most sunlight and heat, critical in cool regions
like Germany's Mosel.
Winemaking & Vinification
11. Malolactic fermentation (MLF) converts:
A. Sugar into alcohol via yeast
B. Tannins into anthocyanins
C. Sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid
D. Alcohol into acetic acid
ANSWER : C. MLF, driven by lactic acid bacteria such as Oenococcus
oeni, softens acidity and can add buttery diacetyl notes.
12. “Carbonic maceration” is most classically associated with:
A. Beaujolais, producing fruity, low-tannin wines
B. Barolo, producing tannic, age-worthy wines
C. Port, producing fortified wines
D. Sauternes, producing botrytized sweet wines
ANSWER : A. Whole uncrushed berries ferment intracellularly in a
CO2-rich environment, producing the bright, bubblegum-like notes
typical of Beaujolais Nouveau.
13. The “Solera” system is a fractional blending process traditionally
used for:
A. Champagne
B. Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
C. Barolo
D. Sherry and some Madeira
ANSWER : D. The Solera system blends wine of different ages
through tiers of barrels (criaderas) topped with younger wine to
ensure consistency.
14. What does “bâtonnage” refer to?
A. Racking wine off its sediment
B. Stirring the lees during barrel aging to add texture and complexity
C. The process of pressing grapes for the first time
D. Blending wines of different vintages
Page 4 of 53
