Sommelier Level 1 Exam Practice Questions
Solved 100% Correct _Verified Answer
How does water moderate climate? - ✔✔Warms or cools climate
How do mountains moderate climate? - ✔✔protects from surrounding weather, climate (i.e,
rain shadow: dry side protected from rain, wind, poor weather)
how does a sloped topography impact viticulture? - ✔✔good drainage, less fertile because of
erosion, less chance of frost, but more difficult to manage
how does a valley floor topography impact viticulture? - ✔✔poor air, susceptible to frost,
sometimes overly fertile soil
Aspect definition - ✔✔facing away or towards the sun
what are the factors of topography that affect viticulture? - ✔✔elevation, altitude, slope,
aspect, proximity to water
how does soil type impact viticulture? - ✔✔drainage of water, water retention, sun
reflection, granite, limestone/chalk, marl, schist, clay, sand, silt, gravel
Impact of grape skins? - ✔✔tannins, color, flavor
Tannins - ✔✔Lend structure, but also astringency in red wines.
,Grape color - ✔✔provide intensity, hue
grape flavor in skins - ✔✔skins provide the most flavor, aromas
grape pulp consists of? - ✔✔water, sugar, acids, seeds/pips
how is sugar level impacted as grape ripens? - ✔✔increases, becomes sweeter
how do seeds/pips in grapes impact flavor? - ✔✔produce bitter flavors if pressed
grapes genus - ✔✔Vitis: A deciduous, woody plant which climbs
and supports itself by virtue of 'tendrils'
Grape Species - ✔✔Vitis Lambrusca, Vitis Riparia, Vitis Vinifera
Vitis vinifera - ✔✔Native to Mediterranean, Europe, SW Asia. Most common for grape
production (10,000 varieties) White: chardonnay, riesling, sauv blanc Red: Cab sav, merlot,
syrah, pinot noir
Matching soil and climate - ✔✔Local law often dictates
Viticultural Propagation - ✔✔grape vine breeding
Hybrid grape vines - ✔✔Vines of two or more species to create new variety
Grape vine crosses - ✔✔vine of same species combined to create new variety
,Impact of cool climate on grape ripeness - ✔✔grapes ripen more slowly and moderately, less
sugar produced, high acidity, less alcohol potential, flavors more tart and lean, less juicy and
ripe
Impact of warm climate on grape ripeness - ✔✔grapes ripen fully, more sugar produced,
lower acidity, higher alcohol, flavors are riper lush and juicy
Vineyard Architecture - ✔✔Spacing, vine training (grape variety, soil type)
Factors impacting yield - ✔✔tons of grapes per acre, hectoliters per hectare, pounds or kilos
per vine, green harvest
Green Harvest - ✔✔crop thinning method that cuts unripe bunches before harvest to allow
vine to focus energy/nutrients on fewer, higher quality bunches
Canopy Management - ✔✔determines flow of air through rows, exposes or shades grape
bunches
irrigation - ✔✔provides water, governed by law in some regions
Pests & Vine Disease - ✔✔some beneficial, some not; can inhibit growth
Phylloxera - ✔✔A vine louse that destroyed 1/3 of the world's vines beginning in the late
1800's; one of the greatest threats to wine production in history
fertilizers - ✔✔chemicals/organic matter to enhance fertility
anti-fungal treatment - ✔✔sprayed to stop mildew/rot
, Harvest - ✔✔when/how grapes are picked determine style/quality
Grape Maturity impacts? - ✔✔sugar, physiological, tannin ripeness
Mechanical Harvesting - ✔✔Less labor intensive, economical, less selective, fast
Hand harvesting - ✔✔Labor intensive, more selective
small harvesting bin size - ✔✔careful selection
large harvesting bin size - ✔✔more, compromised selection
Yearly Weather/Vintage Variation: - ✔✔Nature dictates vintage quality
Terroir - ✔✔French; entire set of factors influencing development of vine's
fruit and characteristics fruit will show once vinified
Regional Wine Law: - ✔✔determines which grapes grown and how grown
pre-fermentation vinification factors - ✔✔sorting, de-stemming (wine makers choice
whether to de-stem or not), crushing
pre-fermentation sorting - ✔✔removes excess leaves, branches, damaged fruit, etc; can be
done by hand, cluster by cluster or single grapes by cluster
crushing - ✔✔gentle process so as not to extract tannins from skin
Solved 100% Correct _Verified Answer
How does water moderate climate? - ✔✔Warms or cools climate
How do mountains moderate climate? - ✔✔protects from surrounding weather, climate (i.e,
rain shadow: dry side protected from rain, wind, poor weather)
how does a sloped topography impact viticulture? - ✔✔good drainage, less fertile because of
erosion, less chance of frost, but more difficult to manage
how does a valley floor topography impact viticulture? - ✔✔poor air, susceptible to frost,
sometimes overly fertile soil
Aspect definition - ✔✔facing away or towards the sun
what are the factors of topography that affect viticulture? - ✔✔elevation, altitude, slope,
aspect, proximity to water
how does soil type impact viticulture? - ✔✔drainage of water, water retention, sun
reflection, granite, limestone/chalk, marl, schist, clay, sand, silt, gravel
Impact of grape skins? - ✔✔tannins, color, flavor
Tannins - ✔✔Lend structure, but also astringency in red wines.
,Grape color - ✔✔provide intensity, hue
grape flavor in skins - ✔✔skins provide the most flavor, aromas
grape pulp consists of? - ✔✔water, sugar, acids, seeds/pips
how is sugar level impacted as grape ripens? - ✔✔increases, becomes sweeter
how do seeds/pips in grapes impact flavor? - ✔✔produce bitter flavors if pressed
grapes genus - ✔✔Vitis: A deciduous, woody plant which climbs
and supports itself by virtue of 'tendrils'
Grape Species - ✔✔Vitis Lambrusca, Vitis Riparia, Vitis Vinifera
Vitis vinifera - ✔✔Native to Mediterranean, Europe, SW Asia. Most common for grape
production (10,000 varieties) White: chardonnay, riesling, sauv blanc Red: Cab sav, merlot,
syrah, pinot noir
Matching soil and climate - ✔✔Local law often dictates
Viticultural Propagation - ✔✔grape vine breeding
Hybrid grape vines - ✔✔Vines of two or more species to create new variety
Grape vine crosses - ✔✔vine of same species combined to create new variety
,Impact of cool climate on grape ripeness - ✔✔grapes ripen more slowly and moderately, less
sugar produced, high acidity, less alcohol potential, flavors more tart and lean, less juicy and
ripe
Impact of warm climate on grape ripeness - ✔✔grapes ripen fully, more sugar produced,
lower acidity, higher alcohol, flavors are riper lush and juicy
Vineyard Architecture - ✔✔Spacing, vine training (grape variety, soil type)
Factors impacting yield - ✔✔tons of grapes per acre, hectoliters per hectare, pounds or kilos
per vine, green harvest
Green Harvest - ✔✔crop thinning method that cuts unripe bunches before harvest to allow
vine to focus energy/nutrients on fewer, higher quality bunches
Canopy Management - ✔✔determines flow of air through rows, exposes or shades grape
bunches
irrigation - ✔✔provides water, governed by law in some regions
Pests & Vine Disease - ✔✔some beneficial, some not; can inhibit growth
Phylloxera - ✔✔A vine louse that destroyed 1/3 of the world's vines beginning in the late
1800's; one of the greatest threats to wine production in history
fertilizers - ✔✔chemicals/organic matter to enhance fertility
anti-fungal treatment - ✔✔sprayed to stop mildew/rot
, Harvest - ✔✔when/how grapes are picked determine style/quality
Grape Maturity impacts? - ✔✔sugar, physiological, tannin ripeness
Mechanical Harvesting - ✔✔Less labor intensive, economical, less selective, fast
Hand harvesting - ✔✔Labor intensive, more selective
small harvesting bin size - ✔✔careful selection
large harvesting bin size - ✔✔more, compromised selection
Yearly Weather/Vintage Variation: - ✔✔Nature dictates vintage quality
Terroir - ✔✔French; entire set of factors influencing development of vine's
fruit and characteristics fruit will show once vinified
Regional Wine Law: - ✔✔determines which grapes grown and how grown
pre-fermentation vinification factors - ✔✔sorting, de-stemming (wine makers choice
whether to de-stem or not), crushing
pre-fermentation sorting - ✔✔removes excess leaves, branches, damaged fruit, etc; can be
done by hand, cluster by cluster or single grapes by cluster
crushing - ✔✔gentle process so as not to extract tannins from skin
