©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Introductory Sommelier Course Workbook
+ Windows Exam Questions and Answers
How do you describe a climate? - ANSWER✔✔-Large to small; Macroclimate (big picture), mesoclimate
(ie, vineyard), microclimate (ie, single row vines or specific vine)
Rain Shadow - ANSWER✔✔-a dry area on one side of a mountain opposite wind, rain, and generally poor
weather.
Main factors of Pulp (flesh) - ANSWER✔✔-Water - resides in the pulp of grapes
Sugar - increases when grape ripens
Acids - decrease as grape ripens
Seeds/Pips - can give bitter flavors, if pressed
Cool Climate > Wine style? - ANSWER✔✔--grapes ripen slowly and moderately
-less sugar is produced
-acidity remains high
Page 1/52
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
-less alcohol potential (less sugar)
-flavors are more tart and lean;less ripe and juicy
Warm Climate > Wine Style? - ANSWER✔✔--grapes ripen fully
-more sugar is produced
-acidity is lower
-higher alcohol potential
-flavors are more ripe, lush, juicy
Green Harvest - ANSWER✔✔-Dropping or cutting grape bunches off vine before harvest to focus the
vine's energy on fewer, high quality bunches
The majority of the world's vineyards are planted: - ANSWER✔✔-between the 30-50 degree latitude
lines
3 ways wind can help a vineyard - ANSWER✔✔--draw in cooler air, draw in warmer air, helps prevent
mold or rot
Malolactic Fermentation - ANSWER✔✔-Tart malic acid, natural in grapes, are converted to softer tasting
lactic acid. "Malo" or "ML" is a process that occurs naturally in both red and white wines. NO flavor is
Page 2/52
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
imparted to red wines, but ML can impart buttery or buttered popcorn flavors and a creamy texture to
white wines*
Carbonic Maceration - ANSWER✔✔-Tanks filled with whole berries are blanketed under the CO2 gas.
Grapes begin to ferment from the inside (Intracellular fermentation). Berries at the bottom of tank are
crushed and ferment normally. Unique aromas and flavors are produced - this technique is historically
associated with Beaujolais region of Burgundy.
Sur Lie - ANSWER✔✔-When wine is left in contact with the lees for an extended period of time;
decomposing yeast cells impart additional aromas and flavors to the wine (bread dough, yeast, toast,
subtle white flowers, nuts.
Name 2 Must Adjustments - ANSWER✔✔-1. Chapitalization
2. Acidification
Chapitalization - ANSWER✔✔-Addition of sugar to must to increase the final alcohol content of the wine
Acidification - ANSWER✔✔-Additional of tartaric acid to increase the acidity of the must to improve
balance/outcome
Aging White Wines leads to - ANSWER✔✔-deeper color, turning gold, then amber, and eventually brown
*also for Rose
Page 3/52
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Oxidation (with White Wines) - ANSWER✔✔-As wine ages in barrel, it is exposed to oxygen through the
pores of the wood staves, oxidizing the wine and deepening color
Aging Red Wines leads to - ANSWER✔✔-lightening of color, often appearing dull and may brown
Wine Fault Terms - ANSWER✔✔-TCA (Trichloroanisole)/Corkiness - wet cardboard
Oxidation - bad storage, poorly aged
VA (Volatile Acidity) - vinegary aromas
Ethyl Acetate (EA)- acetone/nail polish
SO2 - matches/wet wool
Brettanomyces - yeast growth
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) - inadequate yeast nutrition during fermentation - rotten eggs
Old World - Potential Reasons - ANSWER✔✔--dominance of earth and/or mineral character
-dominance of non fruit aromas and flavors
-the fruit is restrained compared to non-fruit and earth aromas and flavors
-the fruit becomes tart on the palate
-non fruit aromas and flavors become mroe apparent in the finish
Page 4/52
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Introductory Sommelier Course Workbook
+ Windows Exam Questions and Answers
How do you describe a climate? - ANSWER✔✔-Large to small; Macroclimate (big picture), mesoclimate
(ie, vineyard), microclimate (ie, single row vines or specific vine)
Rain Shadow - ANSWER✔✔-a dry area on one side of a mountain opposite wind, rain, and generally poor
weather.
Main factors of Pulp (flesh) - ANSWER✔✔-Water - resides in the pulp of grapes
Sugar - increases when grape ripens
Acids - decrease as grape ripens
Seeds/Pips - can give bitter flavors, if pressed
Cool Climate > Wine style? - ANSWER✔✔--grapes ripen slowly and moderately
-less sugar is produced
-acidity remains high
Page 1/52
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
-less alcohol potential (less sugar)
-flavors are more tart and lean;less ripe and juicy
Warm Climate > Wine Style? - ANSWER✔✔--grapes ripen fully
-more sugar is produced
-acidity is lower
-higher alcohol potential
-flavors are more ripe, lush, juicy
Green Harvest - ANSWER✔✔-Dropping or cutting grape bunches off vine before harvest to focus the
vine's energy on fewer, high quality bunches
The majority of the world's vineyards are planted: - ANSWER✔✔-between the 30-50 degree latitude
lines
3 ways wind can help a vineyard - ANSWER✔✔--draw in cooler air, draw in warmer air, helps prevent
mold or rot
Malolactic Fermentation - ANSWER✔✔-Tart malic acid, natural in grapes, are converted to softer tasting
lactic acid. "Malo" or "ML" is a process that occurs naturally in both red and white wines. NO flavor is
Page 2/52
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
imparted to red wines, but ML can impart buttery or buttered popcorn flavors and a creamy texture to
white wines*
Carbonic Maceration - ANSWER✔✔-Tanks filled with whole berries are blanketed under the CO2 gas.
Grapes begin to ferment from the inside (Intracellular fermentation). Berries at the bottom of tank are
crushed and ferment normally. Unique aromas and flavors are produced - this technique is historically
associated with Beaujolais region of Burgundy.
Sur Lie - ANSWER✔✔-When wine is left in contact with the lees for an extended period of time;
decomposing yeast cells impart additional aromas and flavors to the wine (bread dough, yeast, toast,
subtle white flowers, nuts.
Name 2 Must Adjustments - ANSWER✔✔-1. Chapitalization
2. Acidification
Chapitalization - ANSWER✔✔-Addition of sugar to must to increase the final alcohol content of the wine
Acidification - ANSWER✔✔-Additional of tartaric acid to increase the acidity of the must to improve
balance/outcome
Aging White Wines leads to - ANSWER✔✔-deeper color, turning gold, then amber, and eventually brown
*also for Rose
Page 3/52
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Oxidation (with White Wines) - ANSWER✔✔-As wine ages in barrel, it is exposed to oxygen through the
pores of the wood staves, oxidizing the wine and deepening color
Aging Red Wines leads to - ANSWER✔✔-lightening of color, often appearing dull and may brown
Wine Fault Terms - ANSWER✔✔-TCA (Trichloroanisole)/Corkiness - wet cardboard
Oxidation - bad storage, poorly aged
VA (Volatile Acidity) - vinegary aromas
Ethyl Acetate (EA)- acetone/nail polish
SO2 - matches/wet wool
Brettanomyces - yeast growth
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) - inadequate yeast nutrition during fermentation - rotten eggs
Old World - Potential Reasons - ANSWER✔✔--dominance of earth and/or mineral character
-dominance of non fruit aromas and flavors
-the fruit is restrained compared to non-fruit and earth aromas and flavors
-the fruit becomes tart on the palate
-non fruit aromas and flavors become mroe apparent in the finish
Page 4/52
