This approach systematically describes aspects of a wine in the order we encounter them. Appearance first, then to the nose, then the palate and finally we may use our impressions to draw a conclusion about the quality of the wine.
Acidity is mainly detected at the side and back of the tongue.
True or false
Compared to red wines, white wines are generally fermented at
B) white wines are generally fermented at lower temperatures
What is sweetness?
Sweetness is an indicator of how much sugar a wine contains, though wines made from very ripe grapes can have a slightly sweet sweet flavour even when there is no sugar.
The part of the tongue that is most sensitive to sweetness is the tip.
What is Acidity?
Acidity is what makes lemons taste sour. It causes the mouth to water and its presence makes wines taste vibrant and refreshing.
Acidity is most strongly detected by the sides of the tongue.
What is Tannin?
Tannin is what makes strong black taste bitter and astringent. Tannins are present in the grape skins and their presence in a wine depends on the amount of skin contact during winemaking.
Tannin is detected mainly in the gums.
What is Body?
Body is also sometimes described as 'mouth-feel'. It is the sensation of richness, weight or viscosity and its combinations of the effects of alcohol, tannins, sugars and flavour compounds extracted from the skins.
What is length?
Length also called the finish, is how long the flavours linger in the mouth after the wine has been swallowed or spat out.
Vines with lots of large bunches of big grapes are most suitable for
D) vines with lots of large bunches of big grapes are most suitable for inexpensive, simple dry wines
Why are there very few vineyards lying closer to the equator than 30 degrees?
A) it is generally too hot
Which one of the following describes the production of STILL RED wines?
D) crush - ferment - (25-30 °C) - press
Which one of the following does not add flavours to red wine?
B) glass bottles
What are characteristics of Chardonnay from a cool climate?
C) Green fruit, high natural acidity, dry
Which of the following words indicates that a wine has been aged for a period in oak?
A) Crianza.
What are characteristics of Chardonnay from a moderate climate?
C) Citrus and stone fruit, medium/high acid, dry
What are characteristics of Chardonnay from a hot climate?
A) Tropical fruit, medium acid, dry
How many standard glasses can you get out of a 75cl bottle of wine?
a) 3 250ml glasses b) 6 125ml glasses c) 4 175ml glasses d) All of the above
d) All of the above
Name some Premium regions for Chardonnay:
Australia: Hunter Valley, Victoria State, Limestone Coast (including Padthway), Adelaide Hills, Margaret River
New Zealand: Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, Marlborough
California: Coastal Region, Sonoma, Carneros
Chile: Casablanca
Argentina: Mendoza
Pinotage is a grape variety that is primarily used for
D) South African red wines
Name the classic regions for Chardonnay:
France: Bourgogne (Burgundy), Chablis, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Macon and Pouilly Fuissé
Pair 'chewy' meat with tannic wines
True or false
True
Tannin in wine reacts with protein. Foods with high protein content, particularly rare red meat, will soften the effects of the tannin on the palate.
Name some regions for inexpensive or bulk Chardonnay:
South-Eastern Australia
Western Cape
California
Central Valley (Chile)
Vin de Pays d'Oc
Vin de Pays Val de Loire
Sicily
Southern Italy
Hungary
Argentina
'Pale lemon colour; green fruit and smoky mineral aromas; dry with high acidity'
This tasting note most accurately describes which of the following wines
D) Chablis AC
What are the 5 steps to opening a bottle of still wine?
1) Remove the top of the capsule, by cutting around below the lip of the bottle
2) Wipe the neck of the bottle
3) Draw the cork as gently and cleanly as possible
4) Give the neck of the bottle a final clean inside and out
5) Pour a sample into the host's glass for approval
Which grape variety is considered to produce high-quality white wines in both Germany and Australia?
D) Riesling.
Pair fatty and oily food with high-acid wines
True or false
True
Wines with a good level of acidity can be superb with rich, oily foods.
Pair salty foods with sweet or high -acid wines
True or false
True
Match or contrast flavour characteristics of the food and the wine
True or false
True
Which of the following pairs of regions are famous for premium wines made from Syrah/Shiraz?
C) Hermitage AC and Barossa Valley region
A severe winter frost may damage the graft and cause the death of the vine..
True or false
What are characteristics of Pinot Noir from a cool climate?
B) Vegetal, high acid, low tannins
What are characteristics of Pinot Noir from a moderate climate?
A) Red fruit, medium/high acid, low/medium tannins
What are characteristics of Merlot from a hot climate?
D) Black fruit, low acid, medium tannin
Carmenère is another name for the Merlot grape.
True or false
What are characteristics of Merlot from a moderate climate?
B) Red fruit, medium acid, light/medium tannin
Which of the following varieties is typically used for dry, unoaked white wines with pungent vegetal flavours and high acidity?
A) Sauvignon Blanc
Guyot is an example of spur training..
True or false
Name some classic regions for Merlot:
France: Bordeaux, Saint-Emillion, Pomerol
What are characteristics of Syrah/Shiraz from a moderate climate?
A) Black fruit, pepper, high acid, high tannin
What are characteristics of Syrah/Shiraz from a hot climate?
C) Black fruit, spice, medium acid, high tannin
Which variety is often used for rosé wines in Spain, and Southern France?
D) Grenache / Garnacha
What are characteristics of Grenache / Garnacha from a hot climate?
A) Red fruit, low acidity, low tannins
Which of the following grape varieties would struggle to ripen properly, if grown in a cool-climate wine region?
C) Grenache / Garnacha
Name some classic regions for Gernache (Garanacha)
France: Southern Rhône: (blended) Côtes du Rhôn, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Châteauneuf du Pape
Red wines are generally bottled much younger than whites.
True or false
Fill in the missing words in the paragraph below.
The flowers of nearly all commercial grape varieties are hermaphrodite,
that is, they contain both ______________ and _______________ organs within the same flower. A ____________ occurs when pollen from one grape variety is used to fertilize ovules (eggs) of a different variety of the same species. Some ___________ such as _______________ (Pinot Noir X Cinsault) in South Africa are long established in the vineyards of the world. The only way to ensure that one vine has the same characteristics as another is to take a _______________ and allow it to grow into a new vine.
A wine labelled 'Napa Fumé Blanc' with be made from
D) Sauvignon Blanc
Which of the following wines is most likely to have medium sweetness?
D) Mosel Riesling Spätlese
What are characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc from a Cool climate?
C) Pungent vegetal and green fruit, high acid, dry
Both grey rot and noble rot are caused by botrytris cinerea.
True or false
What are characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc from a moderate climate?
D) Less Pungent, stone fruit, medium/high acid, dry
Which of the following regions produces inexpensive wines from Cabernet Sauvignon?
B) Bulgaria
Which grape variety is considered to produce very high quality white wines in both Germany and Australia?
A) Riesling
Oak chips can be used to give flavour to inexpensive wines.
True or False
Which grape variety is used for red wines from the Côte d'Or (Burgundy, France)?
B) Pinot Noir
Which of the following tasting notes most accurately describes a young wine from Pauillac AC?
C) Intense purple; black fruit and oak aromas; high tannins
For each description of a faulty wine identify the most likely cause from the listprovided.
A 2004 Chablis with a sherry like aroma
a) Cork taint
b) Oxidised
c) Secondary fermentati
For each description of a faulty wine identify the most likely cause from the listprovided.
An Australian Shiraz with a wet cardboard aroma
a) Cork taint
b) Oxidised
c) Secondary fermentati
For each description of a faulty wine identify the most likely cause from the list
provided.
A Piesporter that is cloudy and slightly fizzy -
a) Cork taint
b) Oxidised
c) Secondary fermentation
What are characteristics of Riesling from a moderate climate?
D) Citrus and stone fruit, high acid, usually dry
A maritime climate where most of the rainfall occurs in winter is known as a Mediterranean Climate.
True or false
What are characteristics of Riesling from a cool climate?
D) Green and citrus fruit, high acid, dry or medium or sweet
Large casks have a more marked effect on the flavour of wine than small casks.
True or false
Which of the following varieties is often used in South Africa for inexpensive unoaked white wines?
b) Chenin Blanc
Downy mildew is a caused by a fungus native to Europe.
True or false
Which of the following regions are located in Chile?
c) 2 and 4 only (Maipo and Rapel)
Malt whisky is made in a continuous still.
True or false
The word 'sur lie' on a bottle of Muscadet indicates that
d) it has been bottled directly off the dead yeast
Which of the following varieties is used for making full-bodied reds in Puglia, (Southern Italy)?
A) Primitivo
Gamay is
A) a grape variety used to make Beaujolais
Fill in the missing words in the paragraph below.
Pauillac is a commune of the _______________district
in the region of_______________. The best vineyards of Pauillac are situated on __________ soils. The wines of Pauillac are made from a blend of grape
varieties with __________________ usually being the dominant variety. These wines will generally need _______________ to show at their best. The majority of wines from Pauillac are in the __________to ________
price range.
The grape harvest in France usually take place about 100 days after the vine has flowered.
True or false
What is a Cuvée?
A Blend, often part of a brand name.
Ribera del Duero, Rias Baixas and Toro are all red wines made from the Tempranillo grape.
True or false
Which of the following tasting notes best describes a mature wine from Barolo?
C) Garnet colour; red fruit and vegetal aromas; high levels of tannin and acidity
The principal advantage of machine harvesting is speed.
True or false
What is a Château?
(Usually in Bordeaux) Indicates that the wine is made from a defined piece of land, though this land maybe sold or added to over time. It does not entail the existence of a building.
What is a 'Domaine' ?
A producer making wine from grapes grown in their own vineyards.
Within the Côte d'Or, wines from the very best vineyards will be indicated by which words on the label?
B) Grand Cru
Which of the following terms indicates that a Portuguese wine belongs to the 'Table wine with Geographical description' quality category?
D) Vinho Regional
Baumé and Oechsle are both measures of must weight.
True or false
Carménère is most commonly used for
B) Spicy, brambly red wines from Chile
Oregon is a good source of inexpensive wines from the Pinot Noir grape.
True or false
Malbec is a grape variety often associated with Argentina.
True or false
The word 'Beerenauslese' on a bottle of German Riesling indicates that the wine is
A) made from very ripe grapes
The word 'Reserve' on a bottle of wine indicates
A) nothing; this word is not legally controlled
Fleurie AC is a village with its own appellation, lying within the region of:
B) Beaujolais
In cold climates grape must often needs to be acidified.
True or false
The word 'Brut' on a bottle of Champagne indicates that it is
C) dry
Cava is made by the same method as Champagne.
True or false
Prosecco is a
B) fruity sparkling white from Italy
Vinho Verde can be a red or white wine.
True or false
Premier Grand Cru is the highest vineyard classification in Burgundy.
True or false
Compared to Non-Vintage Champagne, which of the following are typoical for Vintage Champagne?
1) The base wines come from a single year
2) It is made from black grapes only
3) It may come from Spain
4) It spends longer aging in the cellar before disgorgement
5) It is sweeter
6) It has more intense biscuity, bready autolytic characteristics
c) 1,4, and 6 only ( the base wines for the Vintage Champagne come from the harvest of a single year, the wine generally spends longer in the cellar before disgorgement than a non-vintage Champagne, with the result that is has more intense biscuity, bready, autolytic characteristics)
Compared to the tank method, bottle-fermented sparkling wines typically have
D) smaller, more persistent bubbles and complex bready, biscuity flavours
Which grape varities are used fro the production of Champagne?
C) Pinot Noir, (Pinot) Meunier and Chardonnay
In marginal climates the harvest often takes place at night.
True or false
Which method best describes the production of Asti?
B) Tank method, with minimal aging to maximise fruitness
PX sherry is a suitable alternative to a Manzanilla.
True or false
Which of the following helps concentrate the sugars to make sweet wines in Sauternes?
D) Black Rot
Saignée is a technique used to make rosé wines.
True or false
Rutherglen Muscat is a fortified wine from Australia.
True or false
Which if the following best describes a German Riesling TBA (Trockenbeerenauslese)?
C) Golden; tropical dried fruit and botrytis aromas; sweet
Marlborough is a region of South Africa famed for its Sauvignon Blanc wines.
True or false
Which one of the following varieties is often used in South Africa for inexpensive unoaked white wines?
a) Malbec.
b) Chenin Blanc.
c) Shiraz.
d) Trebbiano.
What is Gamay?
a) A quality category for vineyards.
b) A region in Southern France
c) A grape variety used to make Beaujolais.
d) A method for making rosé wines
Wines made by carbonic maceration usually age well.
True or false
Rufina and Colli Senesi are Chianti districts.
True or false
A Reserve Tawny Port is
A) Sweet with nutty aromas
Rutherglen Muscat is a fortified wine from Australia.
True or false
Which of the following pairs of countries are major producer of sweet wines made from frozen grapes?
D) Canada and Austria
Süssreserve is the addition of sugar to grape must to increase level of alcohol.
True or false
'Brown colour; nutty, oxidative aromas; dry and full-bodied with high alcohol'.
This tasting note best describes
D) Oloroso seco Sherry
What method is used to make Muscat de Beaumes de Venise ( a Vin Doux Naturel) sweet?
C) Interrupting the fermentation by fortification with grape alcohol
What is the base material for Rum?
B) Sugar cane juice or molasses
Which of the following best describes the differences between Bourbon and a Single Malt Whiskey
C) Bourbon is sweeter and has no peat smoke aromas
Which of the following may be used as a base material for Vodka?
