SOMM Grape Varieties and Viticulture

Question 1

Nebbiolo is the primary grape variety used to produce which two prestigious Italian wines?

Accepted Answer

Barolo and Barbaresco

Answer

Nebbiolo produces both Barolo and Barbaresco in Piedmont, Italy — two of the country's most age-worthy red wines.

Question 2

Which white grape variety is the sole permitted variety in Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre appellations?

Accepted Answer

Sauvignon Blanc

Answer

Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre in the Loire Valley's Upper Loire both use 100% Sauvignon Blanc, known for grassy, citrus, and mineral profiles.

Question 3

The term 'Spätburgunder' refers to which grape variety when grown in Germany?

Accepted Answer

Pinot Noir

Answer

Spätburgunder is the German name for Pinot Noir, and Germany is actually the third-largest producer of this variety globally.

Question 4

Carménère, now considered Chile's flagship red grape, was originally thought to be which variety?

Accepted Answer

Merlot

Answer

Carménère was long misidentified as Merlot in Chilean vineyards; DNA profiling in 1994 confirmed it as a separate Bordeaux variety.

Question 5

Which viticulture practice involves cutting back the vine to a permanent woody structure with short spurs to control yield?

Accepted Answer

Spur pruning (Gobelet)

Answer

Spur pruning, often used in the Gobelet (bush vine) system, retains short spurs on a permanent trunk to regulate shoot growth and yield.

SOMM - Certified Sommelier Examination Practice Test