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Wine Laws and Appellations Flashcards

6 cards from real SOMM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Wine Laws and Appellations flashcards as text

  1. What is the minimum Champagne grape sourcing requirement — what percentage must come from within the Champagne AOC?

    Answer: 100%

    All grapes used in Champagne AOC wines must be sourced entirely from within the delimited Champagne appellation; no outside grapes are permitted.

  2. Which term on an Italian wine label indicates the wine has been aged longer than the standard DOC/DOCG requirements?

    Answer: Riserva

    The term 'Riserva' on Italian wine labels designates wines that have been aged for longer periods than the minimum required for standard DOC/DOCG wines.

  3. In Spain, a wine labeled 'Gran Reserva' red must be aged for a minimum of how many years total?

    Answer: 5 years

    Spanish Gran Reserva red wines must be aged a minimum of 5 years total, with at least 18 months in oak barrel and the remainder in bottle.

  4. The EU wine quality classification replaced the old 'table wine' designation with which term?

    Answer: Wine without a Protected Designation (Vinho de Mesa/Vin de France)

    The 2009 EU wine reform replaced older table wine terminology with 'Wine without a GI,' allowing simpler labeling while still permitting vintage and variety on labels.

  5. In France, a wine labeled 'Mis en bouteille au Château' means what?

    Answer: Estate-bottled at the property where the grapes were grown

    'Mis en bouteille au Château' means the wine was bottled at the estate where it was produced, indicating the producer controlled the entire process from vineyard to bottle.

  6. What is a 'négociant' in the Burgundy wine trade?

    Answer: A merchant who buys grapes or wine from growers to blend, age, and sell under their own label

    A négociant buys grapes, must, or finished wines from multiple growers to blend and bottle under their own brand, playing a major role in Burgundy's trade structure.