WSET Practice Questions [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

1. Where is wine blended from different parcels to account for exposure in the vineyards? 2. What is depth filtration? What is surface filtration? 3. What is the ideal fermentation temperature for Pinot Noir? Why? What other winemaking techniques are used? Why? 4. What is the ideal fermentation temperature for high volume, inexpensive wines? Why? What other winemaking techniques are used? Why? 5. Where can warm climate Chardonnay be found? Name one region in the old world and one in the new world. How is it able to grow in these regions? What winemaking techniques are used? How does this impact the resulting wine? 6. What is the ideal temperature for fermenting white wine? What happens when it’s too hot? When it’s too cold? 7. What is the ideal temperature for fermenting red wine? What happens when it’s too hot? How can the winemaker utilized temperature control to create his desiredwine? 8. Why should white wine be clarified before the start of fermentation? How is this done? 9. Is MLF utilized in Alsace? In Germany? Why or why not? What winemaking techniques might be used for aromatic grape varietals in these countries? 10. What is chlorosis? How can it be corrected? 11. What is the difference between couloure and millerandage? What do they look like? How do they impact the resulting wine? 12. What is the difference between a Pouilly Fume and a Pouilly Fuisse? 13. What is the difference between a Pouilly Fuisse and a Macon? 14. What is the difference between VSP and Gobelet? Name one region for each where this method is used. Why are they used? 15. Name one region where canopy management is used to increase ripening. Does this have other benefits for the vine as well? Name one region when canopy management is used to slow down ripening. How else does this impact the vine? 16. Why would machine harvesting be used versus hand harvesting? Name one region for each. Are the wines produced premium or inexpensive? Can the opposite be produced in this area? 17. Are spring frosts a problem in Alsace? In Germany? Why or why not? 18. In what old world region are sprinklers/irrigation allowed? 19. Name 3 varieties commonly grown in 3 regions impacted by cooling ocean currents. By warming ocean currents. Explain how these currents impact the viticulture and wine. 20. How is it possible to grow grapes in Germany? Canada? Southern Italy? Northern Argentina? 21. Name one regions for each category: Cool Continental, Moderate Continental, Warm Continental, Hot Continental, Cool Mediterranean, Moderate Mediterranean, Warm Mediterranean, Hot Mediterranean, Cool Maritime, Moderate Maritime, Warm Maritime, Hot Maritime. Name one grape grown in each region and why it works there. 22. Where are stony soils found in New Zealand? In the old world – name 4. 23. Name four old world regions where limestone can be found. In the new world? 24. Name four old world regions where clay soils can be found. In the new world? 25. Does Vidal need a rootstock? 26. Name 4 old world regions where spring frosts are a problem. 4 new world. 27. Why is vintage so important in Maritime Climates? 28. Where is vintage less important?

29. In more stable climates in Argentina, what might be impacted from year to year? Why? 30. What is the difference between a premier cru and a grand cru in Burgundy? Where are these vineyards generally located? Name one Premier cru and one grand cru. 31. Pinot Noir is best grown in cool/moderate climates? Why is this? Why is South Africa too hot for Pinot Noir? 32. Explain how the following factors impact grapes: diurnal range, latitude, altitude, oceans, continentality, volcanic soil, slate soil 33. How can the climate in Ribera del Duero be described? Are there any similar regions in France? In the new world? How does this impact the resulting wines? 34. Write tasting notes for a typical, newly released, inexpensive Cotes du Rhone made with semi carbonic maceration 35. Red wines from the Southern Rhone are usually blends. Name four reasons why. Name the Southern Rhone blend. Why are these grapes used together? Where else are they used? 36. Why does Syrah grow in the Northern Rhone but not Bordeaux? Why not Beaujolais? Same questions for Viognier. 37. What natural factors combat excess sun? Human factors? What natural factors combat drought? Human factors? 38. Why use bush vines in the Southern Rhone? Why in Beaujolais? Why not in Bordeaux? Why not in Burgundy? 39. What is one inexpensive wine from the Southern Rhone? One premium wine? What are the differences? Compare and contrast Gigondas versus Chateau Neuf du Pape 40. Do you think Pays D’Oc IGP is successful? Why? Name one natural, one human, and one marke factor impacting this. 41. Compare and contrast Vino de la Tierra de Castilla La Mancha with DOC Castilla La Mancha. Compare and contrast Pays D’Oc with Corbieres. Compare and contrast Veneto with Valpolicella. Wines, natural factors, and human factors 42. Explain the GI system in Languedoc Roussillion 43. What 3 natural factors impact Rioja. Explain their impacts. 44. Why should a customer buy a $60 Rioja Gran Reserva rather than a $15 Crianza? 45. What vineyard techniques can be used to combat high disease pressure? Name 2 regions in the old world and 2 regions in the new world where they are used. 46. How does the PDO system impact “Super Tuscans”? 47. Explain the pyramid of Geographical Indication. (IGP, DOCG, VdP, etc. how does is all fit together? Which is stricter?) 48. What factors make a Puligny Montrachet more expensive than a Burgundy White? Salice Salentino vs. Puglia? Lodi vs. Central Valley? 49. What is the different between Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio? Name one new world and one old world region where each can be found. What do these wines taste like? 50. Compare and contrast Soave, Gavi, and Frascati. 51. Compare and contrast Barolo, Barbaresco, Valpolicella, and Chianti. 52. What general statements could be made about red wine from Italy? What are regions have an outstanding difference to this? White wines? 53. What general statements could be made about Burgundy Chardonnay wines? Where is this different?

54. Bordeaux blends? 55. Burgundy Pinot Noir? 56. What are the key characteristics of Chenin Blanc from the Loire? Where else is it grown? How does it differ? 57. Where are Syrah/Cabernet/Merlot grown together? Why or why not? Are they ever blended? Where? 58. Compare and contrast Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley with Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, with Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, from South Africa, from Australia from California 59. Why are some Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs 13.5% and some 12% What flavor/texture changes go hand in hand? 60. What are the similarities in vineyards between of Chenin Blanc in South Africa and the Loire Valley? Climate? Winemaking? Legalities? 61. Are there any high volume production areas that suffer from high disease pressure? 62. Compare and contrast the cru system in Burgundy vs. Bordeaux 63. Where can rain shadows be found? Why are they important? 64. What two climate factors influence premium Chenin production in South Africa? Sauvignon Blanc? How does this compare to the Loire Valley? What impact does this have on flavor? 65. Compare Chenin Blanc from Western Cape versus Swartland. Why is the Western Cape Chenin lower alcohol? How does this impact flavor? 66. What two climate factors allow bulk winemaking in Worcester/Robertson? Where else in the world has these factors? What impact does this have on flavor? 67. Can Cap Classique be made in Swartland? 68. What does altitude do for vines? How does this impact their resulting wines? 69. Where is Chardonnay grown in Australia? Why does it grow there? 70. What white wines improve with bottle age? Why? Red wine? Why? 71. Compare Worcester to Riverina. What’s the same? What’s different? How are they labelled? 72. Why does Denomination of Origin matter for wine? 73. In California, where might I find a wine for $10? $25 $100? Why? Red Wine? 74. How are the climates in Chile or California the same? How are they different? Which grapes are grown? Why? 75. What are the climactic differences between Williamette Valley, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, and Oregon? What does this mean for the resulting wine? 76. What impact does latitude have on sunlight hours? Where does this impact the grapes grown? How? 77. How are the Niagara Peninsula and Mosel similar? How are they different? 78. How is it possible to make Bordeaux Blends in the Okanagan Valley? How is it possible to also make ice wine there? 79. Is it possible to make wine without irrigation in Chile? Where? How? 80. In what regions are nematodes an issue? 81. Why are Chile’s wine regions in Central Valley? What grapes are grown there? Why? 82. What are the transversal valleys in Chile? How does this impact overall Chilean wines? 83. In Chile, are higher quality grapes produced closer to the coast or further inland? In California? In France with the Atlantic Coast? Near the Mediterranean?

84. Where does Torrontes grow? How? What other grapes grow well there? Why? 85. What two methods can be used to combat hail? Where is this an issue? 86. Where is Cabernet Sauvignon grown successfully in NZ? Why? What does it taste like? Cabernet Sauvignon? 87. Stags Leap, Oakville, Rutherford, what is the quality of wine to expect here? How is it different from Napa? 88. Where does Zinfandel perform well in California? How does this compare to the terrain of Primitivo in Italy? 89. In Napa, for richer reds, is it more ideal to be near the Mayacamas or Vaca mountains? Why? 90. Where is Margaret River? What wines is it famous for? Why? What do they taste like? 91. What are the differences between Coonawarra and Barossa Valley? What do they grow? Why? 92. Early harvesting is a technique. Why might it be used? Where is it commonly used? 93. Name and describe two methods of rose production in the Southern Rhone 94. Perform a Theoretical SAT analysis for a Pinot Grigio from Veneto versus a Pinot Gris Vendange Tardive from Alsace 95. Why is Asti sweet? 96. Why is Prosecco less expensive than Franciacorta? 97. What are the four noble varieties of Alsace? 98. What are the flavor differences in the three following Rieslings: Cool Climate Dry, Moderate Climate Dry, Vendange Tardive/SGN