Sommelier Test Questions

WINE TALK
1

These are questions which might show up at a sommelier test. Lets see how well do you know your stuff. No cheating!

  1. What is the difference between oxidized and maderized wines?
  2. How is Beaujolais Nouveaux Produced?
  3. Name the species of grape used for making wine.
  4. What is the formula for fermentation?
  5. Where was the first AVA?
  6. What is the Pineau de la Loire grape more commonly known as?
  7. in what town was Dom Perignon the Cellar Master?
  8. What is the red grape of Bourgueil?
  9. What style of wine is Jurancon known for?
  10. Name a region in the Loire whose wines would be considered an inexpensive version of Sancerre.

I got 4/10. [suicide.gif]

2

These are the questions that cross my mind when I buy wine.

  1. Does it taste good?
  2. Can I afford it?
  3. Do I have room in the cellar?

Everything else is a waste of brain power. [snort.gif]

3

Which one of these questions indicate that a stranger showing up at my restaurant table can help me select a suitable wine for my taste and dinner choice?

P Hickner

4

What Peter said. Is there any profession in which the knowledge required for certification is further removed from practical application of that knowledge?

5

Depth of knowledge about your profession is different than knowledge in practice.

Example: I can deduce that someone with stomach cramps, severe diarrhea, fever probably has some sort of bacterial or viral GI infection based on personal and anecdotal experience and I would probably be correct. But that’s not all it takes to be a doctor.

I would never discuss aromatization of tertiary phenol groups with my physician as it doesn’t have any pertinence to him or her diagnosing whatever’s wrong with me. However knowing that he or she was smart enough and/or hard-working enough to have learned it at some point, along with a lot of other medical/science related stuff, helps me trust his judgment in regards to my health as he or she has built a foundation of learning.

Obviously the stakes are much lower for wine. And it doesn’t necessarily mean the somm is any good. But at least I know he’s hard-working and serious about his craft vs random person.

6

I know plenty of well studied people who I would not necessarily call hard working and vice versa. Let’s not confuse the two.

7

1, 6, 8, 9, and 10 seem potentially relevant; the rest not so much.

8

Definitely on the pile of “how does this help you table-side recommending wine?”

Sidebar-Whenever I go somewhere and they figure out that I know plenty about wine, you can see my wife growing angry with me (and the somm for that matter) as they eat in to our time together.

9

2 is important because carbonic maceration creates flavors that some people love and others hate.

3 is pretty basic, but important to know as it relates to native grapes and hybrids.

4 is more important for wine buyers than floor somms, but knowing the fermentation process is the beginning of knowing what/why winemakers do what they do and why that is relevant for your list.

5 probably isn’t important to know specifically, but the history of US wine production is relevant.

7… I’ve never seen a situation where that would be important to know. I guess it relates to Champagne wine history in the same way that 5 relates to US…

10

I guess the big question is if you prefer a academic or applied sommelier. All the books in the world will not substitute for the practical experience of an experienced wine connoisseur which is able to recommend the most suitable wine for your meal and accommodate your taste. On the other hand I would expect a minimum standard of knowledge of the industry and its standards when taking advice from someone who calls him/herself an expert.

It is debatable if those questions listed are a representative sample of the vast knowledge one has to recollect to call themselves Sommelier. I remember many moments during my academic career where I asked myself: Why I need to know this? Well it is after all business and it is perception which sells. You may also say knowledge is power and the powerful ones are always on top.

11

Here’s my sommelier test question: What’s your corkage fee?