Level 2 wine exam practice · Learning outcome 3

Principal black grapes: practice questions

57 original multiple-choice questions on this chapter, each with an explanation. Five are below; the rest, plus timed mocks, are in the app.

Sample questions

What is the relationship between Syrah and Shiraz?
  1. They are two related but distinct grape varieties
  2. They are one grape with a French and an Australian name
  3. Shiraz is a blend of Syrah and Grenache made in Australia
  4. Shiraz is a clone of Syrah that ripens earlier
Answer: They are one grape with a French and an Australian name. Syrah and Shiraz are one and the same variety: French and most European producers say Syrah, Australians say Shiraz, and the name often hints at the style. It is not a blend or a separate variety, though the two names are sometimes used for lighter versus riper styles.
A good Pomerol is opened after ten years in bottle. Which change is most likely to have taken place?
  1. Fresh plum has turned to dried fruit, leather and earth
  2. The tannins have become more astringent and the colour deeper
  3. Sugars have formed during ageing and the wine tastes sweeter
  4. The primary fruit has grown stronger while any oak notes have faded
Answer: Fresh plum has turned to dried fruit, leather and earth. With bottle age the fresh plum and blackberry of young Merlot turns towards dried fruit, leather, tobacco and earth, the colour moves from ruby to garnet and the tannins soften. Tannins do not harden and no sugar forms in a dry wine; the fruit fades rather than gaining strength.
A red Beaune is opened after a decade in bottle. Which development is most likely?
  1. The colour has deepened to purple and the fruit tastes fresher
  2. Fresh red fruit has turned to mushroom, forest floor and dried fruit
  3. The tannins have become more astringent and the body fuller
  4. The acidity has dropped and the wine has become sweet
Answer: Fresh red fruit has turned to mushroom, forest floor and dried fruit. Aged Pinot Noir develops earthy, savoury notes of mushroom, forest floor and dried cherry while the colour fades from ruby to garnet and the already soft tannins melt away. Colour and tannin decrease with age, and dry wine neither gains sugar nor loses its acidity.
A customer wants a soft, full-bodied red with ripe black fruit and a touch of vanilla from new oak. Which of these Merlots fits best?
  1. A Pays d'Oc Merlot
  2. A Bordeaux AOC Merlot blend
  3. A Hawke's Bay red
  4. A Napa Valley Merlot
Answer: A Napa Valley Merlot. Napa and Sonoma Merlot is made in a warm, sunny climate and often matured in new oak, giving full body, ripe black fruit, soft tannin and vanilla. Pays d'Oc Merlot is usually unoaked and simpler, a basic Bordeaux AOC red is lighter and more savoury, and Hawke's Bay's moderate climate gives a fresher, more medium-bodied wine.
A Cabernet Sauvignon shows strong green bell pepper and leafy aromas. What is the most likely cause?
  1. The wine was matured in new oak for too long
  2. The grapes stayed short of full ripeness
  3. The wine contains a large share of Merlot
  4. The wine has spent many years ageing in bottle
Answer: The grapes stayed short of full ripeness. Herbaceous, green-pepper aromas in Cabernet Sauvignon come from grapes that stayed short of full ripeness, typically in a cool vintage or site. New oak adds vanilla and toast, Merlot adds plummy fruit and softness, and bottle age brings leather and tobacco rather than green notes.
Drill all 57 in the app