Level 2 wine exam practice · Learning outcome 4
Regional black grapes: practice questions
40 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
Why do Zinfandel wines often reach high levels of alcohol?
- The grape is low in acidity, so fermentation runs for longer
- Grape spirit is added to the wine after fermentation
- Bunches ripen unevenly and some berries raisin, raising the sugar
- The grapes are dried on mats after harvest, as for Amarone
Answer: Bunches ripen unevenly and some berries raisin, raising the sugar. Zinfandel bunches ripen unevenly, and by the time the last berries are ripe some are already shrivelled, which pushes the sugar and therefore the potential alcohol up. The grapes are not deliberately dried as in Amarone, and the wine is not fortified.
Which grape usually leads the blend in a red Châteauneuf-du-Pape?
- Grenache
- Syrah
- Tempranillo
- Carignan
Answer: Grenache. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, like Côtes du Rhône and Minervois further west, is built on Grenache, often blended with Syrah and other varieties. Syrah is a blending partner here rather than the leader; it dominates further north in Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage.
Which description fits a typical dry red made mainly from Grenache?
- Light body, low alcohol, high acidity, green herbal notes
- Medium body, high acidity, firm tannins, sour cherry and dried herbs
- Full body, high tannins, high acidity, tar and rose aromas
- Full body, high alcohol, soft tannins, red fruit and spice
Answer: Full body, high alcohol, soft tannins, red fruit and spice. Grenache ripens late and accumulates a lot of sugar, so its wines are full-bodied and high in alcohol, with soft tannins and ripe strawberry, red plum and spice. The sour cherry and dried-herb profile belongs to Sangiovese, and tar and roses with high tannin is Nebbiolo.
What does Riserva indicate on a Chianti Classico label?
- Grapes grown in the original central zone
- A higher proportion of Sangiovese in the blend
- Grapes partly dried before fermentation
- A longer minimum ageing before release
Answer: A longer minimum ageing before release. Riserva means the wine has met a longer minimum ageing requirement than the basic wine, usually with time in oak, so it shows more development and structure. The original central zone is what Classico denotes, and partly dried grapes are the Recioto and Amarone method.
A Carmenère shows pronounced green bell-pepper and herbal aromas. What is the most likely cause?
- The grapes were picked before they were ripe
- The wine was aged for too long in new oak barrels
- The grapes were dried for weeks before fermentation
- The wine was made with a very short maceration
Answer: The grapes were picked before they were ripe. Carmenère ripens late, and when it is picked early it keeps strong herbaceous and bell-pepper aromas; fully ripe fruit shows more black fruit and spice. Oak adds vanilla and toast, drying adds raisin notes and a short maceration mainly lowers colour and tannin.