Level 2 wine exam practice · Learning outcome 3
Principal white 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
Riesling from the Pfalz is generally fuller-bodied and more often dry than Riesling from the Mosel. What best explains this?
- The Pfalz has a warmer, drier climate, so grapes ripen more fully
- The Pfalz has a cooler climate, so grapes keep more sugar
- The Pfalz ferments its wines in new oak, which adds body
- The Pfalz harvests earlier, before the grapes gain sugar
Answer: The Pfalz has a warmer, drier climate, so grapes ripen more fully. The Pfalz is one of Germany's warmest and driest regions, so Riesling ripens more fully, reaches higher alcohol and is more easily fermented to dryness. A cooler climate or earlier harvest would give lighter wines, and new oak is not part of the Pfalz style.
A buyer needs large volumes of inexpensive, simple, fruity Sauvignon Blanc. Which region is most likely to supply it?
- Central Valley
- Sancerre
- Pouilly-Fumé
- Constantia
Answer: Central Valley. Chile's warm, productive Central Valley is a major source of easy-drinking, good-value Sauvignon Blanc made in large quantities. Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are small, premium appellations, and Constantia is a small cool-climate district producing more concentrated wines.
Which description best fits a typical Sancerre?
- Dry, high acidity, gooseberry and grassy notes, no oak
- Dry, low acidity, buttery and toasty, new oak
- Off-dry, high acidity, lime and petrol, no oak
- Dry, medium acidity, stone fruit and spice, lightly oaked
Answer: Dry, high acidity, gooseberry and grassy notes, no oak. Sancerre is a crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc with green fruit, herbaceous and sometimes flinty notes, almost always made without oak. The buttery, oaky profile belongs to Chardonnay, the lime and petrol to aged Riesling, and the stone fruit and spice to Alsace Pinot Gris.
Which of these Sauvignon Blanc regions is in Chile?
- Adelaide Hills
- Marlborough
- Casablanca
- Elgin
Answer: Casablanca. Casablanca is Chile's cool, coastal valley known for Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Elgin is in South Africa's Western Cape, Adelaide Hills is in South Australia and Marlborough is in New Zealand.
Which winemaking approach is typical for Pinot Grigio from Delle Venezie?
- Fermentation and maturation in new oak barrels
- Cool fermentation in stainless steel, no oak
- Long lees ageing with regular stirring in barrel
- Malolactic conversion to give buttery flavours
Answer: Cool fermentation in stainless steel, no oak. Italian Pinot Grigio is made to be fresh and neutral, so it is fermented cool in stainless steel and bottled early without oak. New oak, long lees stirring and malolactic conversion are Chardonnay techniques that would add the weight and flavour this style avoids.