Introductory Sommelier Exam Prep: Free Practice Tools on Sommo — AI Wine Scanner, WSET Prep & Wine Journal App

Introductory Sommelier Flashcards: 45 Free Cards

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Flashcards are for the facts that have to arrive instantly: the ten Beaujolais crus, the three principal Champagne grapes, the Rioja aging ladder, the sake grades. Reading them in a table is not the same as recalling them under a stopwatch, which is the whole point of flipping a card before you look.

Mark yourself honestly. A card you half-remembered is a card you missed, and the session queues those back before it ends.

Introductory Sommelier Practice Exam: 40 Free Questions

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Take this cold, before you feel ready. An hour of honest scoring tells you more about where your gaps are than a week of reading, and the Introductory syllabus is broad enough that almost everyone has one area they have quietly avoided.

Every answer comes with an explanation, so a wrong answer is worth more than a right one. Read them even when you guessed correctly.

Introductory Sommelier Study Guide: Free Cheatsheet

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Introductory Sommelier Certificate is the first of four levels awarded by the Court of Master Sommeliers, and the exam is theory only: 70 multiple choice questions, 60 percent to pass. The syllabus is wider than candidates expect, covering spirits, beer, sake and service. Below is what turns up on the paper.

How the exam works and what it tests

Format: 70 multiple choice questions, closed book. No blind tasting or service.
Pass mark: 60 percent, no penalty for guessing. Never leave one blank.
Style: single best answer, recall over reasoning.
After this: the Certified Sommelier Examination adds tasting and service.

Topic area	What gets asked
Viticulture and vinification	Fermentation, malolactic conversion, phylloxera
France	Grape to appellation matching, the Burgundy pyramid
Italy	DOCG names and grapes, the classification ladder
Spain and Portugal	Rioja aging terms, regional grapes, Port
Germany and Austria	The Pradikat ladder, label terms
USA and the Americas	AVA flagships, labeling minimums
Southern hemisphere	Australian, New Zealand, South African signatures
Sparkling and fortified	Methods, dosage, Port and Sherry styles
Spirits, beer and sake	Base materials, minimums, ale versus lager
Service and hospitality	Opening, decanting, pouring order
Deductive tasting	Order of the grid, rim color for age

Put your worst topics into rotation first. A timed practice paper finds them fast.