Last updated August 2026

Written by Jesse & Cassie, Wine Scribes — Jesse holds a degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis and has made wine in Burgundy, Yarra Valley, California, Washington and the Douro Valley; Cassie holds WSET Level 2 with Distinction and assists Jesse with work in the vineyard and cellar.

This is the section candidates most often under-prepare, and the one where the Advanced exam most enjoys catching people out. It is comparatively easy to hold Bordeaux and Barolo in your head. It is harder to recall the Vinea Wachau tiers, the current Tokaji residual sugar minimum, or which year Sussex received its PDO.

These fifteen questions cover Austria’s Wachau classifications, Santorini’s kouloura training and Assyrtiko, Greek Xinomavro, the 2013 Tokaji reform, Swiss Valais, the Sussex PDO, Georgian qvevri, Chateau Musar, Canadian Icewine regulations, Valle de Guadalupe, Grüner Veltliner, Rkatsiteli, the Swartland old-vine revival, Bairrada espumante and Vermentino.

CMS Certified — Old World Regions

Test your Old World wine knowledge for the CMS Certified Sommelier exam. Questions cover Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany. Written for self-study purposes only — not affiliated with the Court of Master Sommeliers.

The Vinea Wachau association's traditional three-tier classification for dry Austrian Riesling and Grüner Veltliner runs from lightest to fullest as: Gebietswein, Ortswein, Riedenwein Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese Steinfeder (≤11.5% ABV), Federspiel (11.5–12.5%), Smaragd (≥12.5%) DAC, DAC Reserve, DAC Grand Reserve

The volcanic island of Santorini uses a distinctive vine-training system called kouloura — vines woven into low basket shapes. The signature white grape grown here is: Moschofilero Agiorgitiko Xinomavro Assyrtiko

Greek Xinomavro from Naoussa and Amyndeon is often compared to which Italian grape for its combination of high acid, high tannin, and long aging potential? Nebbiolo Sangiovese Barbera Aglianico

The 2013 reform of the Tokaji Aszú classification eliminated the 3-puttonyos and 4-puttonyos categories. All Aszú wines now require a minimum residual sugar of: 150 g/L 90 g/L 120 g/L 60 g/L

Switzerland's largest wine region by volume, producing over 30% of the country's wine, is: Valais Ticino Vaud Geneva

The Sussex PDO for English wines was established in what year, making it the UK's first post-Brexit wine PDO? 2024 2020 2018 2022

Georgian qvevri wine-making — using large earthenware clay vessels buried underground — was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in: 1995 2020 2013 2005

Chateau Musar in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley was founded in what year, and continued producing wine through Lebanon's civil war? 1912 1888 1930 1965

Canadian VQA Icewine regulations require grapes to be harvested and pressed at a minimum temperature of: −5°C (23°F) −8°C (17.6°F) −15°C (5°F) 0°C (32°F)

Mexico's Baja California is home to which wine region, considered the country's most important? Coahuila Querétaro Valle de Guadalupe Zacatecas

The Grüner Veltliner grape reaches its highest expression in which Austrian region? Kremstal Wachau Burgenland Styria

Rkatsiteli, Georgia's most planted white variety, is grown extensively in which region? Kartli Racha-Lechkhumi Imereti Kakheti (eastern Georgia)

Which South African region has been particularly identified with the "Old Vine Project" and the revival of dry-farmed old-vine Chenin Blanc and Rhône varieties? Constantia Elgin Stellenbosch Swartland

Which grape variety is the emblematic red base for traditional-method Espumante in Portugal's Bairrada region? Fernão Pires Baga Alvarinho Touriga Nacional

Vermentino (also called Rolle in Provence) reaches high-quality expression in which two Italian regions? Puglia and Campania Alto Adige and Friuli Piedmont and Sicily Sardinia (Vermentino di Gallura DOCG) and coastal Tuscany

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How to study the rest of the world for Advanced

Prioritise the regions with recent regulatory change, because those are the ones examiners reach for. Sussex received its PDO in 2022, Wachau gained DAC status in 2020, and Tokaji’s classification was reformed in 2013.

Learn the classification systems rather than just the names attached to them. Vinea Wachau’s Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd are alcohol-based tiers, not ripeness levels in the German sense, and the DAC system coexists with them rather than having replaced them.

Do not neglect the smaller producing countries. Georgia, Lebanon, Switzerland, Mexico and Canada all appear, and candidates who have concentrated entirely on Europe and the major New World countries feel this section keenly.

Pair this with Advanced Spirits, which is similarly wide-ranging, and use the Certified New World quiz to check your foundations first.

Which countries appear in the Advanced Rest of World section?

Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Switzerland, England, Georgia, Lebanon, Israel, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina all appear regularly, with varying depth.

Why is the Wachau confusing for candidates?

Because two classification systems operate at once. Vinea Wachau’s Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd are a private association’s alcohol-based tiers, while the Wachau DAC, introduced in 2020, is the legal appellation system. They coexist.

Are these the same questions as the real CMS exam?

No. They are written independently by Wine Scribes and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Court of Master Sommeliers.

CMS Advanced Sommelier Rest of World Quiz

CMS Certified — Old World Regions

How to study the rest of the world for Advanced