Last updated August 2026
The Old World section is where most CMS Certified Sommelier candidates lose the most points — not because the material is obscure, but because there’s simply more of it. Bordeaux left bank vs. right bank blends, Burgundy’s Grand Cru hierarchy, the DOCG tiers of Italy, Rioja’s aging classifications, Port styles from the Douro, German Prädikatswein sweetness levels — it’s a lot of appellation law to hold in your head at once, and the CMS Certified theory exam expects you to move through it fast.
This 20-question quiz covers the Old World regions most likely to appear on your exam: France (Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône, Champagne, the Loire, Alsace), Italy (Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto), Spain (Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Sherry), Portugal (Douro, Port, Vinho Verde), and Germany. Written from firsthand winemaking experience across several of these regions, not pulled from a generic test bank — so the wrong-answer explanations actually teach you something instead of just marking you wrong.
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Study Tips for CMS Certified — Old World Regions
Organize by country, then by flagship grape and appellation tier — trying to memorize regions in isolation is what makes this section feel overwhelming. For France, know the Bordeaux left bank (Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, gravel soils, Médoc communes) vs. right bank (Merlot-dominant, Saint-Émilion and Pomerol) split cold, and build Burgundy from village up through Premier Cru to Grand Cru rather than trying to memorize all 33 Grand Crus at once.
For Italy, pair each region with its signature grape and top DOCG: Tuscany with Sangiovese (Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino), Piedmont with Nebbiolo (Barolo, Barbaresco). Know that DOCG sits above DOC, and that IGT wines (including the “Super Tuscans”) trade strict rules for stylistic freedom. For Spain, memorize the Rioja aging ladder — Joven, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva — and know that Sherry comes from Jerez using Palomino Fino grapes aged under the solera system.
Germany’s Prädikatswein ladder (Kabinett through Trockenbeerenauslese) is really a sweetness scale tied to grape ripeness at harvest, not a quality scale — a common trap on exam questions. And for Portugal, know Port’s classification tiers (Ruby and Tawny at the base, Vintage Port at the top) plus the fact that Vinho Verde is a light, often slightly spritzy white from the far north.
Continue practicing with our other CMS Certified topic quizzes: New World Regions, Spirits, Beer & Sake, Wine Service, and Food & Wine Pairing. Or test everything at once with the full-length Practice Exam #1 and Practice Exam #2. Back to the CMS Certified Sommelier hub.
The Certified exam draws primarily from France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Portugal, with occasional questions on Austria, Greece, and other European regions. France carries the heaviest weight, especially Bordeaux and Burgundy.
DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is Italy’s highest quality tier, requiring government tasting panel approval and lower yields than DOC. Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, and Chianti Classico are all DOCG wines.
No — focus on the major appellations most likely to be tested: the Bordeaux left/right bank split, Burgundy’s village-to-Grand-Cru hierarchy, the northern and southern Rhône, and Champagne’s grape varieties and styles. Obscure sub-appellations rarely appear.
Port ranges from Ruby and Tawny (blended, no vintage) through Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) and Colheita (single-vintage Tawny) up to Vintage Port, the top classification, declared only in exceptional years and bottled young for decades of cellar aging.