Certified Sommelier Practice Exam

During which process is distillate added to a fermenting must?

1. Vin de Liqueur

2. Vin Doux Naturel

3. Champagne production

4. Fortified Wine Making

The correct answer is: Vin Doux Naturel

The process during which distillate is added to a fermenting must is known as Vin Doux Naturel. This method involves the addition of grape spirit or brandy to must while fermentation is still underway. The purpose of this addition is to abruptly stop the fermentation process, preserving some of the natural sugars in the wine and resulting in a sweet, fortified wine with a higher alcohol content. In Vin Doux Naturel, the goal is to create a sweet wine that retains the full flavor of the grapes used, along with their inherent sweetness. This practice is particularly popular in various regions of France, such as Roussillon, where this style of wine is recognized and cherished. The other options, while they involve different processes in winemaking, do not specifically involve adding distillate to fermenting must in the same way. For example, Champagne production focuses on the secondary fermentation that takes place in bottles to create carbonation, while fortified wine making generally may happen after fermentation is complete. Vin de Liqueur refers to a sweetened and flavored liqueur-style wine but is distinct from the particular process of adding distillate during fermentation.