How much do you really know about that wine in your glass? Take our annual quiz to find out!
GENERAL INTEREST
1. What is multiple wine service?
a. More than one sommelier in a restaurant.
b. A guest is served more than one wine at a time, requiring multiple glasses.
c. Diners at the same table ordering different wines.
2. What is the largest AVA (American Viticultural Area) in the U.S.?
a. The Upper Mississippi River Valley: Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin
b. The Texas Hill Country
c. USA AVA: all 50 states
d. High Valley of Counter-Viticulture: California, Oregon and Washington
3. Clare Valley Australia produces some of the best Rieslings in the world. What are the area’s characteristics?
a. Hot and dry, with abundant sun and little rain
b. A large Germanic population who brought wine know-how to the area
c. High altitude, large diurnal variations and a range of soils from limestone to slate
4. Andrea Tchelistcheff helped usher in a new era in winemaking and also encouraged his nephew to try winemaking. Who is his nephew?
a. Tom Dehlinger of Dehlinger’s in the Russian River Valley
b. Alex Golitzin of Quilceda Creek in Washington
c. Rudy Kurniawan of Bonnes Mares
5. Alto Piemonte is a subregion with two leading appellations. What are they?
a. Gattinara and Ghemme
b. Grappa and Grave
c. Gavi and Gimignano
d. Gabriel and Giada
Donald Reilly for The New Yorker Book of Wine Cartoons
6. In 2014 the King of Spain inaugurated the newly renovated Castillo Ygay, an historic wine landmark owned by whom?
a. Louis Roederer
b. Marqués de Murrieta
c. Vega Sicilia
d. Cune
7. What unusual wine celebration do Russians perform at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve?
a. They gather in Red Square for a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
b. They write their New Year’s resolutions on paper, burn it, drop the ashes in their Champagne glasses and drink it.
c. They resolve to cut back on alcohol each New Year.
d. Raise a glass to Lenin to thank him for putting an end to tyranny.
8. In the U.K., sparkling wine makes up what percentage of the total annual production?
a. 3%
b. 5%
c. 66%
d. 100%
Richard Cline for The New Yorker Book of Wine Cartoons
OF WINE & WOMEN
9. In the late 19th century, several of California’s pioneering wineries were founded by women. Freemark Abbey is the first recorded property to be started by a woman. Who was she?
a. Abbey Freemark, the winery’s namesake
b. Lillie Langtry, the famous British actress who also owned a winery in California’s Guenoc Valley.
c. Ann Colgin’s great-great grandmother, also named Ann Colgin.
d. Josephine Tychson, a wealthy widow from Philadelphia.
10. As head beverage buyer, Annette Alvarez-Peters leads which giant company to maintain dominance as the biggest wine retailer in the U.S.?
a. Costco
b. Walmart
c. Michel Thibault Wine LLC
d. Amazon
11. In what country do winemakers Laura Catena, Andrea Marchiori and Susana Balbo work?
a. Spain
b. Chile
c. Argentina
d. South Africa
12. Carole Meredith is recognized as a trailblazer in the wine industry for which of the following?
a. Helping to graft Europe’s Vitis Vinifera vines onto American species to fight phylloxera.
b. Pioneering the use of DNA techniques to determine grapevine varieties and establish their parentage.
c. Founding the first ever women’s wine club.
13. Which famous winery did Corinne Mentzelopoulos restore and bring back to the top of the wine industry?
a. Château Pontet Canet
b. Château Margaux
c. Château Lafite Rothschild
d. Château Pétrus
14. Helen Turley won the Wine Spectator Distinguished Award for her conributions to the wine industry. Which producer did she help propel to the top?
a. Peter Michael Winery
b. Colgin
c. Marcassin
d. All of the above
Michael Crawford for The New Yorker Book of Wine Cartoons
ALL ABOUT BORDEAUX
15. In 2009, four lesser-known wine regions joined to become one appellation. What is it called?
a. Rive Droite de Bordeaux b. Côtes de Bordeaux
c. Bordeaux Sixth Growth
16. Cabernet Sauvignon is famously related to Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. But what other variety is it related to?
a. Marselan, crossed with Grenache Noir
b. Symphony crossed with Muscat of Alexandria
c. Rubired, crossed with Tinta Cao
17. Bordeaux is best known for its reds. What else does it produce?
a. Dry whites and dessert wines
b. Rosé wines
c. Sparkling wines
d. All of the above
18. Which of these soils is typically NOT found in Bordeaux terroirs?
a. Clay, especially on the Right Bank
b. Limestone in all appellations
c. Volcanic, mainly on Mount Bordo
d. Gravel
19. White Bordeaux is made mostly of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. What does each grape add to the blend?
a. Sauvignon Blanc adds acidity, citrus and herbs; Semillon provides body, roundness and aromatics.
b. Sauvignon Blanc adds sweetness and spice.
c. Sauvignon Blanc often lacks acidity; Semillon compensates.
20. What do Château d’Yquem’s “Y”and Château Suduiraut’s “Le S” and Château Guiraud’s “Le G” have in common?
a. They came together to coordinate an alphabet driven marketing campaign.
b. They are dry whites made by Châteaux famous for their sweet wines.
c. They are the Châteaux’s single vineyards.
Doug Pike’s Gone with the Wine: Wine Cartoons
ANSWERS:
1) b. 2) a. 3) c. 4) b. 5) a. 6) b. 7) b. 8) c. 9) d. 10) a. 11) b. 12) b. 13) b. 14) d. 15) b. 16) a. 17) d. 18) c. 19) a. 20) b.
18-20: You can start writing these articles instead of us!
14-17: You can match wits with most sommeliers.
10-13: Maybe pay a little more attention to the wine in your glass.
Under 10: There’s a distinct possibility you’re mostly interested in the buzz. But that’s ok too!
Whatever your score, keep researching! There’s always something to learn about wine. Below are a few drinking suggestions — to celebrate your great score or as a consolation.
Just arrived and ready to drink!
2006 Château Ducru Beaucaillou. Top-100 WS-95. $159.99. 12 bottles.
2006 Château Beauséjour-Duffau. JG 93. $79.99. 12 bottles.
2009 Château Branaire Ducru. RP-96. $85.99. 12 bottles.
2009 Clos de l’ Oratoire. WS-94. $77.99. 12 bottles.
2010 Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry. RP-95. $94.99. 12 bottles.
2010 Château Cantenac Brown. $76.99 WE-95. 12 bottles.
2010 Château Vignot. $28.99. 36 bottles.
2015 Ronan Rouge by Château Clinet. $12.99. 24 bottles.
Also just arrived, but will require a little more time….
2014 Tertre Roteboeuf. NM-94. $137.99. 12 bottles.
2015 Château Lynch Bages. AG-96. $129.99. 12 bottles.
2015 Château Barde-Haut. JS-95. $37.99. 36 bottles.
2015 Château Tour Saint-Christophe. JS-96. $30.99. 30 bottles.
And our new white discovery from Burgundy — tastes like a 1er Cru Chassagne-Montrachet!
2016 Roc des Boutires Pouilly-Fuissé Aux Bouthières. WA-93. $39.99. 22 bottles.
Finally, a killer deal
2011 Barbi Brunello di Montalcino. RP-92. 36 bottles. $29.99. as compared to $49.99 elsewhere!!!
