Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
What is the smallest American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington State?
Candy Mountain
At just 815 acres, Candy Mountain is the 16th and smallest (and, as of September 2020, the newest ) AVA in Washington state. It sits to the southeast of Red Mountain, and is located within the Yakima Valley AVA (and the larger Columbia Valley AVA).
What is one of the main differences between German VDP Sekt and Sekt Prestige sparkling wines?
Maturation aging requirements
Germany's new (as of 2020) VDP Sekt sparkling wine requirements are similar between the Sekt and Sekt Prestige tiers, with a few exceptions. One of those exceptions is the aging requirement for sparkling wines carrying the VDP Sekt Prestige designation: a minimum of 36 months (versus a 15 month minimum for VDP Sekt).
True or False: Chile has the most acres planted to Cabernet Sauvignon outside of France?
True
Over a third of Chile's vineyard acreage is dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon - roughly 109,000 acres. This represents 15% of the entire world's plantings of teh grape variety, and puts Chile in the number 2 spot worldwide in Cabernet Sauvignon acreage (after only France).
True or False: Italy's Brachetto d’Acqui acheived DOCG status (Denomination of Origin Controlled and Guaranted) before 1999?
True
Brachetto d’Acqui acheived DOCG status in 1996. Among the most recognizable wines of Piedmont, Brachetto d’Acqui restricts its area of production to only about 1,200 hectares in the hills of the Upper Monferrato area, distributed among 26 municipalities around Acqui Terme.
Which region is responsible for 80% of Portugal's sparkling wine production?
Barraida
The first Portuguese region to initially adopt the Traditional method of sparkling wine production, Barraida now produces about 80% of Portugal's sparkling wines.
The Arinto grape variety is known by what other name in Portugal's Vinho Verde region?
Pedernã
Arinto, notably grown in Bucelas, Tejo, and Minho, is known by several other names throughout Portugal's many wine regions. Synonyms for this variety include Arinto Galego, Boal Cachudo, Branco Espanhol, Cerceal, Chapeludo, and Pedernã (the latter of which is the name used for in Arinto in Vinho Verde).
Sparkling wine in Germany - called Sekt - owes its creation to techniques developed in what other country?
France
During the 1800s, Germans caught the sparkling wine bug, with many of them traveling to France's Champagne region specifically to learn sparkling winemaking techniques. Famously, some of those travelers never returned, instead founding now-iconic Champagne houses like Piper-Heidsieck, and Krug. But others brought the sparkling wine techniques that they learned in France back to Germany, giving rise to the creation of Sekt.
True or False: Germany ranks 10th globally in Pinot Noir plantings?
False
Germany is one of Pinot Noirs most successful winegrowing locations: the country ranks 3rd globally in plantings of the variety (often locally known as Spätburgunder), behind only France and the United States.
True or False: the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is roughly the same size as Manhattan?
True
The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA - famous for premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - measures 18 miles long by 1-2 miles wide, making its acreage roughly the size of Manhattan.
In what year was the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA officially recognized?
1991
The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA was officially recognized in 1991. But its winemaking history goes back quite a bit further. The first commercial plantings in the region date back to 1973, and the earliest vinifera plantings date back to the 1790s (by Spanish missionaries at Mission Soledad).
