Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
What is the other name for the grape variety Tinta Amarela in Alentejo (and in other southern Portuguese regions)?
Trincadeira
Rich in color, and with good acidity, Tinta Amarela (as it's known in the Douro) is called Trincadeira in southern Portugal. It performs well in hot, dry climates, and is therefore particularly at home in both the Alentejo and Tejo areas of Portugal.
Where does the name for Italy's Nizza DOCG originate?
From a river near the region's best hillside vineyards
The Nizza production area encompasses 18 municipalities in Piedmont, which have been recognized as among the best-suited sites for cultivation of Barbera. The appellation takes its name from the river Nizza, whose nearby hills have been recognized historically as a the region's best for Barbera viticulture.
True or False: The Mâconnais is the only region in Burgundy that does not have a designated vineyard hierarchy?
False
As of 2020, the Mâconnais is no longer the only region in Burgundy without a vineyard hierarchy: on September 3 2020, 22 "climats" in Pouilly-Fuissé were finally given official Premier Cru status.
True or False: Austria's Neusiedlersee DAC permits the production of sweet/dessert wines?
True
Located on the east side of Austria's Lake Neusiedl, the protected designation of origin Neusiedlersee DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) was expanded in 2020 to include sweet wines (designated as Spätlese and Auslese). Additionally, Neusiedlersee DAC Reserve can now be applied to "noble sweet" wines with higher grape ripeness levels (Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese).
True or False: The maximum number of buds per vine set in the Designation Specifications of the D.O.Ca. Rioja varies according to grape variety?
True
The maximum number of buds per vine permitted for Rioja wine is set in the Designation Specifications of the D.O.Ca. Rioja, and varies according to grape variety.
For the white varieties Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco and Turruntés, the maximum is 16 buds per vine.
For Garnacha (red and white), the maximum is 14 buds per vine.
For all remaining varieties, the maximum is lower, at 12 buds per vine.
Which of the following can be true for Rioja's Espumoso de Rioja sparkling wine designation?
All of the above
For Rioja's ‘Espumoso de Rioja’ sparkling wine, all of the grape varieties authorized by Rioja Regulations may be used and, in the case of sparkling rosé wines, at least 25% of those must be red grapes. The harvest must always be manual and, in addition to the use of the Traditional Method of sparkling wine production, there are minimum ageing times regulated for the different categories (for ‘Espumoso de Rioja’ this is 15 months, 24 months in the Reserva category, and 36 months in the Gran Añada category).
Which of the following is Washington State's newest AVA (as of 2020)?
Royal Slope
Royal Slope is Washington’s newest American Viticultural Area, the state's 15th, as of September 2, 2020. It covers 156,389 acres (all within the Columbia Valley AVA), and is located just south of the Ancient Lakes AVA, and to the north of the Wahluke Slope AVA.
True or False: While California's Lodi region is often perceived as having a hot climate, its average temperatures are comparable to (and soemtimes lower than) those of Napa Valley's St. Helena or Healdsburg?
True
In terms of average temperatures measured over a 120-year period (1896-2016), California's Lodi region typically falls between about 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit of the average temperatures of other famous Californian wine areas, including Napa Valley's St. Helena, Sonoma's Healdsburg, and Paso Robles.
Which of Lodi's sub-AVAs has the most wine grape-growing acres?
Mokelumne River
Lodi has seven distinct sub-AVAs with differing soils, climates, and topographies. The largest is Mokelumne River, which has 42,000 acres of wine grapes, including over 100 different grape varieties (and some of Lodi's oldest vines).
