Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
Which type of rock gives rise to the sandy soils on the slopes of Sicily's Mt. Etna wine region?
Sciare
Sicily's Mt. Etna volcano produces "sciare," accumulations of lava that, over time, break down into the cultivable sandy soils on the mountain's slopes, where wine grape vines are now planted.
Which of the "big three" Moscato grape varieties is grown primarily in the north of Italy?
Moscato Giallo
Of the "big three" Moscato grapes to which almost all other Moscato varieties are related, Moscato Giallo prefers cooler temperatures, and thus is grown primarily in Italy's northern wine regions. Moscato d'Allesandria (a.k.a. Zibibbo) does well in warmer climates, while Moscato Bianco is a bit of a chameleon, adapting to both cooler and warmer growing conditions.
As of Ocotober 2019, which of the following is the newest DAC wine region in Austria?
Carnuntum
Known for its archeological finds, Carnuntum (located between Vienna and the Slovak border) is the fourteenth and newest Austrian DAC wine region as of October, 2019. Carnuntum wine has three quality levels for red and white wines: “Gebietswein” (regional wine), “Ortswein” (“villages” wine), and “Riedenwein” (from single vineyards).
True or False: In Sicily, wine grapes are farmed within the boundaries of a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
True
Diodoros, named after a Roma-era writer who chronicled Greek history, is the moniker of a red wine field blend by Canicatti winery. grapes for Diodors are harvested from 1970s vine plantings that are located within the UNESCO Heritage Site borders of Sicily's Valley of the Kings, one of the most extensive examples of preserved Greek ruins in the world.
Which of the following Italian wine grape varieties is named after a pine cone?
Pignolo
The Pignolo variety (a red grape that is native to Italy's Friuli Colli Orientali area that nearly became extinct) takes its name from "pigna" - "pine cone" in Italian. Pignolo's grape bunches are small and compact on the vine, making them reminiscent of pine cones.
True or False: The stone terraces prevalent in Austria's Wachau vineyards are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
True
The Wachau, and its landscape of dry-terraced vineyards, were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Dry terraces have been used to support viticulture on the steep hills of the region for more than one thousand years, providing erosion protection, heat retention, and a natural habitat for insects and animals that feed on common vineyard pests.
Which of the following is the trademark name used for the highest quality category of wines from Austria's Wachau region?
Smaragd
Meaning "emerald" and taking its name from the area's local green lizards, Smaragd is the trademark name used for the highest quality of Wachau wines. Steinfeder (named after an indigenous grass in Wachau) is used for the lightest category of the region's wines, and Federspiel (named after a falconry dummy) is the term used for Wachau's medium alcohol content wines.
Which Sonoma vineyard is home to some of the oldest Semillon plantings in all of California?
Monte Rosso
Named after "red earth," the Monte Rosso vineyard (situated on the Southwest side of the Mayacamas mountain range) was planted in 1886 with Zinfandel and Semillon. Some of those vines are still producing fruit today, making the vineyard home to some of the oldest producing Semillon vines in California. The fruit is currently used as a blending component for Louis M. Martini's Sauvignon Blanc.
Which Austrian wine region typically has the lowest average grape yields?
Thermenregion
Thermenregion, with its 42 different wine-growing villages, typically has the lowest average grape yields among Austria's wine regions. The area's 2181 hectares of vineyards, bordering the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods), have ample thermal faults and springs, but little to no volcanic soils.
Which of the following is NOT part of Austria's Kremstal wine region?
Strass
Kremstal consists of three main vineyard zones in Austria: the town of Krems, the rocky Krems River valley, and the villages surrounding the Gottweig Abbey south of the Danube river. Strass is one of the leading viticultural towns in the Kamptal region of Austria.
