Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
True or False: The origins of the name of Italy's Barbaresco wine region are well known?
False
The origin of the name Barbaresco (in Italy's Piedmont region), are unclear. It may be linked to the 10th Century barbarians who invaded the Langhe area, or it could be derived from "Barbarica Sylva." The latter is a nickname given by the Romans to the wilderness used as shelter by the Ligurians. The first written record of the name used for wine purposes comes from 1799, when Von Melas ordered a "carra" of Barbaresco to be used in celebration of the defeat of the French in Genola by Austrian troops.
Which of the following grapes makes up the majority part of a DOC in the Molise region of east-central Italy?
Tintilia
D.O.C. Tintilia del Molise wines must be comprised of 95% Tintilia grapes. For many years, Tintilia was confused with Carignan, and while its origins are still unclear (it might have originated on the Iberian peninsula rather than in Molise), DNA investigations have shown Molise's Tintilia to be distinct from the grape varieties grown elsewhere (in Campania, Sardegna, and Spain) that share its name.
Which of the following Burgundy wine areas contain no Grand Cru sites?
All of the above
The relatively large Savigny-les-Beaune, as well as Meursalt (famous for its whites) and Pommard and Volnay (famous for their reds) contain no Grand Cru sites. They are, however, still quite justifiably famous for many of the individual wines produced within their borders.
What percent of Burgundy's wine production is made from the region's Grand Crus?
2 percent
Burgundy's vineyard classification system became official in 1935, designating 33 Grand Crus, which account for about 2 percent of the region's total wine production. Appellations Villages/Comunales produce about 46 percent, with Appellations Regionales (identified as Burgundy on the label) making up the remaining 52 percent.
True or False: France's Duché-d'Uzès AOC can produce only red wines?
False
Duché-d'Uzès, which achieved AOC status in 2012, permits Red, White, and Rose wine production. The reds are based primarily on Grenache and Syrah, while the whites are dominated by Grenache blanc and Viognier.
Which of the following French wine regions has the largest amount of hectares planted for wine grapes?
Provence
Between Beaujolais, Provence, Alsace, and Roussillon, picturesque Provence has the largest number of hectares under vine, at almost 27,000 ha (producing about 1.17 million hectolitres of wine) as of 2017.
What percentage of harvested Rhone Valley wine grapes are for white wines?
7 percent
As of 2017, only seven percent of the grapes harvested throughout the Rhone Valley were for white wine production. 13 percent were harvested for Rose, and a whopping 80 percent (approximately 2 million hectolitres) were for red.
True or False: 12 bottles of Rhone Valley wines are consumed every second?
True
According to Inter Rhone, every second twelve bottles of wine from the Rhone Valley are consumed worldwide. In 2017, 371 million bottles of Rhone Valley wine were sold, eventually to be consumed in 193 countries.
Which of the following ranks in the top fifteen countries for U.S. wine imports by volume?
All of the above
According to Comtrade, as of 2017 Canada, Portugal, Israel, and the United Kingdom were all within the top fifteen countries for U.S. wine imports by volume. With 76,000 tons imported in total, all four of those countries are far eclipsed by the countries in first and second place - Italy and France, respectively, who combined accounted for over a million tons of wine imports.
True or False: Within Italy, Sicily has more vineyard area than either Tuscany or Puglia?
True
As of 2016, Sicily is in the number one spot of all Italian regions as measured by vineyard area, with over 107,000 hectares of vines. With almost 85,000 hectares, Puglia was in second place, while Tuscany came in fourth with 53,570 hectares.
