Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
How is the San Luis Obispo wine-growing area classified in the Winkler heat Index?
Region I
Most of the San Luis Obispo area is classified as Region I on the Winkler Index, with an average daily temperature of 70F. Edna Valley, part of the San Luis Obispo wine-growing region, is often regarded as the coolest AVA in all of California.
True or False: The grape varieties Colombard and Muscadelle are planted in Bordeaux?
True
There are planting of Colombard in Bordeuax's Blaye area, producing aromatic wines meant for early consumption. 800 hectares of Muscadelle are planted in Bordeaux, finding its way into some of the region's dry and sweet wines.
True or False: Nearly half of the land on the Portuguese island of Madeira cannot be used for farming?
True
About 47% of the Madeira island’s total land area consists of mountains and forests and cannot be planted. This makes viticulture on the island difficult, requiring hand-harvesting. It also means that the production of Madeira relies on a product - neutral grape spirit for fortification - that cannot be produced on the island due to lack of farming space.
Napa Valley's Oak Knoll District traces its grape growing back to what year?
1851
Oak Knoll is one of the oldest grape growing areas in Napa Valley, dating back to 1851, and having had some of the region's earliest fine wine grape variety plantings. Today, it has the most grapevines of any of Napa Valley's wholly-contained sub-appellations.
Which Founding Father of the USA reportedly remarked, “A few glasses of Madeira wine made anyone feel able to be president"?
John Adams
Madeira was a favorite drink for the Founding Fathers of the US constitution, but it was Adams who mentioned it relating to his presidential duties. He is also reported to have said “I drank Madeira at a great rate and found no inconvenience of it.”
As of 1960, how many acres of Chardonnay were planted in California?
230
As late as 1960, state records show that only 230 acres of Chardonnay were planted in the state of California, 70 of which belonged to Wente. It wasn't until the early 1980s, after California Chardonnay took top honors at the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting, that Chardonnay plantings began to take off in the state, primarily using UC Davis Wente clones 4 and 5.
True or False: Today's Falerno del Massico DOC wines are made according to the ancient recipes of the historically famous Falernum wines?
False
Falerno del Massico wines are made with modern winemaking techniques, and likely bear little resemblance to the famous Falernum wines of antiquity from the same region in Campania. Ancient Falernum wines were described by Horatio as severus (thick), fortis (strong), and ardens (ardent). While those could be used to describe some red Falerno wines today, Falernum was often aged in amphorae and sweetened with Hymettus honey from Africa.
What wine grape was a favorite of the Bourbon King Ferdinand IV?
Pallagrello Nero
Ferdinand IV had his gardeners design a fan-shaped vineyard near the palace of Caserta, with ten sections each representing varieties from the Reign of Two Sicilies. Campania's only grapes in the garden were the since nearly-forgotten Pallagrello Nero and Bianco varieties. The King liked their wines so much that they were the only Italian wines presented at banquets with the French regime in the early 1800s.
True or False: The former name of Madiran was Maridan?
True
Gascony's Madiran wine region was once called Maridan, named after the patron saint of the village church and nearby monastery, Mario Dona. The name was presumably modified during Revolutionary times in the area.
Sardinia's Vernaccia di Oristano is related to what other grape variety grown in Italy?
None of the above
Vernaccia di Oristano is thought to be a distinct grape of ancient origin in Sardinia, with cultivation dating back to the time of the Phoenicians. The name likely comes from the Latin vernaculus, meaning "domestic," which could explain why other grapes have similar names in Italy. Vernaccia di Oristano was designated as its own DOC in 1971.
