Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
True or False: White wines from Italy's Langhe Nas-cëtta del Comune di Novello DOC can contain up to 15% international varieties (like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)?
False
The once obscure Nascetta variety from Piedmont's Novello area has seen a minor resurgence, thanks primarily to the high quality of white wines made under the Langhe Nas-cëtta del Comune di Novello DOC. For a wine to qualify for that designation, it must be made from 100% Nascetta grapes.
What year was the first recorded wine produced in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley?
1872
Zinfandel farming was well underway in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley as far back as the 1860s. The valley's first recorded wine production dates back to 1872.
True or False: Texas has one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the USA?
True
While the modern Texas wine scene is still up-and-coming (though it's already the fifth largest wine producing state in the USA), it has a wine-making tradition that is centuries old. There is evidence that Spanish missionaries made wine in what is now Texas as far back as the 1650s.
Which Italian wine region was dubbed "the Land of WIne" by the ancient Greeks?
Calabria
The Greeks gave the name "Enotria Tellus" (or "Land of Wine") to what is now modern Calabria. It is believed that wine from Cirò in Calabria may have been offered to the winners of the Olympic Games in ancient Greek.
True or False: the Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva categories make up the majority of Rioja's red wine sales?
True
Rioja's unique Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva categories are the mainstay of the Rioja Brand globally. These categories help to easily identify the styles and production methods of different Rioja offerings, and together account for nearly 60% of Rioja's red wine sales.
For the production of Valdobbiadene Prosecco, what percentage of Glera grapes must be used?
85%
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco wine production is highly regulated. To carry the designation, all of the grapes must be grown within the legally-defined borders of the production zone, utilizing a minimum of 85% Glera grapes.
Which country topped the list of world wine imports in 2018?
Germany
In 2018, Germany imported 14.5 million hectoliters of wine (approximately 17.5 liters of wine per person), claiming the #1 spot for wine imports worldwide.
Which of the following is Washington State's 20th American Viticultural Area (AVA)?
Rocky Reach
Located between Chelan and Wenatchee, Rocky Reach straddles the Columbia River within the larger Columbia Valley AVA, and as of 2022 is Washington State's 20th AVA. Rocky Reach covers over 32,000 acres, with eight commercial vineyards covering 117 of those acres. The AVA takes its name from the Rocky Reach Dam and Rocky Reach Reservoir (those in turn taking their names from steamboat captains in the late 1800s, who used the term to describe the rapids within segments—or reaches— of the Columbia River).
As of 2019, what accounted for the majority of Nebbiolo wine production in northern Italy's Langhe and Roero regions?
Barolo
The mighty Barolo rules the Northern Italian red wine scene, not just in the robust wine it produces but also in production volume. As of 2019, 12.5 million bottles of Barolo were made, accounting for the majority of Nebbiolo production in the region. 7.2 million bottles of Langhe Nebbiolo were also made, followed by 4.3 million bottles of Barbaresco, 2.4 million bottles of Nebbiolo d'Alba, and 0.5 million of Roero reds.
True or False: Portugal's Douro grapegrowing region is known for its Schist soils?
True
The vineyards of the Douro are known for a high percentage of fragmented/schist soils. These soils drain water easily, forcing vine roots to penetrate deeper into the vineyards subsoils in search of water.
