Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
True or False: In the 1880s, consumers in Europe and America were drinking nearly two million gallons annually of wine made in Missouri?
True
German settlers established the town of Hermann near the Missouri River in 1837. The land proved too difficult for farming most crops other than grapes, which thrived there. By 1850 Hermann’s wineries were producing over 10,000 gallons of wine per year. By the 1880s, the town was home to over 60 wineries producing nearly two million gallons of wine each year for domestic and European consumption.
Which of the following American Viticultural Areas are part of Southern Oregon?
All of the above
Southern Oregon's AVAs include Umpqua Valley AVA (formally recognized in 1984), Rogue Valley AVA (1991), Applegate Valley AVA (2001), Red Hills AVA (2005), and Elkton AVA (2013). Taken together, Southern Oregon's AVAs represent about 23% of Oregon’s total wine production, 22% of of the state's wine grape acreage and vineyards, and about 18% of Oregon’s total wineries.
Which of the following grape varieties is NOT among the top five planted in Southern Oregon?
Riesling
Of the 70 grape varieties planted in the region, Riesling makes up about 3% of the plantings in Southern Oregon. The area is dominated by plantings of Pinot Noir (about 40%), and Pinot Gris (13%), as well as Syrah (about 6%), and Tempranillo (about 5%).
True or False: Oregon's Umpqua Valley was officially accepted as an American Viticultural Area in 1961?
False
Richard Sommer started Hillcrest Vineyards - the first winery in post-prohibition Oregon - in 1961 in the Umpqua Valley, but the region wasn't formally recognized as an AVA until 1984. Today, there are about 30 wineries in the region.
True or False: In Mozart's "Don Giovanni," the Italian wine Prosecco is particularly lauded?
False
The wine lauded in Mozart's "Don Giovanni" is Refrontolo Passito, a sweet wine made from rack-dried Marzemino di Refrontolo grapes grown in the area where Prosecco is produced in Italy.
Which of the following grapes is a cross between Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc?
Chardonel
Chardonel is is a French-American hybrid grape made via a cross of the popular Seyval Blanc and the even more popular Chardonnay. Catawba, Concord, and Norton are all native to the Americas.
Which of the following is NOT an official AVA in Missouri?
Kansas City
While there is a Kansas City wine trail in Missouri, there is no Kansas City AVA. The "missing" fifth AVA in today's list of answers is Ozark Highlands, which encompasses nearly 1.3 million acres in south-central Missouri.
What grape is sometimes used in Reuilly to make rosé?
Pinot Gris
Similar to how some Pinot Grigio is produced in Northern Italy, the French Loire Valley region of Reuilly sometimes produces wine made from Pinot Gris that allows color to be extracted during the winemaking process by letting the juice remain on the skins of the grapes. Since Ponit Gris does have a slight skin color, this results in a lightly colored rosé wine.
True or False: Still rosé wine is produced in the Champagne region of France?
True
While Champagne is justifiably famous for its sparkling rosé wines, some still rosé is made in the region using Pinot Noir grapes, under the Rosé des Riceys appellation. Les Riceys also can lay claim to producing wine under a rare combination of three Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée (AOCs): Champagne, AOC Côteaux Champenois (for red wine), and Rosé de Riceys.
