My favorite random wine questions from Shafer Vineyards Line On Wine

1) Who was the first person to graft French vines onto American rootstock to prevent phylloxera? Answer: Texas viticulturist T.V. Munson July 01

2) The Spanish province of Catalonia has outlawed what for its wines? Answer: Screw caps and artificial closures

3) The Italian Sommelier Association bestowed the title of honorary sommelier on which major religious figure? Answer: Pope Benedict XVI

4) The most widely planted grape variety in Bordeaux is what? Answer: Merlot


5) The cause of cork taint (a chemical known as TCA), was first identified in what year? Answer: 1981, by Swiss researcher Hans Tanner

6) Priced up to $800,000 per acre, the world's most expensive vineyard lard is located in what region? Answer: Bordeaux

Find your favorite here...

Name the regions of New Zealand's northern island?

Answer
North Island

• Waikato/ Bay of Plenty
• Gisborne
• Hawkes Bay
• Martinborough
• Northland
• Auckland

South Island

• Nelson
• Marlborough
• Central Otage
• Canterbury
• Waipara Valley

This map of New Zealand was found at Nicks.com.au which is stock full of free maps!

11. How many Premier Cru villages are there in Champagne?

Answer: 38

Avenay Val d'Or - Marne
Bergeres- Aube
Bezannes- Marne
Billy le Grand- Marne
Bisseuil- Marne
Chamery- Marne
Champillon- Marne
Chigny Les Roses- Marne
Chouilly- Marne
Coligny- Marne
Cuis- Marne
Cumieres- Marne
Dizy- Marne
Ecueil- Marne
Etrechy- Marne
Grauves- Marne
Hautvillers- Marne
Jouy les Reims- Marne
Les Mesneux- Marne
Ludes- Marne
Mareuil sur Ay- Marne
Montbre- Marne
Mutigny- Marne
Pargny les Reims- Marne
Pierry- Marne
Rilly La Montagne - Marne
Sacy- Marne
Taissy- Marne
Tauxieres- Marne
Tours sur Marne- Marne
Trepail- Marne
Trois Puits- Marne
Vaudemanges- Marne
Vertus- Marne
Villedommange- Marne
Villers Allerand- Marne
Villers aux Noeuds- Marne
Villers Marmery- Marne

10. How many Grand Cru villages are there in Champagne?

There are 17 Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne.

1. Ambonnay
2. Avize
3. Ay
4. Beaumont sur Vesle
   
5. Bouzy
6. Chouilly
7. Cramant
8. Le Mesnil sur Oger
9. Louvois
10. Mailly Champagne
11. Oger
12. Oiry
13. Puisieulx
14. Sillery
15. Tours sur Marne
16. Verzenay
17. Verzy
    

What are the grapes allowed in Cremant d'Alsace AC?

Auxerrois Blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Riesling

Alsace approved grape varieties that are not allowed in Cremant d'Alsace:
Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Muscat

Alsace Grand Cru Vineyard List

A ton of grapes makes how much wine on average?

About 720 bottles or 60 cases of wine.

From Shafer Vineyards Line on Wine

Name the sub AVA's of Mendocino

map sourced from appellationamerica.com

Anderson Valley
Cole Ranch- the arrow points to Cole Ranch AVA, the U.S.'s smallest AVA
Covelo
Dos Rios
McDowell Valley
Mendocino Ridge
Potter Valley
Redwood Valley
Yorkville Highlands

What is the best grape for wine in the Franken, Germany?

Silvaner makes the best wine due to an extremely short growing season

Grape Break down in the Franken

• Müller-Thurgau 31.4%
• Silvaner 20.4%
• Bacchus 12.2%
• Kerner 4.6%
• Riesling 4.6%

Who developed Pinotage?

Pinotage was developed by Prof. A.I Perold in 1925, when he successfully crossed Pinot noir and Cinsaut, which was then known as Hermitage. Hence the name Pino – tage.

Cuba's Four Tabacco Regions

Name four tobacco regions of Cuba.

Semi Vuelta Abajo : Home of the Habano cigar, particularly the plantations found within the regions of San Luis and San Juan.

Partidos
Remedios
Oriente

South African Wine Map and Question

Name six coastal wine regions of South Africa.

Tulbagh
Paarl
Darling
Swartland
Stellenbosch
Cape Point




Jaime Goode on SA wine regions

Random Trivia

Wine Trivia Facts

1. According to scientist Bill Lembeck there are approximately 49 million bubbles in a bottle of Champagne.
2. The word Alcohol is derived from the Arabic language (al kohl or alkuhl). Consider the fact that a large proportion of the Arabic population is forbidden from consuming alcohol for religious reasons.
3. The largest cork tree in the world is known as 'The Whistler Tree'. This tree is located in the Alentejo region of Portugal and averages over 1 ton of raw cork per harvest. Enough to cork 100,000 bottles of wine.
4. The average number of grapes it takes to produce a bottle of wine: 600.
   
5. Dom Perignon did not invent champagne, it had existed for several years. What he did invent was the mushroom shaped cork and wire cage that allowed the sparkling wine to be safely bottled. Previous attempts had all ended with popped corks.
   
6. In Fairbanks, Alaska, it's illegal to feed a moose any alcohol beverage
   
7. The first commercial U.S. winery, established in 1823, was located in Missouri.
   
8. During prohibition, an interesting product called the 'Grape Brick' was sold to thousands of wine-parched households across America. Attached to the 'brick' of dried and pressed winegrape concentrate was a packet of yeast, and the stern warning, "Do not add yeast or fermentation will result."
   
9. The corkscrew was invented in 1860
10. Most popular varietals in Napa Valley (in order of popularity)

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Chardonnay
• Merlot
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Pinot Noir
• Zinfandel