France

Question 1

What is the synonym used for Cabernet Franc in Pomerol?

Answer 1

Bouchet

Question 2

What is the famous iron-rich soil of Pomerol?

Answer 2

Crasse de Fer

Question 3

What type of climate is Bordeaux?

Answer 3

Maritime

Question 4

What is a jalle?

Answer 4

Drainage channels installed in Bordeaux by the Dutch

Question 5

Which commune of the Haut-Medoc has the deepest beds of gravel in the vineyards?

Answer 5

Pauillac

Question 6

What is Boulbenes?

Answer 6

Mixture of sand, gravel, and clay… found in Graves and Entre-Deux-Mers

Question 7

What are the rivers near Sauternes?

Answer 7

Garrone and Ciron

Question 8

What is the grape of the Vallee de la Marne? Why?

Answer 8

Meunier. late to bud, early to ripen - Insurance against spring/fall frost in the western end of the valley

Question 9

Name some of the most famous producers of Pomerol?

Answer 9

Chateau Petrus, Le Pin, Vieux Chateau Certan, Trotanoy, Chateau Lafleur

Question 10

The eastern border of Pomerol is shared by what wine producing region?

Answer 10

St-Emilion

Question 11

When was the classification system of St-Emilion introduced? How are chateaux classified?

Answer 11

1954. Unlike the 1855 Medoc classification, the system in St-Emilion involves reviews/revisions roughly every ten years.

Chateaux are classified by a three-tier ranking system: Premiers Grands Crus Classes “A”, Premiers Grand Crus Classes “B”, Grand Crus Classé

Question 12

What producers make up the Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” of the St-Emilion classification?

Answer 12

Chateau Pavie, Chateau Ausone, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Angelus

Question 13

What are the First Growth wines of the 1855 Medoc Classification?

Answer 13

Chateau Latour, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut-Brion

Question 14

In what larger region is the commune of Pessac-Leognan?

Answer 14

Graves

Question 15

When were the wines of Graves first classified? In what year were more wines added to the classification?

Answer 15

1953. 1959 six additional wines were classified.

Question 16

How many wines are classified as “cru classe” in Graves?

Answer 16

13 red wines and 9 white

Question 17

When was the last revision made to the St-Emilion classification system?

Answer 17

2012

Question 18

What are the sweet wine appellations located within Graves Superior AOP? What are the mandatory minimum must weight and residual sugar regulations?

Answer 18

Sauternes, Barsac, Cerons

Minimum must weight = 221g/L
Residual sugar = 45g/L or more

Question 19

What is the scientific name for “noble rot”? What do the French call the mold?

Answer 19

Botrytis cinerea

“pourriture noble”

Question 20

What are the major winemaking regions of the Loire Valley?

Answer 20

E –> W

Pays Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, Central Vineyards

Question 21

What is the climate of Pays Nantais?

Answer 21

Maritime, cool, wet

Question 22

What is the principal grape of Pays Nantais?

Answer 22

Melon de Bourgogne

Question 23

What appellations exist for the production of the Melon de Bourgogne grape?

Answer 23

Muscadet AOP, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP, Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu AOP, Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP

Question 24

What does “sur lie” signify on a bottle of Muscadet?

Answer 24

The wine was aged on the fine lees until March 1-November 30 of the year following harvest and bottled unfiltered.

Must come from one of the three subregions to be labeled “sur lie”

Question 25

What is Saumur known for within the Loire Valley?

Answer 25

Center of sparkling wine production

Question 26

What is the ancient capital of Bordeaux’s right bank?

Answer 26

Libourne. The region is sometime referred to as “Libournais”

Question 27

What are the appellations just outside of the classic Pomerol and St-Emilion appellations?

Answer 27

Lalande-de-Pomerol, Montagne-St-Emilion, St-Georges-St-Emilion, Lussac-St-Emilion, Puisseguin-St-Emilion