Wine Basics

Question 1

What are the three major types of wine?

Answer 1

1. red
2. white
3. rosé

Question 2

Why is red wine red?

Answer 2

It is a result of the grape skin’s contact with the grape’s juice during fermentation

Question 3

What characteristics should the ideal red wine glass have?

Answer 3

• Holds 10 to 22 ounces of liquid
• Allows room to swirl your wine
• Has enough surface area to allow the wine to breathe

Question 4

At what temperature is red wine best served?

Answer 4

60-65 degrees Fahrenheit
(warmer than white wines)

Question 5

What are the main varieties
of red wine?

Answer 5

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Malbec
• Merlot
• Petit Sirah
• Pinot Noir
• Sangiovese
• Shiraz/Syrah
• Zinfandel

Question 6

What are some common berry and fruit flavors used
to describe red wines?

Answer 6

• blackberry
• boysenberry
• cherry
• currant
• fig
• gooseberry
• plum
• raisin
• raspberry
• strawberry

Question 7

Where does white wine get its color?

Answer 7

• From the grape juice and grape skin of green, gold, or yellowish colored grapes, or
• From just the juice (not the skin) of select red grapes (as in some Champagnes)

Question 8

What characteristics should the ideal white wine glass have?

Answer 8

• Narrow
• A sharp taper at the top of the glass to allow the drinker to enjoy the full aroma of the wine

Question 9

At what temperature is white wine best served?

Answer 9

45-50 degrees Fahrenheit
(cooler than reds)

Question 10

What are the “Big Eight”
white wines?

Answer 10

1. Chardonnay
2. Chenin Blanc
3. Gewürztraminer
4. Pinot Gris/Grigio
5. Riesling
6. Sauvignon Blanc
7. Semillon
8. Viognier

Question 11

What are some common fruit flavors used to describe white wines?

Answer 11

• apple
• citrus
• grapefruit
• lemon
• lime
• melon
• pear
• pineapple

Question 12

What is a varietal wine?

Answer 12

• Has only one grape variety
• The wine is then named after the grape with a capital initial
• E.g., Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer

Question 13

What does “body” mean when describing a wine?

Answer 13

The texture or weight of a wine
in the mouth

• Full-bodied wines have a rich, complex, well-rounded flavor that lingers in the mouth
• Light-bodied wines are subtle and more watery
• Medium-bodied wines fall somewhere in between

Question 14

Which white wines tend to be full bodied?

Answer 14

• Chardonnay
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Dry white wines
• Wines aged either fully or partly in wood

Question 15

Which red wines tend to be full bodied?

Answer 15

Cabernet and French Bordeaux

Question 16

What is the DOC?

Answer 16

Denominazione di Origine Controllata
(“controlled place name”)

Italy’s designation for wine whose name, origin of grapes, grape varieties and other important factors are regulated by law

Question 17

What is a Super Tuscan?

Answer 17

• Any wine from Tuscany made in less traditional ways
• More powerful than other Tuscan varieties
• May include Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot

Question 18

What is a decanter?

Answer 18

A vessel that holds the decantation of a liquid (such as wine), which may contain sediment

• Used to aerate wine, or to allow it to “breathe” - enhancing the overall aroma of the wine
• Decantation is the method of separating the solids liquids that exist in one mixture

Question 19

What are some common spices and cocoa bean products detected in red wine?

Answer 19

• cinnamon
• clove
• cocoa
• coffee
• mocha
• pepper (black, white)

Question 20

What are some non-fruit flavors often detected in white wine?

Answer 20

• butter
• earthy
• floral
• honey
• vanilla

Question 21

Which white wines tend to be lighter bodied?

Answer 21

• Gewürztraminer
• Pinot Grigio

Question 22

What is a non-varietal wine?

Answer 22

A blend of several types of grapes

Question 23

Which red wines tend to be
lighter bodied?

Answer 23

Chianti and Pinot Noir

Question 24

Why is rosé blush-colored?

Answer 24

• Red-skinned grapes are used
• The skins are discarded in the middle of fermentation, rather than remaining throughout

Question 25

What is “distillation” of a wine?

Answer 25

• The process of heating wine so the alcohol vaporizes and is collected to make a drink with higher alcoholic content
• All distilled wines are known as “brandy,” although the quality of brandy varies

Question 26

What are “legs” when
describing a wine?

Answer 26

• The syrupy lines that a wine leaves on the glass after being swirled
• They have nothing to do with the quality of a wine

Question 27

What is the technical term for “the study of wine”?

Answer 27

Enology

Question 28

What is a wine’s “vintage” year?

Answer 28

The year in which at least 95% of its grapes were harvested (not the year in which the wine was bottled).

Question 29

What are tannins?

Answer 29

• A naturally occurring component of wine found in grape stems & seeds
• Provide structure to the wine to preserve the taste in the mouth
• Most predominant in Cabernet Sauvingon

Question 30

What is a wine’s “finish”?

Answer 30

The lingering feeling in your mouth after you taste a wine

Question 31

What is a fortified wine?

Answer 31

Wine with added alcohol content, usually from distilled grape spirits added during fermentation

Question 32

What are a wine’s “aroma”
and “bouquet”?

Answer 32

• “Bouquet” refers to smells that originate from the wine-making
• “Aroma” refers to smells originating from the grapes themselves

Amateurs often use the terms interchangeably