Advanced Wine Trivia

111 Questions for True Wine Experts

Questions and answers

This quiz is not a game for amateurs or for those who only enjoy a glass from time to time. It is designed for people who truly understand the world of wine: from the rarest grape varieties to the most complex winemaking methods, as well as regions, vintages, history and regulations.

It features 111 questions that require precise knowledge, experience and a genuine passion for oenology.

1

What is a Fondillón?

Answer:

A wine from the Alicante region made from the Monastrell grape, harvested late. It undergoes oxidative ageing without barrel maturation.

2

What are the regulations for Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva in Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro (barrel and bottle ageing)?

Answer:

Crianza: 24 months (minimum 12 months in barrel, 12 in bottle)
Reserva: 36 months (minimum 12 months in barrel, 24 in bottle)
Gran Reserva: 60 months (minimum 24 months in barrel, 36 in bottle)

3

What is El Dorado?

Answer:

A wine from the Rueda D.O., aged in demijohns.

4

What is a Cream wine?

Answer:

A blend of Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel with an Oloroso.

5

What are the requirements for grapes in a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)?

Answer:

100% of the grapes (85% for PGI) must come from the designated area, and the wine must be produced within that region.

6

What do the initials VT and VC stand for?

Answer:

VT: Vino de la Tierra
VC: Vino de Calidad with geographical indication

7

Which two Spanish regions have the classification of Qualified Designation of Origin (D.O.Ca)?

Answer:

Rioja and Priorat

8

Is the Malaga D.O. called DO Málaga or DO Sierra de Málaga?

Answer:

Trick question — both exist.

9

Which autonomous community is Somontano in?

Answer:

Aragon

10

Name the 17 PDOs, PGIs and VP of Castilla y León, including the provinces they cover.

Answer:

Arlanza (Burgos, Palencia)
Arribes (Salamanca, Zamora)
Bierzo (León)
Cigales (Valladolid, Palencia)
Ribera del Duero (Burgos, Valladolid, Segovia, Soria)
Rueda (Valladolid, Ávila, Segovia)
Tierra del Vino de Zamora (Zamora, Salamanca)
Toro (Zamora, Valladolid)
León (León y Zamora)
Abadía Retuerta (Valladolid)
Dehesa Peñalba (Valladolid)
Heredad de Urueña (Valladolid)
Valtiendas (Segovia)
Valles de Benavente (Zamora)
Cebreros (Ávila)
Sierra de Salamanca (Salamanca)
Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla y León

11

Name three DOs from Murcia.

Answer:

Bullas
Jumilla
Yecla

12

Which autonomous community is Campo de Calatrava in?

Answer:

Castilla‑La Mancha

13

Does Donostiarra Txakolina exist as a D.O.?

Answer:

No — only the D.O.s of Álava, Vizcaya, and Getaria exist

14

Name a Spanish supra-regional D.O.

Answer:

Cava
Jumilla
Rioja

15

In sparkling wines, what is added to start the secondary fermentation?

Answer:

Tirage liqueur (sugar and yeast mixture)

16

Name the three main varieties in Champagne and the three in Cava.

Answer:

Champagne: Pinot Noir, Meunier, Chardonnay

Cava: Macabeo, Xarel‑lo, Parellada

17

Form the pairs!
Match iconic grape varieties to their countries.

Argentina / Chile / Uruguay / Suráfrica / Australia / Nueva Zelanda/ EEUU

Tannat / Pinotage / Syrah / Pinot Noir / Carmenere / Zinfandel / Malbec

Answer:

Argentina - Malbec
Chile - Carmenere
Uruguay - Tannat
Suráfrica - Pinotage
Australia - Syrah
Nueva Zelanda - Pinot Noir
EEUU - Zinfandel

18

What are most grapes in Peru used for?

Answer:

Making Pisco

19

Which regions are Chablis and Sauternes in?

Answer:

Chablis – Burgundy
Sauternes – Bordeaux

20

When were the PDOs of Castilla y León officially established?

Answer:

1980 Rueda
1982 Ribera del Duero
1987 Toro
1989 Bierzo
1991 Cigales
2005 Valles de Benavente
2007 Arribes
2007 León
2007 Tierra Vino de Zamora
2008 Valtiendas
2010 Arlanza
2011 Sierra de Salamanca
2019 Cebreros

21

What is the main grape of the León D.O.?

Answer:

Prieto Picudo

22

Which three grape varieties are most important in Alsace?

Answer:

Riesling.
Gewürztraminer.
Pinot Gris.

23

Where is the AOP Châteauneuf-du-Pape located?

Answer:

Southern Rhône

24

Name the three main red and white grapes of Bordeaux.

Answer:

Reds:
Merlot.
Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cabernet Franc.

Whites:
Sémillon.
Sauvignon Blanc.
Muscadelle.

25

What is a négociant?

Answer:

A wine merchant who buys large quantities from producers (châteaux) to sell to distributors, importers, or retailers.

26

What does “en primeur” mean?

Answer:

Buying wine while it is still in barrel, before bottling.

27

What is the minimum ageing for Cava, Cava Reserva, Gran Reserva Cava, and Cava de Paraje Calificado?

Answer:

Cava: 9 months
Cava Reserva: 18 months
Gran Reserva Cava: 30 months
Cava de Paraje Calificado: 36 months

28

Which Mediterranean D.O. has soils known as licorella?

Answer:

DOCa Priorat

29

What is “bleeding” (lloro) in the vine cycle?

Answer:

The springtime exudation of sap following pruning

30

What does BLIC stand for in tasting notes?

Answer:

Balance
Length
Intensity
Complexity

BLIC

31

In Spain, at what sugar level per litre is a wine considered sweet?

Answer:

More than 45 g/L

32

Do ice wines (Eiswein) suffer from noble rot?

Answer:

No — the grapes arrive at the winery frozen and healthy

33

In the 1976 Judgment of Paris, which wines were compared?

Answer:

French wines with California wines

34

What is the main grape of Tokaj wines?

Answer:

Furmint.

35

How does Szamorodny differ from Aszú?

Answer:

Szamorodny uses all grapes, including unshrivelled ones
Aszú uses only shrivelled, botrytised grapes

36

How is the minimum ageing of a Tokaji Aszú determined?

Answer:

By adding 2 years to the number of puttonyos

37

What is the capacity of a traditional old wooden pipe used to age Port?

Answer:

534 litres

38

What is carbonic maceration?

Answer:

Intracellular fermentation in sealed tanks using whole grape clusters

39

What is a pajarete?

Answer:

A sweet wine blend of PX (Pedro Ximénez) and Moscatel

40

Sake is approximately what percentage water?

a) 60
b) 20
c) 80
d) 95

Answer:

95%

41

Until what year are new vine plantings prohibited in Europe?
a) 2026
b) 2045
c) 2060

Answer:

b) 2045

42

Which products are used to combat downy mildew and powdery mildew?

Answer:

Powdery mildew – sulphur; Downy mildew – copper

43

Which Austrian philosopher inspired biodynamic agriculture?

Answer:

Rudolf Steiner.

44

In biodynamics, which days produce wines that are more or less expressive?

Answer:

Less expressive:
Root and Leaf days

More expressive:
Flower and Fruit days

45

Match grape varieties to their countries of origin:
Baga, Dolcetto, Grüner Veltliner, Bobal, Riesling, Gamay, Furmint

Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Austria, Italy

Answer:

Furmint – Hungary
Baga – Portugal
Dolcetto – Italy
Grüner Veltliner – Austria
Bobal – Spain
Riesling – Germany
Gamay – France

46

What distinguishes Garnacha Tintorera from other Spanish red varieties?

Answer:

Coloured pulp, not just skins

47

During malolactic fermentation, which acid is converted into which?

Answer:

Malic acid into lactic acid

48

When was the Vinos de Madrid D.O. officially recognised?

Answer:

1990

49

What are the four most representative grape varieties of Vinos de Madrid?

Answer:

Whites:
Malvar, Albillo Real

Reds:
Garnacha Tinta, Tinto Fino

50

What does disgorging (degüelle) involve?

Answer:

Removing the sediment collected in the neck of a sparkling bottle during riddling

51

Which New World country is famous for Ice Wine?

Answer:

Canada

52

What is the minimum ageing for Cava, Classic Penedès, and Corpinnat?

Answer:

Cava:
9 months

Classic Penedes:
15 months.

Corpinnat:
18 months.

53

From which Italian region are Asti wines?

Answer:

Piedmont

54

What is a vigneron?
a) Trabaja solo en el viñedo
b) En español se llamaría enólogo
c) A winemaker involved in all stages: vineyard, harvest, winemaking, and bottling

Answer:

A winemaker involved in all stages:

vineyard, harvest, winemaking, and bottling

55

Which provinces does the Rías Baixas D.O. cover?

Answer:

A Coruña and Pontevedra

56

Where are Listán Negro
and Listán Blanco grown?

Answer:

Canary Islands

57

In Ribera del Duero, which province produces the most wine?
a) Soria
b) Burgos
c) Valladolid
d) Segovia

Answer:

The correct answer is:
b) Burgos.

58

What percentage of Ribera del Duero wines are made from Tinto Fino?
a) 75%
b) 50%
c) 30%
d) 96%

Answer:

The correct answer is:
d) 96%

59

Which of these grape varieties does not exist?
a) Tempranillo
b) Tinto Madrid
c) Tintofera
d) Cencibel
e) Tinta Roriz
f) Tinta del País
g) Ull de Llebre
h) Tinto Fino
i) Tinto Aragonés

Answer:

Tintofera (is invented)

60

What are the three subzones of Rioja D.O.Ca?

Answer:

Rioja Alta

Rioja Alavesa

Rioja Oriental

61

What revolutionised the wine world in Bierzo in the 1960s?

Answer:

The cooperative movement

62

Who is the most famous winemaker from Bierzo?

Answer:

Raúl Pérez

63

What designations exist within Bierzo D.O.?

Answer:

D.O. Bierzo
Wine of the Village
Wine of the Vineyard
Classified Vineyard
Great Classified Vineyard

64

What nationality is Peter Sisseck (winemaker of Pingus)?
a) German
b) Swiss
c) Dutch
d) Danish
e) Icelandic

Answer:

d) Danish

65

What is the traditional clay-pot aged wine of Extremadura called?

Answer:

Vino de pitarra.

66

In which South American country is the wine region “La Rioja”?

Answer:

Argentina

67

What is the signature grape of Rueda D.O.?

Answer:

Verdejo

68

Which Canary Islands D.O. uses the cordon trenzado vine training system?

Answer:

Valle de La Orotava D.O.

69

Which D.O. does Fermoselle belong to and in which province?

Answer:

Arribes del Duero D.O., Zamora

70

What are the “gerías” and on which island are they found?

Answer:

Holes dug into volcanic soil for vine cultivation; Lanzarote

71

What are the four main acids in wine?

Answer:

Tartaric
malic
citric
lactic

72

What is another name for noble rot?

Answer:

Botrytis

73

What is the process of adding sugar to must called?

Answer:

Chaptalisation

74

What is the minimum ageing for sparkling wine using the Charmat method?

Answer:

21 days

75

What does a triangle on a cork indicate?

Answer:

The wine is carbonated

76

What does the Spanish acronym IGP?

Answer:

Protected Geographical Indication

77

What is a Blanc de Noirs?

Answer:

A white wine made from red grapes

78

What term has replaced “table wine” (vino de mesa)?

Answer:

Wine or Wine without geographical indication

79

What does the Spanish acronym VCPRD mean?

Answer:

Quality Wines Produced in a Determined Region

80

How many Spanish wineries have received the “Vino de Pago Calificado” seal?

Answer:

None

81

Which country is the Xinomavro grape from?

Answer:

Greece

82

Match these wine regions to their countries: Napa Valley – USA; Aconcagua Valley – Chile;
a. Napa Valley
b. Aconcagua Valley
c. Marlborough
d. Franconia

Answer:

a. EEUU
b. Chile
c. New Zealand
d. Germany

83

In a mistella, which type of fermentation occurs?
a. malolactic
b. alcoholic
c. the two
d. None — there is no fermentation

Answer:

d. None — there is no fermentation

84

What is another name for the Macabeo grape?

Answer:

Viura

85

What are the four D.O.s of Aragon?

Answer:

Campo de Borja
Somontano
Calatayud
Cariñena

86

What are grape varieties resistant to fungal diseases called?

Answer:

PIWI (disease-resistant grape varieties)

87

Complete the sentence: Anthocyanins are found in the … and give colour to the wine.

Answer:

Skins

88

Which bacteria convert alcohol into vinegar in the presence of oxygen?

Answer:

Acetobacter

89

Name a famous Austrian company that designs wine glasses specific to each type of wine.

Answer:

Riedel

90

What is the system that allows wine to be poured without removing the cork?

Answer:

Coravin

91

Sweet, salty, bitter, sour … what is the missing taste?

Answer:

Umami

92

Who represents Robert Parker and The Wine Advocate in Spain?

Answer:

Luis Gutíerrez

93

Which of the following is an Italian red grape?
a) Verdicchio
b) Trebbiano
c) Corvina
d) Chardonnay

Answer:

c) Corvina

94

Match aromas to grape varieties:

Grape varieties: Verdejo / Chardonnay / Sauvignon Blanc / Tempranillo / Pedro Ximénez / Cabernet Sauvignon

Aromas: Smoke / Nut / Apple / Pepper / Blackberry / Pineapple

Answer:

Verdejo – apple
Chardonnay – smoke
Sauvignon Blanc – pineapple
Tempranillo – blackberry
Pedro Ximénez – walnut
Cabernet Sauvignon – bell pepper

95

Swan neck, headpiece, boiler, condenser — these are parts of a…..

Answer:

Still (distillation apparatus)

96

Which of the following wines has never had “flor”?
a) Amontillado
b) Oloroso
c) Fino
d) Palo cortado

Answer:

b) Oloroso

97

.......... In a red wine, refers to the intensity of the colour the wine displays when observed in the glass, especially when the glass is tilted and viewed against a white background. It is a quick, visual way of assessing its concentration, youthfulness, or ageing potential.

Answer:

Intensity / depth of colour

98

……. is a type of white, chalky soil typical of Jerez.

Answer:

Albariza

99

What is the purpose of decanting a wine?

Answer:

To separate sediment and aerate the wine

100

Where do secondary aromas in wine come from?

Answer:

Fermentation

101

How do you say these wine terms in English?
Ribete
Roble
Equilibrio
Corcho

Answer:

Ribete: Rim
Roble: Oak
Equilibrado: Balanced
Corcho: Cork

102

Which are the two most widely planted grape varieties in the world?

Answer:

Kyoho and Cabernet Sauvignon

103

Which is the most widely planted grape in Spain?
a) Airén
b) Tempranillo
c) Garnacha
d) Moscatel

Answer:

a) Airén

96

In Portugal, grape varieties are called…

Answer:

Castas

105

Provence is renowned for producing:
a) rosé wines
b) sparkling wines
c) white wines
d) red wines
e) fortified wines

Answer:

a) rosé wines

106

Match the grape to the Italian region:

Grape variety: Sangiovese / Primitivo / Nebbiolo / Montepulciano

Region: Abruzzo / Piedmont / Tuscany / Puglia

Answer:

Sangiovese – Tuscany
Primitivo – Puglia
Nebbiolo – Piedmont
Montepulciano – Abruzzo

107

What do Béaumé degrees measure?

Answer:

Must density (sugar content)

108

What does AOC stand for?

Answer:

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée

109

Which two PDOs have the largest vineyard area in Castilla y León?

Answer:

Ribera del Duero and Rueda

110

Into which two groups are Spanish fortified wines divided?

Answer:

Dry fortified wines (generosos) and naturally sweet fortified wines (vinos dulces naturales)

111

What is the stage when grapes begin to change colour during ripening?

Answer:

Veraison

Veraison is the phase in which grapes begin to change color due to the ripening process.