Talk-A-Vino

The Wine Quiz series is not meant to intimidate. The whole idea here is to have fun and learn something new. When answering the questions, it is fully encouraged to use all available sources of information, including Google or any other search engine. There are no embarrassing answers – the most embarrassing thing is not giving it a try…

Welcome your new wine quiz!

Let’s start with the answers to the last quiz #131. In that quiz, you were given a series of questions related to our favorite festive beverage – Champagne.

Here are the questions, now with the answers:

Question 1:  A typical pressure inside of the Champagne, and for that matter, most of the Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wine bottles, is 6 atmospheres (this is why you need to take special care while opening the bottle of Champagne). However, some of the wines produced under the same Méthode Traditionnelle are deliberately made to have a lower pressure of 5 atmospheres – can you find this wine in the list below?

1. Trentodoc
2. Cava
3. Cremant de Jura
4. Franciacorta Satèn
5. Méthode Cap Classique

Answer 1:  Franciacorta Satèn (Satèn means “silk” in Italian, and it is a trademarked term), while made using Méthode Traditionnelle, were created to offer silkier (pun intended) mouthfeel compared to traditional Champagne/sparkling wine, so they are bottled at 5 atmospheres to achieve that gentler experience.

Question 2: You know that to remove the cork from a Champagne bottle, you need to untwist the wire (which is called Muselet). While untwisting, how many turns do you have to make:

1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 6
5. 7

Answer 2: You always have to make 6 twists, no matter where this Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wine is coming from. For more info, click here.

Question 3: Riddling (remuage) is a process where the bottles of Champagne are turned little by little, also with the change of an angle, while inserted upside down into the vertical “table” called Pupitre, to gradually force the sediment to concentrate in the neck of the bottle for easy removal. Do you know who is credited with the invention of the Pupitre?

1. Dom Perignon
2. Dom Ruinart
3. Madame Clicquot
4. Claude Moët

Answer 3: Madame Clicquot. For more information, please click here.

Question 4:  The foil covering the top of the Champagne bottles was originally intended to:

1. Hold cork in its place
2. Just for looks and marketing
3. To protect the cork from a variety of insects and rodents while wine is in storage
4. To cover wire cage imperfections

Answer 4: To protect the cork from a variety of insects and rodents while wine is in storage. Here is a Wine Spectator article offering some insight.

Once again, we didn’t have a lot of players, but Lynn answered all 4 questions correctly, so she gets the prize of unlimited bragging rights! Well done!

Our today’s quiz is one of the “classic” ones here. Below you will find the pictures of the tops of the bottles (foil capsules for most of the cases). You need to identify the producer based on those images.

Let’s go:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

These are reasonably well-known producers from around the world, with maybe some exceptions – not sure I can give you more of the hint.

Good luck, enjoy the quiz and enjoy your weekend! Cheers!