🧠 Wine Quiz

Only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France can legally be called Champagne — this protected designation of origin has been enforced since the Treaty of Madrid in 1891.

A dry wine has had virtually all its sugar converted to alcohol during fermentation — wines with residual sugar above about 9 grams per litre are generally perceived as noticeably sweet.

The Chianti region between Florence and Siena has been producing wine since at least the 13th century — the famous black rooster on Chianti Classico labels dates back to a medieval legend about a border dispute.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc — DNA profiling confirmed this parentage in 1996, solving a longstanding mystery about the grape's origins.

Ageing wine on its lees is called 'sur lie' — this technique adds richness and a creamy texture, and is essential in Champagne production where wines rest on lees for at least 15 months.

Marlborough produces over 75% of New Zealand's total wine output — its cool climate and long sunshine hours create the intense passionfruit and gooseberry flavours that made New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc world-famous.

Racking is one of the oldest winemaking techniques — the process is repeated several times during ageing, each time leaving behind finer sediment and producing a clearer wine.

Grüner Veltliner covers about a third of Austria's vineyard area — its signature white pepper and lentil notes make it one of the most food-friendly white wines in the world.

Baron Philippe de Rothschild famously declared after the 1973 promotion: 'First, I am first. Second, I was second. Mouton does not change.' — the reclassification remains the only change in 170 years.

Riddling was traditionally done by hand, with skilled workers turning 40,000 bottles per day — modern producers use gyropalettes, mechanical cages that can riddle 500 bottles simultaneously in a week.