Did you know that there are 20 million acres used for wineries across the world?




A glass of wine should be gently swirled in its glass before the first drink. This act is visually stimulating in appropriate lighting, and it invites oxygen into the glass, allowing the more subtle aromas to escape, thereby enhancing the experience by involving more of the senses.




Riesling is a many-splendored grape, one of the world's noble varieties. It makes bone dry wines, incredibly sweet wines, unctuous ones and everything in between. One of the best things about Riesling is that it tends to be low in alcohol, yet high in character and flavor. Plus, its fruitiness and crisp acidity make it wonderful with food, especially spicy cuisines.




Corked wines have a defect caused by the mold that can appear in corks. You have no way of predicting this before opening a bottle. However, when you pour a glass and it smells like old, wet newspaper, it's probably corked. Next time you discover one, hold on to the glass and try it side by side with a good bottle - you'll really learn to recognize the difference.




If your waiter recommends a white burgundy, what kind of wine will it be? Chardonnays play the starring role in white Burgundy. A few other varieties, such as Aligoté, may be used as well but to a much lesser extent. Generally, white Burgundies are less sweet and taste more of minerals than their California cousins.




Gewürztraminer is a wonderful summer white wine. Some of the best known Gewurz wines are from Alsace. It's considered a classic pairing to serve with spicy Asian foods, especially when it's a sweeter version of the wine. Descriptive words are rosewater, lychee...




What is cognac? It is a number of things: a town near Bordeaux in France and a grape-based spirit. If you order a cognac, you are always ordering brandy; however, you can find many lovely brandies from outside the town of Cognac.




Have you ever had a Super Tuscan? The name was coined to describe wines from Tuscany made in less traditional ways. These wines tend to be bigger and more powerful than other Tuscan wines and can be quite expensive. In addition to the traditional Tuscan grape - Sangiovese - these wines may also include grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.




What are legs when speaking of wine? Sometimes it's clear that men created a bunch of this wine vocabulary! Legs are the syrupy lines that wine makes on the sides of your glass after you have swirled it around. Despite many myths to the contrary, the legs say nothing about the quality of a wine.




The Sémillon white wine grape. This grape is often mixed with Sauvignon Blanc to make both dry wines and dessert wines. In Bordeaux, this blend is the foundation for the famous and delectable sauternes.




Describing a Syrah…Syrah (referred to as Shiraz in Australia) is a grape that can produce full-bodied, dark, strong wines with a long cellaring potential. Syrahs are often characterized as having hints of black pepper, tar and black fruits (such as plums and blackberries).




Does distillation have anything to do with filtering the sediment out of a wine? Distilling is the process of heating wine so that the alcohol - which boils at a lower temperature than water - vaporizes and is collected to make a higher alcohol drink. All distilled wines are called brandy, but there are many levels of brandy quality.




When the alcohol level is extremely high or out of balance with the rest of the wine, you may feel a heated or burning sensation in the back of the mouth. This sensation is described as "hot".




Tannins, the puckery taste in the wine, add structure to red wines so the taste doesn't slip away in your mouth. The feeling they produce is often described as similar to what black tea does to your mouth. Cabernet Sauvignon often has a lot of tannin. Tannins are a naturally occurring part of wine that come mainly from the stems and seeds of the grapes.




Marsanne is a white grape made famous in northern Rhône wines. Other common white northern Rhône grapes are Roussanne and Viognier.




Is Valpolicella a type of grape? Valpolicella is a red wine-producing area in Italy's Veneto region, located in the northeastern part of the country. It produces wines mainly from Corvina, Rondinella, and Molilnara grapes. Valpolicella ranges from light, dry, and fruity to some powerful reds such as Amarone della Valpolicella.




What is ENOLOGY? It is a fancy word for the study of wine, also spelled oenology. If you really want to impress your friends, tell them you're an enophil - that's another snooty word for wine lover.




Are "aroma" and "bouquet" the same when describing wine? Many wine snobs will use the term "bouquet" to describe smells that originate in winemaking and aging. They'll use "aroma" to refer to smells originating from the grapes themselves. On the street, that's us...the words are used interchangeably, so don't beat this one to death at a cocktail party.




Do you know a Crémant? It is French for creaming and generally refers to sparkling wines made in France outside of the Champagne region. There are a number of Crémants, including Crémant d'Alsace, Crémant de Bordeaux, and Crémant de Loire.




What is Terroir? Winemakers can talk forever about terroir. Terroir encompasses everything about a grape growing site, from the wind to the sunshine to the soil to that certain je ne sais quoi that gives a wine its unique qualities. The term refers to the vineyard environment.




Could this be true? Muscadet is the name of a grape, a wine and a region. Muscadet is both a white wine and a region near the town of Nantes where the Loire River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Muscadet is also the name of the grape, which in other places is called Melon de Bourgogne.




What is Vouvray? Vouvray is a white wine and a region in the Loire Valley in France. The star grape of Vouvray is Chenin Blanc, making wines that run from bone-dry to lusciously sweet.




What is Sancerre? Sancerre is a wine growing area in the Loire Valley. The white wines from this area are made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc grapes and are generally crisp and dry and great for summer. Red wines from Sancerre are made from Pinot Noir grapes.




Chaptalization has nothing to do with adding acid to wine to balance its taste. It is the process of adding sugar to make wine more alcoholic. This is important in places where the grapes may not fully ripen to achieve high enough sugar levels often due to cooler climates. Chaptalization is not permitted in California.




When you "finish" is this the last step before bottling? Finish means the lingering sensation after you taste a wine. Once you've tasted your wine and swallowed it, what's left? Is there nothing there or do you have a taste left in your mouth? That's the "finish".




What is "Rioja"? This is a wine from the northern region of Spain that gives it its name. Red Rioja wines are typically made from Tempranillo grapes mixed with Grenache and other varieties.




Are Port and Sherry both fortified wines? Port and Sherry are made from different grapes and in different countries, but they are both fortified, meaning that alcohol or distilled grape spirits are added.




What are fortified wines? Fortified wines have alcohol (usually a distilled grape spirit) added to them during fermentation. The alcohol stops the yeasts from breaking down grape sugars and converting them into alcohol. So you end up with both a sweeter and higher alcohol wine.




What does "Meritage" mean? Meritage is a term created to market U.S. wines made in a Bordeaux style, with a combination of at least two of the classic red grapes of Bordeaux (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc). It's pronounced like heritage.




What is Languedoc? It is a region in southern France that has always made a lot of wine, but not necessarily good wine. That's changing. Grapes made famous in other parts of France, such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, are gaining ground in Languedoc. And many of the same grapes found in the Rhône, like Grenache and Carignane, are also grown here.




In German, what does the word "trocken" mean? All you who speak German know that this means "dry." The Germans are very specific regarding their wine labeling rules, so officially, Trocken wines are those with just 0.0 to 0.9 percent residual sugar.




Chenin Blancs have often produced inexpensive, mediocre wines, however, that is starting to change. In France, its image is very different. Chenin Blanc wines can be highly regarded, such as Vouvray, whose dessert versions can age gracefully for decades.




When serving a Chinese or Thai dinner, which classic wine pairing would you select? In general, most white wines work with spicy Asian food, but the classic pairing is Gewürztraminer with its own spicy characteristics that complement the spices in many Asian dishes. But more important than the echo of flavors between the food and the wine would be the slight sweetness in the wine, which softens the food's spiciness. Other classic pairings with Asian foods include Riesling or a rich Pinot Gris.




Does "sniffing the cork" give you a good sense of the wine? In the days when the authenticity of a bottle was more suspect, it was important to see the wine uncorked at the table and to verify the brand on the cork. Now everyone behaves. And, smelling the cork can be misleading. At times a cork will look and smell awful, yet the wine will be perfectly fine.




When is a Beaujolais Nouveau released each year? This wine is the first of the new harvest - quickly picked and barely fermented. Each year at one minute past midnight on the third Thursday of November, a race around the world begins to be the first to drink the wine.




The process of removing dead yeast cells from champagne - called Remuage (or riddling) - was discovered by whom? Remuage was developed by Veuve Cliquot (veuve is French for widow). This process helps winemakers bring all the sticky sediment cast by the second fermentation of champagne to the top of the bottle, by gradually turning the bottles until they are upside down.




What is generally considered the inspiration for the original champagne "coupe" glass? According to wine expert Kevin Zraly, the original coupe was molded after Helen of Troy's breast. Much later, Marie Antoinette had the glass redesigned to the shape of her more voluptuous breast. Others contend that the glass is modeled after the curves of Louis XV's mistress, Madame du Pompadour.




A classic pairing with lamb or beef would be a Cabernet/Bordeaux blend. As always, it's really what you prefer, but this classic pairing is considered good because protein from the meat softens the tannins of the Cabernet.




Chablis is a region in northern Burgundy that produces white wines from Chardonnay grapes. Chablis wines are often crisp and dry, with a flinty quality and hints of vanilla. Chablis has also been co-opted in the U.S. as a name for cheap white wines in large packages.




Sekt, Cava or Crémant are all types of sparkling wines. Sekt is sparkling from Germany or Austria. Cava is Spain's sparkling wine and is often a great bargain. And Crémant is a French sparkling from regions other than Champagne.




Your next Thanksgiving turkey dinner will be classically paired with a Sangiovese. According to renowned wine expert Andrea Immer, your best bet is to have both a white - Riesling, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, and a red such as a Spanish Rioja Crianza, Zingandel, Sangiovese or Shiraz, that will go with all the different foods on your Thanksgiving table. We suggest one of each, so everyone can have their favorite (plus you'll have quite a fun evening once you've finished them all off).




The vintage year on a wine label refers to the year the grapes were harvested. An exception to this would be an Eiswein from Germany; picked in January, it would still carry the vintage of the previous year's growing season. Some wines are made from blends of different years (such as sherry or champagne), and in these cases the year is not listed on the label. These non-vintage wines should not necessarily be considered inferior.




Oh, the famous box wine, who was its creator? In 1965, Tom Angove took out a patent on a bag-in-a-box concept called a wine cask. The bag collapsed as wine was withdrawn, so the wine stayed fresh, protected from oxygen. Boxed wines are extremely popular in Australia - over 50 percent of wine consumed there is from a box, and in Sweden it's more than 60 percent.




Fine wines are always filtered. This is sometimes true. Some are and some are not. Filtering is a process in which particles (such as yeast cells) are removed from the wine. This helps guard against a wine refermenting, and makes it appear brighter and clearer. Many wine purists argue that filtering is an unnecessary process that takes away valuable flavors. You decide.




What is a Babolo? It is both the name of a wine and a region in Piedmont, Italy. Barolos are made mostly from the Nebbiolo grape, creating big, rich wines with lots of tannins.




Uncorking a bottle of wine will help it breathe. True? Simply removing the cork will do little to aerate the wine. Instead, pour it into a carafe or simply into your glass and swirl it around a bit.




How large is a magnum? I know, you want to reply "not big enough!" That is not correct. A magnum is the equivalent of two standard 750 ml bottles or 1.5 liters.




In a restaurant, it's appropriate to send back a bottle of wine you just don't like. Not really; if a wine is flawed (i.e. corked, oxidized, or spoiled), you should send it back. However, according to famed wine expert Andrea Immer, if you select it and simply don't like it, it's not appropriate to send it back.




Which of the following is the classic wine to pair with caviar: an aged red Bordeaux, a Sauternes, Champagne, Manischewitz. The high acidity of most champagnes works well with the briny/salty notes of the caviar. More importantly, the two together are simply quite decadent. While not a wine, we'd be remiss if we did not highlight vodka, which is also an excellent pairing with caviar.




A white wine can be made from red grapes. This is true, as the red color comes from the skins, so when winemakers produce a white wine from red grapes, they remove the skins quickly after crushing.




A major event launched international interest in California wines. Any idea? A shocking thing happened: at an international Paris tasting in 1976, French judges picked two California wines (Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon and Château Montelena 1973 Chardonnay) as the best. They even thought these were French wines. The rest is history.




What does AVA stand for in the wine industry? American Viticulture Areas are geographical winegrowing areas defined by the U.S. Government that are supposed to have geographic and climatic features which distinguish them from surrounding areas, though this isn't always the case. Examples of AVAs include Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County and Rutherford in Napa County.




Which of these red grapes generally makes a fruity, high alcohol red or Rosé wine: Nebbiolo, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon? Also called Garnacha, it's the most widely planted red grape in Spain, where it's often blended with Tempranillo and other grapes to make Rioja wine. It's also the dominant grape in southern Rhône reds, and it is often mixed with other varieties (up to 12 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape).




Are you familiar with a Trebbiano? This white wine grape is extensively planted - some say it produces more wine than any other grape in the world. It's used in many blends and in making brandy. In fact, it's even blended into some red wines, such as the famous Chianti.




You'd like a smooth, rich wine with low tannins with your dinner. Your best option would be: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, or Petite Sirah. A Merlot is often a very soft and supple wine that is quite easy to drink. It's the most commonly planted grape in France's Bordeaux region and the star of the outrageously expensive Château Petrus.




If you want a white wine with citrus flavors that is not buttery, which would be the most likely choice: Merlot Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Sangiovese? Sauvignon Blanc typically has high acid, and citrus and gooseberry flavors. Some of the better known producing areas for a crisp style of Sauvignon Blanc are New Zealand and Sancerre in the Loire Valley.




Which type of grape is not common in wines from Alsace: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, or Muscat? One of the beauties of Alsatian wines is their label content - they tell you which grape made the wine, which is uncommon in other French regions. The most important wines from Alsace are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat and Pinot Gris.




Which is the primary grape used in Chianti: Nebbiolo, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, or Barbera? Chianti, a region in Tuscany, Italy, produces both fine and everyday drinking wines. The main grape in wines labeled Chianti is Sangiovese, which is often mixed with other grapes such as Canaiolo, Trebbiano, and Malvasia. Today, even Cabernet Sauvignon is permitted in the mix, thanks to the groundbreaking path forged by the "Super Tuscan" winemakers, who broke from the traditional blends.




What type of grape is in a Blanc de Blancs champagne: Chardonnay, Viognier, Concord, or any white grape? Whereas most champagnes blend white (Chardonnay) and red (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) grapes, a Blanc de Blancs is made from 100% Chardonnay.




How would you describe a wine made from Riesling grapes? Considered by many as one of the world's finest white wines, Rieslings can range from quite dry to very sweet. A classic food pairing is Thai food, as the wine's sweetness and acidity can balance the food's spiciness. ---Floral, peaches, limes and kerosene (really!?!)




Pear, apple, and vanilla are typical characteristics of one of these wines: Grandma's prized pie, Viognier, Chardonnay, or Zinfandel. A very versatile grape that can produce quite different wines depending on the winemaking style is Chardonnay. They range from dry, crisp, and light wines to full bodied, buttery and oaky ones.




How would you describe a wine made from Viognier grapes? This grape produces wines that are often perfumey with a hint of peaches. It is quite common in white wines from the Rhône region in France. Two of the most famous (and expensive) Viogniers are Condrieu and Château Grillet.




Pinot Gris is commonly grown in Italy. Also known as Pinot Grigio (or Tokay in the Alsace region of France), this grape variety ranges in style from light and crisp to rich and spicy. Its richer versions can be an excellent match for Thai cuisine.




How would you describe a wine made from Petite Sirah grapes? Not to be confused with the bold Syrah grape, Petite Sirah is an important grape variety in California and frequently is blended with Zinfandel or other grape types to give density and structure. ---described as deep-colored, inky, tannic red




Name another term many California winemakers use for Sauvignon Blanc. Back in the 1960's, it was difficult to sell Sauvignon Blanc wines, so California winemaking pioneer Robert Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc to glamorize this grape and persuade more Americans to drink it.




What would be a likely description of a wine made from Cabernet Franc grapes? Cabernet Franc grapes tend to make wines with a light structure and herbaceous qualities, especially compared to Cabernet Sauvignon. It plays the lead in the Loire Valley's famous Chinon wine.---described as green peppers, vegetal




Which of the following grapes is known for having characteristics such as blackberries, gramey meat, and black pepper: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Concord Grape? Syrah is a grape that can produce full-bodied, dark, strong wines. The Syrah grape is common throughout the world in places such as the Northern Rhône in France, California, and Australia. Its wines can be quite powerful and tannic. They tend to mature slowly and have excellent cellaring potential.




Nebbiolo is the sole grape in which of these wine choices: Barbaresco, Rioja, Sherry, Cold Duck? Red Barbaresco wines, from the Italian region of Piedmont, are made exclusively from one of Italy's most famous indigenous grapes, Nebbiolo. These wines begin life with lots of tannin and age gracefully for many years. The wines are often earthy and may have aromas of fig and nuts.




Which of these grapes is found in a white Bordeaux: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Viognier? Sauvignon Blanc is the star grape in most white Bordeaux and is prized for its acidity, especially in blends with the lush Sémillon grape.




How would you describe the aromas in a Pinot Noir wine? This grape thrives in cooler climates such as France's Burgundy region, California's coastal areas, and Oregon's Willamette Valley near Portland. ---a tasteful description would be cherries, raspberries, earthiness




How would you describe a wine made from Mourvèdre grapes? Mourvèdre (sometimes called Mataro in Australia and California) is often blended with Grenache, Syrah, and other varieties in the southern Rhône region of France to improve a wine's color and structure.




You can interchange the term Shiraz and Syrah as they are the same grape? This is true. Shiraz is the name of the grape variety often used in South Africa and Australia, while Syrah is the term favored in France and the U.S. for this same grape.




How would you describe a wine made from Zinfandel grapes? In addition to making the famous white Zinfandel, the Zinfandel grape creates a robust, spicy, concentrated red wine. In Italy, wines made from the Primitivo grape have the same characteristics as Zinfandel. Classic food pairings include pasta, cheese or barbecued meats. ---their flavor described like berries, jammy, spicy




You have ordered a red Bordeaux. Which grape would not be in the wine: Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc? Red Bordeaux wines are typically some combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes. Also allowable by French law are Malbec and Petit Verdot.




During Prohibition, what type of grape was still widely grown in California: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Concord? Zinfandel was often shipped from California to the East Coast where family wine makers (often the mafia) made it into wine. Prohibition laws prohibited mass commercial winemaking, except for use as sacramental wine, medicine, or food flavoring. However, it allowed family, or home, winemaking.




Which of these red grapes is known for its tannic, structured wines with tastes of chocolate, black currants and tobacco: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, or Zinfandel? Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most well-known grapes, often making big, powerfully flavorful wines that can start out tannic and mellow with aging.




What is Vin Santo? Also called "holy wine" is a sweet Italian dessert wine. Its sweetness comes from raisins, which concentrate the sugars in the grapes. Though uncommon, some less sweet Vin Santos are made as well.




Which of these grape varieties is not found in Loire Valley wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Melon, or Arneis? The Loire Valley is known for its white wines. Some famous areas and grapes in this region are: Pouilly-Fumé (Sauvignon Blanc); Muscadet (Melon); Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc); and Vouvray (Cennin Blanc). Arneis is a native grape of Piedmont.




If you buy a California wine with a 2003 vintage, what percent of the grapes must have been harvested that year? Federal law requires that U.S. wines listing a vintage must be made almost completely from grapes harvested that year. This protects against false marketing of wines associated with excellent growing years.




Prosecco is a type of sparkling wine from Italy. In the European Union, champagne only comes from the champagne region of France. But many other areas make good bubbly: Alsace (Crémant d'Alsace), Italy (Moscato d'Asti), Spain (Cava), and California (where it's usually called champagne or sparkling wine).




Sangiovese is a star grape variety in wines from Tuscany, Italy. Sangiovese is the main grape in Tuscan red wines, such as Chianti and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. It often makes a good food wine due to its bright acidity.




By French law, wine labeled as white Bordeaux can be made from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, or Muscadelle. While some other grapes are permitted, Viognier is not.




Syrah is the main grape in red wines from Northern Rhône, France. This region in France, especially in Hermitage, the wines can be quite dense and long-lived. Australia is also well known for Syrah, but there they call it Shiraz (rhymes with "jazz").




Which of the following is not one of the red wine-producing areas in Burgundy: Côte Chalonnaise, Crozes-Hermitage, Beaujolais, or Côte de Nuits? Crozes-Hermitage comes from the northern Rhône Valley and produces full-bodied wines based on Syrah grapes. Côte Chalonnaise and Côte de Nuits feature Pinot Noir, and Beaujolais is famous for its Gamays.




The DOC is the system that determines Italian winemaking rules. Like the AOC equivalent of France, the DOC specifies Italian winemaking rules such as the geographical limits of a region, grape varieties that can be used, yields, alcohol content, and aging requirements. As in France, these requirements do not guarantee a good bottle of wine. It simply guarantees where the wine came from and how it was made.




Which is the sweetest of these German wines: Auslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Kabinett, or Zuckerwein? German wines of a higher quality (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat or QMp) are labeled according to their ripeness at the time of harvest. They are, in order of increasing potential alcohol - which generally translates into body or sweetness: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA).




Which is not an area of the Rhône Valley: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Crozes-Hermitage, Vouvray, or Côte Rotie? Vouvray is in the Loire Valley, in the northern part of France, and is known for its white wines from the Chenin Blanc grape. The Rhône Valley (in southern France) is home to many famous wines such as Tavel, Beaumes-de-Venise and Condrieu.




What is the top classification of Burgundy wines: Premier Cru, Magnifique Cru, Grand Cru, or Cuvee Cru? The Grand Crus are vineyard sites specified by French law. They are supposed to be the very best sites, but that's not a guarantee of a great wine. In order from highest to lowest level in the classification system, they are: Grand Cru, Primier Cru, and Village.




Pouilly-Fumé and Pouilly-Fuissé are both areas famous for their Chardonnays. People always get these two mixed up. Pouilly-Fumé is in France's Loire Valley and is known for its smoky, crisp Sauvignon Blancs with hints of minerals. Pouilly-Fuissé is in the Maconnais region of Burgundy and is known for its Chardonnay. It may help if you remember that Fumé means smoke, indicating the smoky Sauvignon Blanc.




Napa Valley is best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay? Napa Valley, north of San Francisco, is home to some of California's most famous - and expensive - Cabernet Sauvignons.




What is the most widely planted grape in New Zealand: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, or Malbec? While Kiwi success with Sauvignon Blanc brought the world to New Zealand's doorstep, Chardonnay is its most widely planted grape variety.




People in which country drink the most wine per person: France, Italy, Japan, or Australia? While France is the #1 home to wine drinkers, and Italy is second, residents in both countries are starting to drink less wine. Those in the United States, Australia, and Britain are picking up the slack, drinking much more than they used to. Yet there's still a large gap. According to an article in Wine Spectator, the French drink an average of 54 liters per person, while those in the U.K. drink 20 liters, and in the U.S. only 8 liters.




Maipo Valley is a region in which country: Argentina, Chile, Spain, or United States? Close to Santiago, Maipo is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. Maipo is one of the warmest districts in Chile and one of the country's most famous wine-producing areas.




Experts recommend creating a strong "pop" when you open a bottle of Champagne? Not only is popping that cork potentially dangerous, it also allows for all the carbon dioxide bubbles to escape, giving you a flat champagne. The best way to open it is to keep your hand on the cork at all times and very slowly, ease it out by gently turning the bottle.




By law, what does the term reserve mean for a U.S. wine? That's right, nothing. U.S. laws are so lax that this term on a label has no specific definition. While some winemakers do label their top quality wine as Reserve or Private Reserve, others may use the term simply as a marketing ploy.




Chianti wines come from Tuscany? You bet. Tuscany, in central Italy, is the home of Chianti as well as other famous wines such as Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. The starring grape in these red wines is Sangiovese.




Sauternes is located in what region of France? Sauternes is an area within the Graves district in Bordeaux, famous for its sweet white wines. These wines are made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and in some cases Muscadelle grapes. Winegrowers often allow the grapes to be infected by Botrytis, or noble rot, causing the grapes to shrivel, concentrating the sugar and eventually producing a honey-like aroma in the finished wine.




What is the California region best known for its world-class Cabernet Sauvignons? Rutherford is located in central Napa Valley and is home to world-renowned producers such as Grgich Hills, Whitehall Lane, Caymus, and Beaulieu.




What must be done to a wine if the term riserva is listed on an Italian wine label? Italian wine law will typically specify minimum aging times for certain wines considered normale and longer aging times for their corresponding riserva wines.




The most widely planted red wine grape variety in Bordeaux is Cabernet Sauvignon. Most people get this wrong, it's actually Merlot.


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