For this one, I thought I might do a “wine trivia” post. I will be using my Sommelier course notes, what I have said in previous posts, as well as some “current events” in the world of wine. The easier questions will be first, gradually working down to the hardest ones at the bottom. Hopefully, you find this fun and educational. Please note, all of the questions are specific to the USA, unless otherwise indicated. Let’s begin:
- Which sex drinks more wine? (a) Men (b) Women
- Which wine “type” do we drink more of? (a) Red (b) White
- How much wine do we drink, on average, in a week? (a) More than 1 glass (b) Less than 1 glass
Answers – #1: (b) 56% of women drink wine in the US, 54% of men. #2: (a) We drink 50,000 cases of red wine & 47,000 cases of white wine (each year). #3: (b) 67% of wine drinkers have less than a glass per week, 33% have more than a glass per week. If you’re like me, you’re thinking how can that 67% even call themselves wine drinkers? How are you doing so far? Now, let’s move on to multiple choice.
The answers to some of these questions I have mentioned in previous posts. Good Luck!
- Which country produces the most wine per year? (a) Italy (b) France (c) Spain (d) USA
- Which country consumes the most wine per year? (a) USA (b) France (c) Italy (d) Germany
- Which group, by age, consumes the most wine (in the USA) per year? (a) Boomers – 54 to 72 (b) Gen X – 42 to 52 (c) Millennials – 24 to 41
Answers – #1: (a) Italy produces 39.3 mhl, France produces 36.7 mhl, Spain produces 33.5 mhl, & the USA produces 23.3 mhl (million hectoliters). #2: (a) the USA consumes 13.75% of the world’s wine each year, France consumes 11.34%, Italy consumes 8.69%, & Germany consumes 7.38%. #3: (c) Millennials consume the most, at 36%, next comes Boomers at 34%, & last comes Gen X at 19%. Did you do any better in this section? Now, come the tricky questions.
- According to the National Wine School (NWS), how many Noble Grape Varietals are there? (a) 6 (b) 8 (c) 9 (d) 18 (e) None of these.
- Which wine type is the most consumed in the USA? (a) Red Blend (b) Chardonnay (c) Cabernet Sauvignon (d) Pinot Noir (e) Pinot Grigio
- Who drinks the most wine (per capita)? (a) France (b) Andorra (c) Slovenia (d) Vatican City (e) Croatia
- BONUS: From which country does Wine Spectator’s (WS) #1 Wine of the Year for 2024 come? [Hint: it’s a Cab. Sauv.]? (a) France (b) USA (c) Chile (d) Australia (e) Italy
Answers – #1: (c) According to the NWS, there are 9 Noble Grapes: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah (Shiraz), Grenache (Garnacha), Cabernet Sauvignon, & Merlot. #2: (b) Chardonnay at 30, 000 cases. Next is Cab. Sauv. at 25, 000 cases, then Red Blends at 17, 200 cases, then Pinot Grigio at 17, 100 cases, and finally Pinot Noir at 8, 000 cases. #3: (d) Vatican City drinks the most per person at 54.26 L. Think about it, mostly old men over 60 who love communion. Next is Andorra at 46.26 L per person, then Croatia at 44.2 L, then Slovenia at 44.07 L, and finally France at 42.51 L. #4 [Bonus]: (c) According to the WS, the #1 Wine of the Year for 2024 is Don Melchor’s Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Vineyard 2021 from Chile. Not surprising when you take into account this vineyard was spun-off from Concha Y Toro, the oldest and best wine makers in Chile. Originally planted over 100 years ago in the Maipo Valley, it was only a matter of time before these guys caught-up to Napa Valley. How did you do overall? Hopefully, you learned something while having fun!
That will take care of this one. Next time will be the Wine of the Month for November. Be sure to come back and see what I choose. Cheers!