World Wine Quiz – Printable Version
20 multiple-choice questions with an explained answer key, ready to print.
Print the sheet (or save it as a PDF from the print window), hand it out, then mark it together using the answer page: every answer is explained. Perfect for a party, a birthday, a classroom, a care home or a team activity.
Name: ………………………………Score: ……… / 20
- In which country is the famous Napa Valley wine region located?
- A. Italy
- B. France
- C. United States
- D. Chile
- Which sparkling wine is produced only in the French region of the same name?
- A. Prosecco
- B. Cremant
- C. Cava
- D. Champagne
- Which country is the world's top wine producer by volume?
- A. France
- B. Italy
- C. Spain
- D. United States
- Which white grape variety is used to produce the Burgundy wine 'Chablis'?
- A. Chardonnay
- B. Sauvignon Blanc
- C. Riesling
- D. Pinot Gris
- What is the main difference between a white wine and a red wine?
- A. Grape variety
- B. Fermentation length
- C. Fermentation with or without the skins
- D. Type of yeast
- New Zealand is world-renowned for which highly aromatic white grape variety?
- A. Pinot Gris
- B. Chenin Blanc
- C. Chardonnay
- D. Sauvignon Blanc
- What type of wine is 'Pinot Noir'?
- A. Red wine with generally fine tannins
- B. Sparkling wine
- C. Light white wine
- D. Fortified wine
- In which country is the 'Mendoza' region located?
- A. Spain
- B. Chile
- C. Argentina
- D. Mexico
- What term refers to the process of converting sugar into alcohol by yeasts?
- A. Aging
- B. Clarification
- C. Maceration
- D. Alcoholic fermentation
- Which country does the Carmenere grape variety originate from?
- A. Spain
- B. France
- C. Argentina
- D. Chile
- What is the name of the sediment that sometimes forms at the bottom of a bottle of aged wine?
- A. The stem
- B. The lees
- C. The sulfur
- D. The tannin
- Which aphid from America devastated European vineyards in the late 19th century?
- A. Phylloxera
- B. Powdery mildew
- C. The mealybug
- D. Downy mildew
- Which 1976 blind tasting saw Californian wines beat the great French growths?
- A. The Bacchus Cup
- B. The Bordeaux Contest
- C. The Napa Verdict
- D. The Judgement of Paris
- Which red grape is the only one permitted for the Beaujolais crus?
- A. Gamay
- B. Poulsard
- C. Cinsault
- D. Pinot Noir
- Which grape usually dominates the blend of a red Châteauneuf-du-Pape?
- A. Cinsault
- B. Syrah
- C. Mourvèdre
- D. Grenache
- Which fractional ageing system, drawing wine from the oldest barrels, is used in Jerez?
- A. The solera
- B. Estufagem
- C. Bâtonnage
- D. Topping up
- Where do the tannins in a red wine mainly come from?
- A. The skins, seeds and stems
- B. The yeast
- C. The residual sugar
- D. The pulp of the grape
- Which highly aromatic Alsace grape develops distinctive notes of lychee and rose?
- A. Gewurztraminer
- B. Sylvaner
- C. Riesling
- D. Pinot Gris
- How should a bottle of wine sealed with a cork ideally be stored?
- A. Upright
- B. The position doesn't matter
- C. Tilted at 45°, cork facing up
- D. Lying on its side
- Which white grape variety is the basis of Vouvray wines, in Touraine?
- A. Chenin Blanc
- B. Viognier
- C. Pinot Gris
- D. Semillon
Answer key — World Wine Quiz
- C. United StatesNapa Valley, located in California, is an emblematic region of the United States.
- D. Champagne'Champagne' is a protected name reserved for wines produced in the Champagne region of France.
- B. ItalyItaly is regularly the world leader in total production volume.
- A. ChardonnayChablis is produced exclusively from the Chardonnay grape.
- C. Fermentation with or without the skinsRed wine gets its color from maceration with black grape skins.
- D. Sauvignon BlancMarlborough (NZ) is famous for its intensely aromatic Sauvignon Blancs.
- A. Red wine with generally fine tanninsPinot Noir produces elegant wines, typical of Burgundy.
- C. ArgentinaMendoza is Argentina's main wine region.
- D. Alcoholic fermentationAlcoholic fermentation is the essential biochemical process in wine production.
- B. FranceCarmenere is a Bordeaux grape variety now forgotten in France, but has become emblematic of Chile.
- B. The leesLees are made up of solid residue (yeast, particles) that settle at the bottom.
- A. PhylloxeraArriving around 1863, this aphid attacks the roots of European vines.
- D. The Judgement of ParisOrganised by British merchant Steven Spurrier, the tasting pitted Napa wines against Bordeaux and Burgundy.
- A. GamayBanished from Burgundy in 1395 by Philip the Bold, who deemed it 'disloyal', Gamay found refuge on the granite soils of Beaujolais.
- D. GrenacheThe appellation permits thirteen varieties (eighteen if colour variants are counted).
- A. The soleraBarrels are stacked in rows. Wine is drawn from the bottom row (the solera), which is refilled from the row above, and so on.
- A. The skins, seeds and stemsThese phenolic compounds are extracted during maceration, then possibly supplemented by the oak of the barrel.
- A. Gewurztraminer'Gewürz' means 'spice' in German. The grape yields rich, low-acid wines with an immediately recognisable perfume.
- D. Lying on its sideLying on its side, the bottle keeps the cork in contact with the wine: it stays moist, swollen and airtight, which limits air ingress and oxidation.
- A. Chenin BlancChenin Blanc, the flagship grape of Anjou and Touraine, yields dry, off-dry, sweet and sparkling Vouvrays; it is also widely planted in South Africa, where it is known as 'Steen'.