40 Wine Trivia Questions to Test Your Inner Sommelier

The world of wine is vast. Between Old World appellations, flavor profiles of single varietals and blends, sparkling wine production methods, and viticulture practices, there is a lot to know. Whether you are a self proclaimed wine aficionado or new to the world of wine, there is always more to learn.

A Wine Trivia Printable

This overview of beginner to moderate level wine knowledge touches on all the important categories. Whether you want to brush up on European wine appellations and history to impress your fancy, east coast uncle at the next family gathering, or you're wanting to gage your preparedness to start courses with the Wine and Spirit Trust Education, this set of 40 questions will get you started. Test your knowledge on your own or bust out the questions at your next dinner party and test your friends. If you need help downloading the printable, check out this guide for Adobe printables.

Wine Trivia Questions

1. What is the primary grape in Chianti Classico DOCG?
2. What is the ideal storage temperature for all wine?
3. Does Chablis have low or high acidity?
4. What is Germany's most famous grape?
5. True or False: Grape vines go dormant in the winter.
6. What does non-vintage (NV) mean?
7. What is the most widely planted grape in the world?
8. Does drinking a dry wine with your dessert make the wine seem more sweet or less sweet?
9. Which country is Sherry from?
10. What part of the grape imparts the color for the wine?
11. What is the juicy red grape with dark berry and spice notes native to Burgenland, Austria?
12. True or False: Champagne can be made using both red and white grapes.
13. Where is Eiswein from?
14. Which are fermented at cooler temperatures, red or white wines?
15. What northern Italian white wine is light and crisp with notes of lemon, melon, peach and yellow apple?
16. How many liters does a magnum of wine hold?
17. What is the most important region in France for Pinot Noir?
18. What fungus that grows on ripe grapes is desirable for making certain sweet wines?
19. What grape is Beaujolais made from?
20. What does "Domaine" mean on French wine labels?
21. What is the popular aromatic white grape widely grown in New Zealand?
22. The legally defined region from which a wine originates is referred to as what in France?
23. What is the term used to describe a vineyards unique characteristics, encompassing the climate, soil and topography.
24. Pinotage is a cross of which two grapes?
25. What is the grape used to make Barolo DOCG?
26. What is the measurement of sugar in a grape at harvest that ultimately determines how much alcohol the wine will have?
27. Where does Cabernet Sauvignon grow best? The cool and cloudy climate of Willamette Valley, Oregon or the hot and sunny climate of Napa Valley, California?
28. What was the pest that nearly wiped out all of Europe's grapevines in the early 20th Century?
29. What does it mean if a wine is described as "hot"?
30. What is crémant?
31. True or False: The heavier the bottle, the better the wine.
32. What is the name of the process where harsh malic acid is converted to softer lactic acid?
33. What is the sparkling wine method called used to make Champagne?
34. What is the citrusy, herbaceous, zippy white grape grown in the granite-based vineyards of Rias Baixas, Spain?
35. Which imparts more flavor to a wine as it ages, new French oak or a stainless steel tank?
36. What grape is used to make Prosecco?
37. What flavors will develop if a wine has contact with the lees while it matures?
38. What is Australia's most popular grape with its notes of blackberry and olive and its juicy and spice-driven characteristics?
39. When grown in hot climates, grapes will have more or less acidity?
40. Which is dryer, Brut Champagne or Brut Nature Champagne?

Answers

1. Sangiovese
2. 55°F (12.7°C)
3. High Acidity
4. Riesling
5. True
6. It is not from a single year, but a blend from multiple years
7. Cabernet Sauvignon
8. Less Sweet
9. Spain
10. Grape skins
11. Blaufränkisch
12. True
13. Germany
14. White wines
15. Pinot Grigio
16. 1.5 Liters
17. Burgundy
18. Botrytis
19. Gamay
20. A vineyard that produces and bottles its own wine
21. Sauvignon Blanc
22. Appellation
23. Terroir
24. Pinot Noir and Cinsaut
25. Nebbiolo
26. Brix
27. Napa Valley, California
28. Phylloxera
29. High in alcohol
30. Sparkling wine made outside the Champagne region
31. False
32. Malolactic fermentation
33. Méthode Champenoise or the Traditional Method
34. Albariño
35. New French oak
36. Glera
37. Brioche, nutty, creamy
38. Shiraz
39. Less acidity
40. Brut Nature Champagne

Wet Your Palate

Are you ready for a drink yet? Or do you want to go deeper? A basic understanding of somm knowledge will go a long way when choosing a wine at your local bottle shop or a restaurant. If you want to hone in more and learn things like soil composition of Chablis and German wine law, check out online courses and certifications that offer just that.