London - A survey of young wine drinkers has revealed that one in four pretends to know more than they do.
The bluffers were caught out when they claimed to hate chardonnay, but liked a glass of chablis. In fact, chablis is made exclusively with the chardonnay grape. Others said they were partial to the merlin grape, until it was pointed out it is called merlot.
We all like to think we can tell a chenin from a chardonnay, but how much do you actually know? Try our quiz (answers at the bottom), and discover if you’re a boffin, or a bluffer.
1. A wine that has legs has what?
a) Plenty of life in it yet
b) A long time to wait before it’s mature
c) A high alcohol content that leaves a film on the glass
d) A long stem on the glass
2. What does ABV stand for?
a) Appellation bouteille vieille
b) Alcohol by volume
c) Aged by vat
d) Amazing beaujolais value
3. The pinot noir grape is a component of which wine?
a) Rioja
b) Côtes du Rhône
c) Champagne
d) Chardonnay
4. White wine is best served at what temperature?
a) -5C
b) 0C
c) 5C
d) 10C
5. Which of these statements about shiraz is true? (tip - it could be more than one)
a) It’s a popular Australian white
b) It’s another name for syrah
c) It used to be known as Hermitage
d) It’s a dark-skinned grape
6. What is noble rot?
a) An affectionate term for the language of wine connoisseurs
b) A kind of fungus vital for the making of some sweet wines
c) A term that is used to describe the complacency of traditional French winemakers
d) A fungus that kills vines
7. Put these champagne bottles in ascending order of size
a) Jeroboam
b) Balthazar
c) Magnum
d) Methuselah
8. What happens at a vertical wine tasting?
a) Everyone remains standing
b) The last person still standing at the end wins
c) Different vintages of the same wine are compared
d) Wines are tasted in order of age
9. A wine that is corked is what?
a) In its bottle with the cork in
b) A fine vintage, also known as a corker
c) A light brown colour
d) Off, because it has reacted with the cork
10. What is the meaning of ‘Cru Bourgeois’?
a) It’s an urban collective of middle-class wine drinkers
b) It’s the term used for a winemaker with aspirations
c) It’s a classification of médoc wines created in 1855
d) It’s a classification of médoc wines created after 1855
Answers
1. C
2. B;
3. C
4. D;
5. B,C,D
6. B
7. C,A,D,B;
8. C
9. D
10. D
How did you score?
0-3 Plonk
4-6 Vin de table
7-9 Sparkling
10 Grand Cru – The Independent