Wine Quiz Quiz: The Wonders of Chardonnay Jan 11, 2024 1 of 11 RIGHT! WRONG! You don’t need to be a vigneron to know this French region is the origin of Chardonnay, and still one of the grape’s main footholds: Bordeaux Brittany Burgundy Alsace For winemakers, what is so appealing about growing Chardonnay? It is relatively easy to grow It is entirely resistant to all vine diseases and mildews It can proficiently translate terroir Both A and C are correct Generally speaking, what flavors might you expect from a rich California Chardonnay? Grass, dragon fruit, minerals and green chiles Tropical fruits, orchard fruits and pastry Lyche fruit, perfume, rose and ginger Cassis, mint, cigar box and mushroom Things are bubbling up: What is the term used for sparkling Champagne wines made exclusively from Chardonnay? Blanc de blancs Blanc de noirs Demi sec Blanc de banque In which of these countries has Chardonnay become a prominent white grape for regions like Paarl and Robertson? New Zealand South Africa Luxembourg Georgia How do some winemakers give their Chardonnays a distinctively toasty character? They expose their Chardonnay grapes to smudge pot flames They stir their Chardonnays in their own sediment They age their Chardonnays in toasted oak barrels They crossbreed their Chardonnay grapes with the smoky Carmenère grape variety Chardonnay has staked a claim in Italian vineyards over the past few decades, and is a fundamental grape for which sparkling wines made in Northern Italy? Prosecco and Moscato d’Asti Lambrusco and Brachetto d'Acqui Soave and Gavi Franciacorta and Trentodoc While trends are changing, people might traditionally associate some California regions with buttery, creamy-textured Chardonnays. What is one commonly used winemaking process that can give Chardonnay these characteristics? Carbonic maceration Fortification Malolactic fermentation Distillation While Australia might be the best-known of Chardonnay’s Southern Hemisphere regions, the grape also grows prominently in which South American countries? Paraguay and Brazil Chile and Argentina Uruguay and Bolivia Suriname and Colombia Among Sonoma’s leading Chardonnay experts are Mark Aubert, Paul Hobbs and this winemaker sometimes affectionately known as “Professor Chardonnay”: David Ramey Christian Moueix Thomas Rivers Brown Christophe Baron One of the preeminent Chardonnay clones used in California shares its name with which of these wineries with vineyards in Livermore Valley and Monterey? Morgan Hahn Wente Castle Rock Next Results Your score is Retake this quiz