French WIne scholar Fundamentals

Question 1

Botrytis cinerea is also known as…

Answer 1

Noble Rot or Pourriture Noble

Question 2

What are the three levels of the French Wine Quality pyramid?

Answer 2

AOC/AOP, IGP, Vins sans IG (Vin de France)

Question 3

What are basal buds?

Answer 3

On a shoot, basal buds are those closest to the trunk

Question 4

What is the difference between conventional and sustainable farming practices?

Answer 4

Conventional farming practices rely heavily upon agrochemicals; sustainable farming methods use agrochemicals more discriminately

Question 5

T or F: Grapes are described as early-to-late-ripeners relative to the harvest date of Chasselas

Answer 5

True

Question 6

Between what temperature will a vine operate photosynthesis

Answer 6

50F/10C, and 95F/35C

Question 7

T or F: Phylloxera is indigenous to Europe

Answer 7

False, North America

Question 8

Powdery Mildew is also known by what name?

Answer 8

Oidium

Question 9

Downy Mildew is also known by what name?

Answer 9

Peronospera

Question 10

Define “reductive winemaking”

Answer 10

A practice by which a wine’s contact with oxygen is minimized before bottling

Question 11

Define “passerillage”

Answer 11

A process by which the stalks of the grape clusters are twisted, cutting off the flow of sap and causing the grapes to dessicate on the vine

Question 12

Define oxidative wine making

Answer 12

A practice by which a wine is deliberately allowed contact with oxygen

Question 13

define passerillage

Answer 13

A process by which the stalks of the grape clusters are twisted, cutting off the flow of sap and causing the grapes to dessicate on the vine

Question 13

Define “monopole”

Answer 13

Define “monopole”

A vineyard with a single owner

Question 13

what is a synonum for melon de bourgone

Answer 13

Muscadet

Question 14

Malbec is a natural cross of what two grapes?

Answer 14

Prunelard x Magdeleine Noire des Charentes

Question 14

Name the 3 most commonly grown grapes in northwestern France during the Middle Ages

Answer 14

Pinot, Savagnin and Gouais Blanc

Question 15

The word “meunier” translates as…..

Answer 15

“Miller”. The grape is so named because the underside of the leaves appear as though dusted with flour

Question 16

What does VDN stand for?

Answer 16

Vin Doux Naturel

Question 17

Define “ban des vendanges”

Answer 17

The official picking date as prescribed by government officials

Question 17

Name the process by which neutral grape spirit is added to a fermenting must

Answer 17

Mutage

Question 18

What French city was home to the coronation of French kings?

Answer 18

Reims

Question 19

What is the longest river in France?

Answer 19

Loire

Question 20

What climatic event in 1956 dramatically changed viticulture in France?

Answer 20

The Great Winter Freeze (of 1956)

Question 21

The Phocaeans founded what important city in the south of France?

Answer 21

Marseille

Question 21

What is the Mistral?

Answer 21

A cold, north wind largely impacting the Rhône Valley and Provence

Question 21

What is the Tramontane?

Answer 21

A cold, north wind largely impacting Languedoc and Roussilon

Question 22

What was the traditional language of the Languedoc?

Answer 22

Occitan

Question 23

Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural cross of what two grapes?

Answer 23

Cabernet Franc x Sauvignon Blanc

Question 24

Syrah is a natural cross of what two grapes?

Answer 24

Mondeuse Blanche x Dureza

Question 25

What three varieites of Muscat grow in France?

Answer 25

Muscat à Petit Grains, Muscat d'Alexandrie, Muscat Ottonel

Question 26

Chardonnay is a natural cross of what two grapes?

Answer 26

Pinot x Gouais Blanc

Question 27

What river cuts through the vineyards of Champagne, as well as the city of Paris?

Answer 27

The Seine

Question 28

Define "Diurnal"

Answer 28

Daily; of each day e.g. diurnal temperature swing

Question 29

In French, a river that flows into a body of water like a sea or lake is called what?

Answer 29

A fleuve

Question 30

In French, a river that flows into another river is called what?

Answer 30

A rivière

Question 31

Define the Napoléonic Code of Inheritance

Answer 31

A decree that mandated all inheritable property be evenly dividied between each child in the family

Question 32

What historically important project first connected Toulouse to the Mediterranean?

Answer 32

The Canal de Midi

Question 33

Define "Bordeaux Mixture"

Answer 33

A copper sulfate solution used to combat fungal diseases

Question 34

What are the two governing bodies for biodynamic farming practices?

Answer 34

Demeter (founded in Germany) and Biodyvin (founded in France); Biodyvin certifies vineyards only.

Question 34

Define "coulure"

Answer 34

Poor fruit set caused by cloudy, cold and/or wet weather at flowering

Question 35

Define "véraison"

Answer 35

The point at which berries change color and soften

Question 36

Define "marcottage"

Answer 36

Vine propagation by layering

Question 36

T or F: Cordon is a form of cane training

Answer 36

False: It is a form of spur training

Question 37

T or F: Guyot is a form of cane training

Answer 37

Vine propagation by layering

Question 37

What is the French term for a bush trained vine?

Answer 37

Gobelet

Question 37

In the 14th century, the Papacy moved its headquarters from Rome to what French city?

Answer 37

Avignon, in the Rhône Valley

Question 37

Define "must"

Answer 37

Define "must" Unfermented grape juice

Question 38

Define "débourbage"

Answer 38

Juice settling

Question 38

What historical figure first united Gaul under one rule and one religion?

Answer 38

Clovis, King of the Franks

Question 39

Define "transversage"

Answer 39

Process in which 750ml bottles of champagne are used to fill larger/smaller bottles after disgorgement

Question 40

Define "dosage"

Answer 40

A mix of still wine and sugar added to a bottle of sparkling wine after disgorgement; determines final sweetness level

Question 41

Define "pupitres"

Answer 41

The traditional A-framed structures used in the champagne riddling process

Question 42

Define "remuage"

Answer 42

The process by which lees are moved to the neck of the sparkling wine bottle in preparation for disgorgement; also known as riddling.

Question 43

Define "sur lie" aging

Answer 43

The process of aging wine in contact with its dead yeast cells

Question 43

Define "prise de mousse"

Answer 43

"The seizing of the foam," i.e. the second fermentation in traditional method sparkling wine production

Question 44

Define "Claret"

Answer 44

British term for the red wines of Bordeaux

Question 45

Define "autolysis"

Answer 45

The decomposition of dead yeast cells

Question 46

A wine display at the Exposition Universelle of 1855 in Paris resulted in what famous document?

Answer 46

The Classification of 1855

Question 47

Define "graben"

Answer 47

A rift valley created when land sinks between two parallel faults

Question 48

As a general rule, grapes are picked how many days after véraison?

Answer 48

45

Question 49

Define "macération peliculaire"

Answer 49

Skin contact in white wine making

Question 50

What production method utilizes an anerobic environment to encourage an enzymatic fermentation?

Answer 50

Carbonic Maceration

Question 51

What is the name for the process of adding sugar to a must to increase the final alcohol level?

Answer 51

Chaptalization

Question 52

Define "stuck Fermentation"

Answer 52

A fermentation that accidentally stops before all of the sugar has been converted to alcohol

Question 53

Define "lees"

Answer 53

Dead yeast cells

Question 54

Define "bâtonnage"

Answer 54

Lees stirring

Question 55

What is the name for the conversion of malic acid to lactic acid?

Answer 55

Malolactic conversion

Question 56

Bentonite, Casein and Gelatin are common agents in what process?

Answer 56

Fining

Question 57

Why might a winemaker cold stabilize their wine?

Answer 57

To remove tartaric acid before bottling so that it does not precipitate out after bottling

Question 58

What is the name for the "bleeding method" of rosé production?

Answer 58

Saignée

Question 59

What people introduced formal viticulture to the Celtic tribes of "Gaul"?

Answer 59

Phocaeans, Greeks from Asia Minor

Question 60

Define "bonbonnes"

Answer 60

Glass demi-johns

Question 61

Define "pigeage"

Answer 61

Punching down the cap; a cap management technique

Question 62

Define "délestage"

Answer 62

Rack and return; a cap management technique

Question 63

Define "rémontage"

Answer 63

Pump over; a cap management technique

Question 64

Define "vin de goutte"