It is Wednesday again and it is time for another installment of Wine Trivia Wednesday. Let’s first get to the answers from last week:
I have been re-reading Richard Juhlin’s book, 4000 Champagnes, to help prepare for my trip to Champagne THIS WEEK (!) as a Tour Guide with Blue Marble Travel. Juhlin’s book is an absolutely fantastic resource for Champagne, but it is also loaded with great information about wine in general (the new version of the book 8000 Champagnes is due out in November, so if you were looking to get me a gift….). Here are a few more questions I derived from the book:
1. Which of the following was not considered a vintage year in Champagne?
- 1964
- 1976
- 1984
- 1996
- 2002
1984 was pretty close to a horrendous year in Champagne, so it is not considered a vintage.
2. What is the AOC designation for a still red wine from Champagne?
The answer I was looking for here was “Côteaux Champenois”. The wine is interesting, but rather expensive and not really “worth it” in my opinion. One of my favorite towns, Bouzy, is known for its “Bouzy Rouge”.
3. Which of the following is not made in Champagne?
- A still white wine
- A still rosé wine
- A fortified wine
- A distilled wine
Actually, all of these are made in Champagne. The white, a Côteaux Champenois Blanc, is quite rare. I have seen it once or twice, but never tried it. My guess is that it is not very good. The rosé is not all that bad, on the other hand, but also on the expensive side. It comes from the town of Les Riceys in the Aube and is produced from 100% Pinot Noir. The fortified wine is called Ratafia and is not horrible, I guess. The distilled wine, Marc de Champagne is pretty nasty stuff, in my book, I imagine it would work better as a turpentine.
4. Which of the following is not a Grand Cru village?
- Louvois
- Puisieulx
- Beaumont-sur-Vesle
- Tauxières
- Oiry
Tauxières is the only town on this list that is not classified as a Grand Cru village. It is the highest rated Premier Cru village, however, and many think it should be elevated to Grand Cru status. There are 17 such Grand Cru villages in Champagne, with another 43 that are one step down and “Premier Cru”
5. Bonus question. Where did I take this photo of my good friend Ted Slack and my brother (the insufferable Michigan fan)?
This photo was taken a few years ago in the beautiful town of Colmar in Alsace. I have a love/hate relationship with Colmar–back when I was studying and playing basketball in Strasbourg, the team from Colmar was our big rival. They beat us by 6 points in the regional final, advancing on to the National tournament in Paris. Yeah, I am still bitter, but it is a lovely town….
So the winner this week?
Nobody. I guess I got far too geeky in the Champagne trivia this week and it scared all three of you off. Note taken.
On to this week.
Kind of.
I am leaving for France on Friday (theoretically) and so I decided to suspend the quiz for at least a couple of weeks. Given last week’s tepid response (can it be “tepid” if there are no attempts?), it might be time to retool the quiz a bit anyway. Be sure to let me know your thoughts on that. I will leave you with a photo, though. Let me know where my wife took this photo of me and my older son, Nathan, a few years ago. Also let me know if you like the beret look.
the drunken cyclist 
Have a wonderful trip!!!!
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Thanks Frank! Going to miss the family though!
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Just another reason to try more wine while you are there.
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I agree, but don’t tell my wife!
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Enjoy your trip! Drink lots of wine 🙂
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Check! Thanks!
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Enjoy France, don’t forget your beret. Whereabouts are you going?
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Thanks! So you think the beret is a good look? It is rather warm to wear…. Going to Champagne, Belgium, and Germany.
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Ha, why not! Maybe you’ll reintroduce the trend – I didn’t see many berets on my travels last week I must say 🙂 I just popped through Champagne myself – drove up the Cotes du Blanc south of Epernay and stayed over in town. I found a couple of tasting bars (I couldn’t go to with the kids 😦 ) just over from the Avenue de Champagne. What are your plans? Let me know if you want more info.
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Safe travels and have fun!
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Thanks Josh!
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Have a great trip, I like the quiz as is (just been really busy lately) and the beret rocks. Though a Raspberry Beret rocks more.
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The kind you find in a second hand store?
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Beret looks great! Have fun in France and hopefully avoid another ohmygod! as part of your team – simply because you will not have enough time to continue writing about both… : )
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I am secretly hoping there is at least a story or two to tell!
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Have a safe and wonderful trip! Take lots of pics and drink lots of wine on my behalf. Thank you in advance.
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You’re welcome. In advance 😉
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My guess as to where the photo was taken…not Philly. Have an inspiring trip.
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You do not think that was in Philly? Think France, think wine….
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It does remind me a little of Adelphia. Is it Deptford France?
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Jeff, did you see this? http://cumberlink.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/pa-house-oks-direct-shipments-of-wine-to-buyers/article_2fdc5110-df6f-11e2-a8c1-0019bb2963f4.html
Time to get your PA friends sending letters!
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I did not see that! Although slightly optimistic, I remain skeptical. Those bozos in Harrisburg care very little for their constituents when it comes to wine (and other things for that matter).
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