Here are my answers to Quiz #5. I actually do miss doing these, and until the other day forgot that We used to do this.

Anyhow, I’m pretty certain about #’s 1, 2, 6 and 8. The wording of question #5 confused me. If you were looking for the answer “are”, then I think this should have been a 2-part question, with the second half being True or False. I will test you on giving tests soon.

I left a few blank because I really had no idea. I could have guessed, but, oh well….

Believe it or not, He actually asked for it. And I’m happy He did.

Over the last couple of months We’ve fallen out of the wine ritual that prompted us to start this blog. We would pick a chapter in any of the various wine books We collectively own, buy a bottle of wine from the region or grape varietal discussed in the book, and then have a mostly serious tasting and discussion about the wine. Once We started the blog, We would often incorporate the ritual into our Big Mac’s Mondays and Wines of Note posts. Every few weeks I’d quiz him on the chapters We had tasted and read. Sometimes He got really into and did very well on the quiz. Other times He did not (and accused me of being mean). Either way, the quizzes were a useful way for Us to both review what We had read and tasted.

This reading/drinking/discussing/quiz ritual has been been missed by Us both. We’ve vowed to reestablish it into Our wine education, starting with a general quiz for Him, covering some of what We’ve studied so far.

Good luck. (And I have about twenty more questions I wanted to include, but that actually did seem mean.)

These quizzes, when I am in a good mood, are really fun. Today I am in a good mood. Today this quiz was fun. I answered Her questions immediately after reading the chapter, but still confused and/or forgot a couple of things. I, of course, have drunk loads of bubbly in my life, but really never knew much about its production, history or anything. Oh yeah, did you know that early Champagne glasses were molded from Helen of Troy’s titty? And later molded from Marie Antoinette’s frontjunk? According to historians, Marie had bigger titties. Which makes me wonder about the phallic shape of modern Champagne flutes. I wonder what historical figure’s cock penis these were molded from. My money is on Louis XIV. Or maybe Rasputin, that’s at least a Magnum.

Thinking of Valentine’s Day and what to drink, like so many others I choose Champagne. Oh how I love Salon. Then again, in the spirit of the holiday, maybe a Nicholas Feuillatte rosé would suit me better. And then I started thinking about how nice it would be to receive a box of delicious, decadent dark chocolate…so perfect with a luscious, nutty Madeira. Or a tawny Port. Which made me think about PX and having a generous pour over vanilla bean ice cream. Bubbles and sweets and sweet wines on my mind.

When I proposed a Champagne, Port, Sherry, and Madeira wine lesson and quiz He wasn’t as wooed as I was. In fact he yelled at me. “What??? That’s too much. No way.” So back to Champagne.

So this quiz sat around for awhile. It got some wine spilled on it, torn a bit, wet… but finally answered, if only partially. She has since told me the answers and here are my comments:

1. Pinot Gris was a guess. Riesling is one, but I thought California was too cold to grow Riesling

2. I should have known Walla Walla and Columbia Valley. I just forgot. I have had Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, should have known this.

3. It’s 15% not 20%. Fair enough. I knew it was small.

4. ’49, gold rush, should have maybe put that together.

5. I didn’t know who gave it the name, but knew it was SB.

This test was actually fun.

Our ritual is to read to each other from various wine books (typically He slowly reads aloud and She interrupts Him with additional facts, asides, or questions) and then we taste a bottle or four described in the chapter we’ve read.

To gauge how well He is retaining the facts not just the flavors of wine, She gives him quizzes. So far He’s done…okay. (See Quiz #1 and His answers, Quiz #2 and His answers, Blind Tasting #1 and His answers.)

Here’s the latest quiz: a review of Class Two from Kevin Zraly’s excellent book Windows on the World, Complete Wine Course. Topic: “The Wines of Washington, Oregon, and New York / The White Wines of California.”

Good luck.

(Correct answers posted in the Comments of His response.)

Wines poured for the blind tasting:

1. Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County, Hess, 2007 ($9.99)
2. Bourgongne, “La Foret,” Joseph Drouhin, 2007 ($11.99)
3. Chardonnay, Koonunga Hill, South Australia, Penfolds, 2007 ($9.99)
4. Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, Honig, 2008 ($13.99)

The results: He guessed #1 and #2 correctly. Half right. Half wrong.

He Said: On all steps I guessed #1 SB, #2 Chard, #3 SB #4 Chard. On the notes I scribbled, “Positive #2 is chard. Questioning #4. Don’t like #1. Prefer 3 to all of them. Questioning #3.”
When she got home she poured me a glass and right away I knew it was chardonnay. Not sure what went wrong on #3 & #4.
When we came up with this idea I said I wanted a chard and an SB vis-a-vis, not 4 wines on the table. And, it should be noted that she was super hungry when she got home and was making and eating food while preparing the test. I said loudly while I was sequestered in the bathroom, “Make sure you mark each one so you know which is which”. Well, when I asked for the results, she was flummoxed and couldn’t remember which was which. So, I’m totally disputing the outcome.
I think this shit was fixed.
Postscript: SB #1 is really gross, it smells like hot wet trash. I’m over wine, get me a beer.

She said: Easy there, Angry.
True, I was starving and was snacking and then got a little confused about which wine was which. But this was resolved quickly–I can taste and smell the difference.
How I chose the wine: I wanted a combination of different areas and styles for both grapes. I’m familiar with all four bottles and knew that like varietals would be slightly different from each other.
Getting half right is fine. I find it interesting that He doubted himself on the two He got incorrect. Trust your instincts, Boy.
As for picking the favorite, #3, it is NOT ACCEPTABLE to write: “Don’t care why…” He must begin to differentiate the smells, textures, and flavors that suit His palate. This is the point.

“I think I can finally tell the difference between sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. I know I can,” He declared.

Okay…so here’s a test for Him.

I selected four bottles from John and Pete’s (an excellent wine and spirits store in West Hollywood–go there). I presented the wines blind and asked him to go in four steps: color, nose, mouth, and preference.

Results forthcoming…

Were you mad at me when you made this quiz?  I feel like I haven’t learned any of this yet.  Really?  The four grapes of Alsace and the grapes of Sauternes?  I might need some help from our readers in the comments.

(Correct answers are in the Comments of His response.)