A) yes
B) no

Answer: no
A wine cannot be dry and sweet because these terms are polar opposites. However, a wine can be fruity and sweet, or it can be fruity and dry. People commonly confuse fruit and say, “This wine is sweet,” when it actually has a strong presence of fruit flavors, but the finish is dry

A) Chile
B) Germany
C) Australia
D) South Africa

ANSWER:
D) South Africa

South Africa has made advances in winegrowing and winemaking since the early 1990s. Most of South Africa’s exports still go to the UK, but in the past few years, more options have made their way to the West Coast.

Stellenbosch is a coastal area just outside of Capetown. Because of the terrain and proximity to the coast, this region varies greatly in its growing conditions. Some vineyards are at high elevation while others are at sea level, and some are protected from the coastal breezes by ridges. The soils also vary considerably, from sand/alluvial to a rich red soil. Some other areas of note in South Africa are Constantia and Paarl.

South Africa is one of the best areas for Chenin Blanc, and it is the only country that grows Pinotage. They also grow some interesting Sauvignon Blancs from Stellenbosch. So if you still have your New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, taste them side-by-side to learn how terroir really affects wines. Better yet, compare this month’s South African Chenin Blanc with one from California.

For food pairings, stick with appetizers, shellfish and fish with cream sauces.

A) It is from NE Italy
B) The main grape is Trebbiano
C) There are three different versions made
D) One version is sweet

ANSWER:
B) The main grape is Trebbiano

The main grape is actually Garganega. Trebbiano, Chardonnay, or Pinot Bianco are often blended in.

Soave is a DOC that shows the worst and the best of Italian white
wine. Put out in prodigious quantities, the bulk commercial wine was
insipid, alcoholic and dull, but found its way into every wine market.
It has taken a great deal of effort to rebuild the reputation of Soave but
there are small producers here who make hand crafted wines from garganega

Soave is made in two dry forms: Soave DOC, Soave Classico DOC. It is also made in a sweet version called Recioto di Soave Superiore DOCG.

In this month’s Company’s Coming, a Soave by Le Albare is featured.

A) French for “Syrah in oak”
B) A region in France
C) A fining process for red wines
D) A varietal in France

The answer is D) A varietal in France

Auxerrois (pronounced oaks sur wa) is a varietal with some history, some of it rather confusing. To start, it refers not only to a red AND a white grape in France, but also an area in France that was very prominent in the time of Charlemange. The red is a black-berried Malbec grown in Cahors. The white, which I’ll focus on, is grown in Alsace and is referred to as Auxerrois, Auxerrois Blanc (a historic name that’s thought to be a relative of Chardonnay, though as it turns out, not true), Auxerrois Gris (a synonym for Pinot Gris) or Pinot Auxerrois (how some winemakers label it today).

In fact, for many years, a bottle of Pinot Blanc was most likely Auxerrois, or at least had some blended in it. Since Auxerrois does not exactly fly off the tongue for non-French speakers, the marketing directive for this varietal was to label it as Pinot Blanc. It’s actually a close relative to Pinot Blanc, but has lower yields and can produce a more interesting wine. Today, winemakers who used to call their wines Pinot Blanc are now putting Auxerrois on the label and giving credit where it is due.

Type of sparkling wine:
Méthode Champenoise
Prosecco
Cava
Sekt
Crémant
Mousseaux

Countries:
France
Spain
Italy
Germany
Russia
(You can use some countries more than once)

ANSWER:
Méthode Champenoise > France
Prosecco > Italy
Cava > Spain
Sekt > Germany
Crémant > France
Mousseaux > France

With the price of Champagnes going up and up, I’ve been selecting quite a few alternatives for WU members. Yes, I still love a nice Champagne, but it’s also nice for your pocketbook when you have MANY other alternatives. The closest alternative is a Crémant from France. It’s made in the méthode Champenoise style (two fermentations and disgorgement), but it’s not from the Champagne region and may use different varietals other than Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. By French governmental decree, the areas that produce crémants are Alsace, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Die, Jura, Limoux, and Loire. In these areas, they use the méthode champenoise with the varietals that are grown in the region.

Yes, this holiday season I will miss rich minerality and biscuit notes a nice Champagne offers. However, my pocketbook will be happier with the many alternatives that are out there.

Check out the sparkling section in the wine store.