Wine Trivia for a Christmas Quiz

Whether it be for family, friends or work colleagues there's often the challenge of a Christmas quiz.  I thought you might enjoy some wine related trivia which could prove as inspiration if you've been set a challenge.  

1. At what speed can a cork come out of a sparkling bottle of wine?

46mph

2. Why was Pinot Noir historically the only red grape planted in Burgundy?

In 1395 Philip the Bold, the Duke of Burgundy was eager to keep the fantastic reputation of red Burgundy which was considered to be due to Pinot Noir.  The main concern was the red grape Gamay and Philipe the Bold claimed Gamay

“is of such a kind that it is very harmful to human creatures. So much so that those who’ve had it in the past were infected by very serious diseases”

.  He then made it a hanging offence for anyone to make red wine with any grape other than Pinot Noir.  The offenders would be hung in their vineyards for everyone to be reminded of this offence!

3. How many grapes does it take to make a bottle of wine?

600-800

4. What, in the wine world, kills more people than poisonous spiders?

More people are killed in the world by flying sparkling wine corks than by poisonous spiders.  Sadly most of these accidents occur at weddings.  It's estimated that 12 people per year are killed by sparkling wine corks.

5. Which country has more area devoted to vines than any other country in the world?

Spain - although because the summers are hot and the winters cold, much of the land is arid so the vines are well spaced out

6. How many bubbles are in each glass of sparkling wine

There are between 8 and 26 million bubbles in each glass of sparkling wine (the figure tends to vary considerably but it's certainly in the millions!)

7. Historically the Spanish stored and transported their wines in amphora.  What else did they use to store and transport wines?

They also used animal hides - usually freshly butchered hogs!

8. What is the fear of wine known as?

Oenophobia

9. How fast do sparkling wine bubbles rise in a glass?

2mph

10.  How many bottles does a Nebuchadnezzar hold?

20 bottles - 15 litres of (normally) Champagne but it can be still wine.