Think you know your stuff when it comes to wine? Test yourself! Our Wine Wizard questions are here to help you learn a bit more about the industry you love.  Read below, then impress your friends with all of your wine know-how!

Questions:

1. What is a grape clone?

2. If the name of a vineyard appears on a wine label, what percentage of the grapes used to make the wine must come from that vineyard?

3. What are the benefits of maceration in red wine making?

Answers:

1. Clones are terms for naturally occurring genetic subtypes within the same grape variety. In other words, not all Cabernet grapevines are exactly alike. Many grapevines evolve and mutate based on their surroundings and the differences in the flavor profile can range from being very pronounced to extremely difficult to differentiate. Clones have historically been traded between different wine regions throughout the world, allowing growers to take advantage of these evolutions to experiment with new flavors in different areas.

2. Under U.S. wine laws, if the name of a vineyard appears on the wine label, at least 95% of the grapes used to make the wine must come from that vineyard.

3. Maceration is the process where tannins, coloring agents, and flavor compounds are leached from the grape skins, seeds, and stems. The process can help bring out many flavors in the wine that would otherwise be lacking. It can enhance the body and mouthfeel for many wines, as well as strengthen the color. Greater extraction can add to the complexity and life expectancy of the wine by developing more complex tannins that will soften over a longer period of time.