Advice

Can I buy investment wines direct from the chateaux?

Unfortunately not yet. The Bordeaux trade has a unique structure, which means you cannot buy the top wines from the people who make them.

What is 'investment grade' wine

Investment grade wines include Bordeaux classed growths, and several red Burgundies such as Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and La Tache.

Why should I invest in wine?

There are many reasons why you should invest in wine...

What is en primeur?

This is the system of buying wine that is not bottled, commonly practised in Bordeaux.

What is chaptalisation?

Simply put, it is adding sugar to the grape juice to increase the potential alcohol of the wine.

When is it a good time to visit wine regions?

Not in winter - there's not much to look at, the vines are just a woody mass and it's normally cold and wet.

Can I just turn up at a winery for a visit?

Yes and no.

How many grams of sugar do you need to make 1% alcohol

Roughly 17g/l of sugar is needed to produce one degree of alcohol.

How many kilograms of grapes does it take to make one bottle of wine?

Approximately 1-1.2kg of grapes.

How many producers are there in the appellation Chateau Grillet?

One.

Which producer's label bears a flying saucer?

Bonny Doon's Le Cigare Volant

Which famous Bordeaux property has a different artist design its labels each year?

Chateau Mouton-Rothschild.

How many chateaux were included in Bordeaux's 1855 classification?

61.

What varieties can you use to make Madeira?

Tinta Negra Mole, Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, Malvasia

How many grape varieties are permitted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape

13

There are three varieties permitted in Valpolicella. What are they?

Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara.

What are the noble varieties in Alsace?

Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains

What is the German name for Pinot Gris?

Blauburgunder

How sweet is a sweet wine?

Officially it is any wine with a residual sugar of at least 45g/l.

What are the main sub-regions in Champagne?

The Montagne de Reims, the Cote des Blancs, the Marne Valley and a region 110km south of Epernay - the Aube.

Where is South-Eastern Australia?

South East Australia is not actually a region but is used on many commercial wine labels.