Weekly Wine Quiz: Rock Solid Character

Vinted on November 2, 2012 binned in wine quiz

Welcome to the Weekly Wine Quiz! This week, long-term 1WD readers with good memories will be at an advantage, presumably if they’ve not destroyed those brain cells with alcohol, as we’ve covered this ground (ha-ha! sorry… that awful joke will make sense in a minute) before on these virtual pages.

Standard disclaimer: I supply a quiz question each week, but I do *not* supply the quiz answer right away. YOU do, by virtue of your most awesome guess as to that answer in the comments, and then tune back in later in the comments section for the official answer. Which might be delayed due to Frankenstorm (sorry!).

Rock Solid Character: Slate-rich soils, such as those found in the more northerly wine-making areas in Germany, are thought to impart what characteristic aroma to Riesling wines?

A. Hayseed
B. Green apple
C. Apricot
D. Mango
E. Quince

Cheers – and good luck!

Comments

Tracey914

Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 9:24

Apricot
- 1WineDude
  
  Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 9:34
  
  Tracey914 – Thanks!
Ashley Wondra

Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 12:03

No no green apple!
- 1WineDude
  
  Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 12:12
  
  :) Thanks, Ashley!
Myles Miller

Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 16:00

I'm going with Mango.
- 1WineDude
  
  Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 16:30
  
  THanks, Myles!
Richard Auffrey

Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 17:10

B. Green apple.
- 1WineDude
  
  Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 17:23
  
  Thanks, Richard! Hey, do you still smell like bacon?
Joeshico

Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 17:15

I agree with Tracy, apricot., but since hayseed wasn't taken yet, I'll go with that since slate is not a choice.
- 1WineDude
  
  Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 17:23
  
  Joeshico – could always write-in the Slate vote. :)
masi3v

Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 17:58

Fruity Pebbles?
- 1WineDude
  
  Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 18:07
  
  Masi3v – it for sure ain't Count Chocula!
1WineDude

Friday, 2 November, 2012 at 19:06

Here 'tis, your Official Wine Quiz Answer:

B. Green apple

Slate is common in the soils of the Mosel, Mitelrhein and Rheingau regions of Germany, and assists ripening by storing a bit of the sun's warmth. According to the book Riesling (by Christina Fischer and Ingo Swoboda), these soils are most often marked by the aromas of fresh green apples in wine made from Riesling grown on them. My personal experience has also borne this out, though I don't have a name quite as cool as "Ingo!" Cheers!

Chatter

1WineDude { Bob - ha!!! :) I did read one issue back in 2005 or so. Never went back. } – Sep 26, 6:33 PM
Bob Henry { "All" of the wine geeks publicly profess to not reading Wine Spectator. (But privately we know they read it at night, illuminated by flashlight under... } – Sep 26, 6:25 PM
1WineDude { Thanks for the update (I don't read WS so wouldn't have known). Glad that it's getting more media play (it deserves it). Cheers! } – Sep 26, 3:06 PM
Bob Henry { Coincidentally, the current issue of Wine Spectator (October 31, 2016, p. 49) discusses Lodovico Antinori's Tenuta di Biserno -- a Cabernet Franc based Italian red... } – Sep 26, 2:40 PM
1WineDude { Bob, I wholeheartedly agree with you. But then, I'm a geek. ;-) } – Sep 26, 7:41 AM
1WineDude { Thanks! } – Sep 26, 7:41 AM