It has become a regular weekday evening ritual for my new bride and her daughter (a freshman in college) to watch Jeopardy! together, often while we’re eating dinner.
It is a humbling experience for all of us, simply confirming how little we know about so many different things. Even when the category is seemingly tailor-made for me — like “Sports” — it’s rare that I run it (that is, get all five questions correct). Once in a blue moon, one of us will have a really good show, and that’s probably what keeps us coming back for more humbling.
Back in the day, an occasional wine answer would come up in a category called “Potent Potables,” which I haven’t seen for years. It may have happened at some point, but I don’t recall there having been a category devoted to wine exclusively.
To fill that void, we are devoting today’s blog to a “Jeopardy”-style category simply called, “Wine.” We have the answers. Let’s see if you have the questions…
- $200 Answer: Sangiovese is the grape variety in this Italian wine, said by one ghoulish gourmet to go nicely with fava beans.
- $400 Answer: Another word for a wine’s aroma, it also was legendary entertainer Jimmy Durante’s most prominent physical feature.
- $600 Answer: He was widely credited with increasing the popularity of Sauvignon Blanc by renaming it, at his winery, Fumé Blanc.
- $800 Answer: Name commonly given to a sparkling wine made in France, but not in that country’s Champagne appellation.
- $1,000 Answer: The Dry Creek Valley area of California’s Sonoma County is best known for growing this red wine, a tasty companion to barbecued meats.
You’ll find the questions a little further down.
Because I’m so bad at the game itself, I have to seek out other reasons to watch the program — for my own entertainment.
My second-most-favorite part is after the game, when host Alex Trebek and the three contestants are chatting. What, exactly, are they talking about? Each player’s dumbest answer?
And my favorite part is when one of the players is having trouble with their clicker, and makes a frustrated face as another player is called upon instead of them. I know: I’m mean.
And now for the five “questions” in our “Wine” category…
- $200 Question: What is Chianti?
- $400 Question: What is the nose?
- $600 Question: Who was Robert Mondavi?
- $800 Question: What is a Cremant?
- $1,000 Question: What is Zinfandel?
So… how did you do?
