Wine Wisdom

YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT …

1. The first vitis vinifera grape, known as the Mission grape, was planted in the “New World” in the 1500s which country:
   1. Peru
   2. Mexico
   3. Argentina
2. When the Mission grape was first planted in the United States in the early 1600s it was planted in an area that was to become which state:
   1. California
   2. Arizona
   3. New Mexico
3. The Franciscan monks who built the California missions planted Mission grapes to fulfill their need for wine. Where was the Mission grape first planted in California in 1769?
   1. Mission San Diego de Alcala
   2. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
   3. Mission San Juan Capistrano
4. The Mission grape, having originated in Spain, came from which Spanish wine region?
   1. Galicia
   2. Castile-La Mancha
   3. Rioja
5. In 2007 DNA analysis determined that the Mission grape was the same as an ancient Spanish grape: Listan Prieto (which can mean Dark, Black or Red Palomino). However, the same grape has different names in different South American Countries. Which pair of these Countries/Grape Names is correct:
   1. Peru/Negra Criolla
   2. Argentina/Criolla Chica
   3. Chile/Pais
   4. All of the above
6. The Listan Prieto is no longer grown in Spain but is grown only on which of these European islands that has 71 acres of the grape? (Hint: It has the highest vineyards in Europe at 5,780 feet above sea level on the slopes of Mount Teide volcano.)
   1. Canary Islands
   2. Azores Islands
   3. Balearic Islands
7. The oldest living Mission vine, planted in 1770 and known as both the Trinity Vine and the Vina Madre, is planted at which mission that in the 18^th century was making 35 million U.S. gallons of wine:
   1. Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
   2. Mission San Miguel Arcangel
   3. Mission San Rafael Arcangel
8. You can see an old Mission vine, planted in the early 1800’s from a cutting of the Trinity Vine, that is still bearing fruit, and covers a 400 square foot pergola at:
   1. Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
   2. The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens
   3. The Avila Adobe, Olvera Street, Los Angeles
9. The historical, typical wine made from Mission grapes is a fortified, sweet, high alcohol, dessert wine. What is it called:
   1. Marsala
   2. Angelica
   3. Maderia
10. In the 1880s, Mission vine acreage in California was estimated at 30,000 acres. By 2019 that acreage had been reduced to an estimated 400 acres. Which of these wineries/vineyards have old vine Mission vineyards?
    1. Gypsy Canyon Winery, Santa Barbara County
    2. Deaver Vineyards, Amador County
    3. Somers Vineyard, San Joaquin County
    4. All of the above

Bonus Question

What year did the show Mission: Impossible first air on TV:

1. 1964
2. 1966
3. 1968

This Wine Wisdom will not self-destruct in five seconds. Don’t disavow all knowledge of this mission. If you find the wine, enjoy it. Cheers!

—CL Keedy, Wine Education Committee

Answers

1. b
2. c
3. a
4. b
5. d
6. a
7. a
8. c
9. b
10. d
11. Bonus: b