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Percentage of British respondents in a recent survey who thought that terroir referred to a small breed of dog. Another 30% said terroir was a type of French horror film. Reassuringly, 34% of those surveyed did connect the term to wine. The survey was commissioned by the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), the world’s leading wine certification body, as part of their global Wine Education Week.

The steepest vineyards in the world are located in Switzerland.

Answer: False.

The steepest vineyards are located in Germany between the villages of Bremm and Eller on the Mosel River. The Calmont vineyard, whose name roughly translates to rocky mountain, was carved by the Mosel more than 400 million years ago, and has been planted with grapes for more than 1500 years. Calmont’s 60- to 70- degree incline makes it look like a vertical wall of vines, all tenaciously gripping the slatey cliff.

I feel that wine is the most intimate and profound thing. You can share it with friends, or sit alone and contemplate it. It represents a sustainable cycle. And it can be kind of fun, too.

–Tim Carl, Huge Bear Winery, Sonoma County

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