11. Germany Flashcards
1
Q
Describe Growing Env and Growing in Germany
A
Climate
Cool Continental climate, most northerly in the world (49 – 50 N), except Baden – more south, warmer
- Winters very cold – Eiswein poss.
- Spring frost major risk – mit by rivers and planting slopes
- Summers warm, also wet (ave rain 500 -800mm) -fungal disease, dilution, hail.
-
Autumn long, dry, cool ripening period allows grapes to achieve sugar ripeness+retain acidity. (NB for Prädikatswein)
- AM mist along river – noble rot/BBR
- Mountain ranges nb Taunus, Haardt shelter VY from rain – high lat means VY at low alt (200m)
- Baden drier, warmer, sunnier, still has some cool areas where spring frost = risk
Location – very NB given lattitude
- Most VY along the Rhine and trib.
- Rivers – vital – radiating heat, mod temp, ext growing season, aids ripening
- Air movement from flowing water can protect against frost
- Best sites:
- -steep, stony S-F slopes -max avail heat and sunlight
- Slope (steepest in Mosel 70 ) means vineyards are worked by hand, on steepest slopes equipment raised by winch.
- Vines are head-pruned, individually staked and canes tied in at top of the stake to max grape exposure to light and circulation of air.
Soil
- Various - . NB role in ripening in coolest regions
- Mosel, Ahr – dark coloured slate retains day heat, radiates at night
-
Calcareous : Baden Pfalz, Rheinhessen – planted with PN, PB, CH; in Franken – Silvaner.
- Note PG prefers heavy clay soil
- Prod increasingly experimenting for different Riesling flavours arising from different soils
- Erosion major issue on steep slopes (Mosel, Rheingau) – reg winch backup slopes add to cost of vy maint.
2
Q
Describe typical vineyard mgt in Germany
A
VY Management
- Ave annual prod 7mhl
- EU regulate yield control
- 150hl/ha ave for Deutscher Wein / Landwein
-
105hl/ha Qualiteitswein
- Quality prod have much lower yields
- in spite of challenging climate
-
Vintage sign. variation yony (Germany at northernmost limit for ripening grapes), less in recent years due to
- climate change;
- adv in vy mgt techniques led by research;
- clonal selection (esp black var) for fruit ripeness
- summer pruning / green harvesting/ selective hand harvesting
- Canopy mgt to max sun exposure + air circ > red disease in wet summers
-
Training / trellising
- prev ind stakes, canes tied at the top > labour intensive + skills needed
- now majority Repl cane pruned single/double + VSP with Pendelbogen = arched cane to improve sap of vine and increase viable buds > yields
-
Organic/Biodynamic practices
- highly supported, many implement elements that they can, 9% org certified
- not practical – risk of disease requires spraying (helicopter)
-
Topography challenging
- Steep slopes > often terraced > mech is diff/impossible
- Cat tractors can sometimes navigate, steepest need winches to move labourers, equip up and down. > labour costs > often can only be “afforded” by Riesling
- Flatter sites – cost higher than other regions
- partial only mech DE wine law requires hand harvesting for Beerenauslese and up; and some prod hand harvest for Prädikatswein to ensure ripe, healthy fruit.
- hi vol, inexp wine prod mechanise fully + efficiently
3
Q
Describe the principal var of Germany
A
Riesling
- 23% of all pltngs, success lies in surviving DE cold winter,
- late bud, thick wood, rel frost resist. BUT late ripening, needs good sun exp, dry autumn. Cooler years – does not ripen.
- Plantings grow due to imp vy mgt tech, rising temps – consistent ripening
- HiQ range of styles, dry to sw. Retains hi acid, even when fully ripe, - balances sweet wines, result – sign pot for ageing.
- In right conditions – prod hi natural levels sugar > susc to botrytis > perfect for prod sweet wine
- Capable of pron int, great aromatic complexity dep on ripeness – range from green to trop fruit. Also floral aromas white flower/honeysuckle. Ageing >> toast, honey, petrol.
Muller Thurgau (aka Rivaner) used for blends
- DE cross, ripens earlier than Riesling, high yields – any conditions.
- Most planted in 70-80’s, widely used for Liebfraumilch, after pop drop, plantings /2.
- Wines m acid, simple floral, fruity aromas > less aromatic, structured, acidic than Riesling.
Spätburgunder
- 11.5%, most planted black var – rapid rise in pop dom+exp. Thrives in Baden.
- DE increasingly recognised for hiQ, complex, dry PN, often with oak ageing.
- VY mgt const imp> hiQ clones, imp can mgt, selecting harvest dates for balanced alc, acid, ripeness of fruit+tannin.
- Some prod use whole bunch ferm to get tannins from stems without using oak.
- Prod tend to use less new oak, rather larger oak vessels.
4
Q
Describe the Secondary Varieties Germany
A
Secondary Var
Dornfelder
- Most sign of black DE crosses – from 0 to 2nd most black var in 30 yrs.
- Wines: deep col, h acid, fruit/floral notes. Two styles > easy drinking with RS, sour cherry, blackberry. Or complex, ageworthy fm control yields, focussed on tannin and structure, aged in oak.
- Rheinhessen and Pfalz > plantings higher than PN.
Silvaner (Sylvaner in Alsace)
- declining since 80’s, lower acidity, less aromatic than Riesling. Lge qty simple, inexp wines.
- Franken controls yields for hiQ dry, m body, m/m+ acid, earthy char
Grauburgunder/Weissburgunder (PG / PB)
- Grown since 90’s, now exceed Silvaner.
- sig plantings Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden – good q, oak aged
- PG likes heavier soil, wine has m acid, stone fruit, tropical, dried fruit, honey. Styles from dry + m body to sweeter “Ruländer”
- PB – well balanced, m+ acid, delicate citrus + stone fruit.
Chardonnay
- allowed since 1990 – low plantings some hiQ with oak ageing > Pfalz, Baden - Kaiserstuhl
Portugieser, Schwarzriesling (P Meunier), Trollinger (Schiava), Lemberger (Blaufränkisch
Simple fruit wines, early drinking, Württtemberg. Some hiQ eg from Lemberger
5
Q
Explain the German Wine Law, in particular the levels.
Apply to Riesling as an example.
A
Wine Law / Regulation
- Fundamental principle – classify grapes acc to must weight at harvest
- Some other rules on growing/wmaking
- Limited restrictions on yields
Four Q levels
Deutscher Wein
- Formerly Tafelwein; no GI; grapes mb from Germany; any style
- Alc 8.5% - 15%abv, inexp, early drinking.
Landwein ~ PGI
- Intro ‘82, equiv of PGI wine. 85% grapes must originate in the Landwein Region named on label
- Alc 8.5% - 15% abv, only trocken or halbtrocken style (some regions allow sweeter styles)
Qualitätswein (QW)- PDO category
- Grapes mb from 13 regions “Anbaugebiete” which mb on label
- All styles, min 7% to allow for sweeter, no max alc level
- Enrichment permitted.
- Maj everyday drinking/high vol wines in this cat.
- Some hiQ as prod follow VDP and label dry wines “Qualitätswein trocken” only use Prädikatswein for sweeter wine.
- QW must be lab analysed + blind tasting prior to release – AP (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer) mbr on label – it indic where /when wine tested, loc of VY and bottlers specific lot number (unique per bottling)
Prädikatswein (PW) – PDO category
- Regs more stringent than for QW
- Grapes must be from a Bereich (40 recog districts) – name need not and inc does not appear on label (only Anbaugebiet)
- Prod from grapes with highest must weights, enrichment not permitted
- From any grape – assoc part with Riesling
- Vol dep on vintage – ave is ½ of QW, best vintages ==
- 6 levels of Prädikat – defined by min must weight
6
Q
Desscribe the German quality levels and how they translate to IGP, PGI or PDO levels
A
Using Riesling as eg (any grape qualifies):
-
Prädikatsweine – best are“Grosses Gewächs” wines:
- All have residual sugar
- Up to category Auslese - may be made in dry style
-
Kabinett
- Most delicate, lowest must weight
- Lightest body, highest acid, dry/msweet
- Sweet abv ~7% Dry abv up to 12%
- l body, h acid, green apple/citrus balanced with residual sweetness
-
Spätlese
- Fully ripe grapes picked 2 wks later than Kab.
- Compared to Kab: more conc, riper stone fruit, ,more body, slightly higher alc (for sim RS level)
- Dry/mSweet, min alc 7% abv
-
Auslese
- Made from individually selected extra-ripe bunches
- (hand harvest not compulsory however – some harvest mech and sort by hand)
- Compared to Spätlese – riper, more conc flavours, may have honey char, s_ome noble rot gives_ added complexity of flav. (i.e. mixed)
- My be dry, many of the best are sweet with sugar/acid balance supporting long bottle-ageing.
- Sweeter wines min alc 7% abv.
- Wide range of must weights for this cat means some prod use addit. labelling terms (not def by law)
-
Beerenauslese (BA) and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
- Ind selected berries thus hand harvested
- Must weight high – wine always sweet >> ferm long and slow.
- Min alc level 5.5% abv; noble rot not essential but typical.
- Riesling flavours typically ripe/dried stone fruit.
- Only prod in years with suitable conditions for noble rot and in very small qtys.
- Yields very low, wm labour intensive, >>wines rare and expensive.
7
Q
German winemaking techniques
A
Wine Making
- Hi prop – bulk wine
- Many small estates, small vol hiQ
Recently:
- Significant advances in wm tech driven by research institutes and int experience. Much experimentation with oak and lees (PG, PB, sometimes Riesling)
- Inc no returning to trad, less intervention wm methods (natural ferm, reduced filtration/fining).
Enrichment
- Cool temps > enrichment common practice, but rare outside of bulk wine
- not allowed for Prädikatswein
- Most Germany > EU Zone A ~ 3%
- Baden > Zone B ~2%
Deacidification /Acidification (in hottest yrs) Allowed, but rare /in hi vol, inexp wines
Fermentation
- Trad in large oak vessels e.g.
- 1000l “Fuder” – Mosel
- 1200l “Stück” – Rhine
- German oak/oak from central EU pop for large vessels
- French oak used for smaller e.g. barriques
- In last few decades, ferm in SS > the norm
- For inexp wines, temp control + cleaning nb, convenience of super-large vessels
- Prot from O2 makes it common choice for mid and prem price Riesling, + other arom vars – retain fruit aromas
- New oak rarely used for Riesling – aromas
- Prop new oak (barriques) may be used or PN, PG, PB, CH.
Süssreserve
- Must be from grapes of same region and same quality as wine to which added
- often from same must, extract, clarify, chill, SO2, store, add back to ferm wine just prior to bottling to bring to reqd sw level
- has no alc>> could reduce alc level of final wine.
- Considered to give less balanced wine
- Still used by large comm wineries
- HiQ prod foll the meth of halting ferm at the reqd RS level by chilling/adding SO2/racking/filtering
- Sweetening with RCGM only allowed for Deutscher Wein.
- Sweetness often used to mask hi acid/bitterness (underripe grapes) growers/prod now ensure Riesling ripens fully, and prod wines with balanced sugar, acid, fruit.
Must Weight
- Grapes for BA, TBA, Eswein > very high must weight, ferm very slowly (TBA – months)
- Ferm stops naturally – due to hi sugar, leaving hi RS and reaching low alc (5.5% - 8%abv).
Drier Wines -inc demand – marked shift since 80’s
- Majority prod today > trocken or halbtrocken (d/o-d)
- Top prod still prod wines with RS, and best eg are among finest in the world with strong following.
Red Wine
- Tech vary according to Q and price
-
Inexp & early drinking
- thermovinification – quick extract, tann/col
- Ferm off skins to prod fruity red, low tannin, no oak
-
HiQ, e.g. PN,
- Cold macerate, whole bunch ferm and mat in oak
Rose
- Vol rel small (11% sales 2018)
- Most sold domestically, inexp price points
- Youthful, fruity fermented cool, SS, early release
- Small qty higher priced rose from Q prod, some aged in oak.
8
Q
Describe the process for making Eiswein and TBA.
A
Eiswein – has own Prädikat category
- Healthy grapes only no noble rot
- High risk - lose grapes to rot/predators
- Must weight = BA, grapes picked frozen
- Nov/Dec – Feb (vintage =yr harvest started)
- pressed frozen – cryo not allow
- small qty naturally conc juice, high sugar, acid.
- Riesling Eiswein – h acid, conc pure peach and grapefruit “var purity”
- Rare,>> prem price
- Best achieve fine balance between acidity and sweetness
Trockenbeerenauslese TBA
- nobel rot affected to achieve must weights reqd
- Raisined grapes >> tiny qty highly conc, ext sw wine
- bal by hi acid – helps the wine to age elegantly long time.
- Ferm long, slow (sugar cont) rarely above 8% abv
- Tiny qty, only in suitable years
- pron honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel, flower
- Among most exp wine prod in Germany, and best sweet wines in the world.
9
Q
Explain the VDP, the Regulations, the 4 Tiers
A
VDP – Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter
- Simplifies confusing Einzellage/Grosslage system,
- Objective > create quality hierarch of VY sites and related classification
- > stringent rules for wine production
- VDP - best known/influential of the various prod groups/assoc
- 200 members / higher standards /logo on the wine capsule
-
VDP members own 5% of total VY area, prod 3% of tot vol/7.5% of total value
- Riesling highest plantings >1/2
- Just less than ¼ of prod is exported.
-
Regulations stricter than German wine law
- Lower max yields
- Higher min must weights
- Trad var per region
- Audits at 5yr intervals, with risk of exclusion for non-comp.
- Encourages sust viticulture
- VDP : mostly dry white/red. Wines with RS acc for sig prop of VDP wine in the Mosel.
- Even though min must weights are above those reqd by law, these dry wines must be labelled Qualitätswein trocken – Prädikat is only for wines with residual sweetness.
- Another fund principle is provenance of wines
- 4-tier VY classification system refined in 2012
- Applies only to VDP members not part of DE wine law.
- VDP is lobbying to have its labelling terms protected under German wine law.
The Four Tiers
VDP Gutswein ~regional wines ~ Burgundy regional wine
- Max yield 75hl/ha
VDP Ortswein ~ Village wines in Burgundy
Prod from grape varieties typ of the region
- Max yield 75hl/ha
VDP Erste Lage - “first class” VY ~ Premier Cru
- Excellent quality, ageing potential
- More stringent grape growing and wm regulations
- Only var approved for the site/parcel may be used
- Yield 60hl/ha, hand harvest, ripe enough to qualify for Spätlese
- Must use traditional wm techniques
- Village and VY name must appear on label
VDP Grosse Lage ~ Burgundy Grand Cru
- Best parcels in the best VY
- Parcels determined as those whose qualities discernible in the finished wine
- Wines should be OS q and have long ageing potential.
- Yield 50 hl/ha
- Restricted varieties
- Riesling allowed in all (must be botrytised in Ahr)
- PN allowed in all except Mosel, Nahe
- Various other grapes acc to the Anbaugebiete
- Dry whites cannot be released until 1 Sept year after harvest
- Red wines > age 12 mths oak, cannot be released till 1 Sept year after that
- Sweeter Prädikat mb released 1 May following the harvest
- Dry wines from grapes from Grosse Lage are designated Grosses Gewachs
- On the label: VDP “GG” trademark is used
- Only VY name on label and not the village (sim to Gr Crus in Burg)
10
Q
Describe the industry structure and market for wine in Germany.
A
Wine Business
- 2016 – 16000 growers, ½ owning 3ha or less
- area under vine increasing, mostly flat areas bulk production
- Sites on slopes – high VY mgt cost, vintage variation; red dem for sweet styles ~ hi prod cost >>No growers dec as farming unsustainable against prices market pays
- Best wines from estates who prod and vinify own.
- Size ranges 100ha – 5ha
- Some established centuries back by the church (Kloster Eberbach), aristocratic families Schloss Vollrads and charitable orgs Bürgerspital
- New trend – highly skilled/knowledgeable “Generation Riesling” under 35-year olds promote on tis platform.
- Growers sell to merchant houses, Weinkellerei (hi vol wines)
- Co-ops are nb, if declining in no. – receive the crop from 30% of vy area, and ¾ prod from Baden and Württemberg
- Many now Q focused, cons vy tech, wm, tech expertise
- Notable Badischer Winzerkeller – dev small range hiQ wines
- Dom market very nb – infl decline in red wine prod and shift to drier styles
- 4th largest cons of wine in the world – 20mhl p.a.
- Exports
- Almost halved this century down from 2mhl (20-25% of prod) to 1mhl in 2010 (10% of prod)
- Same period ave price up from €200 - €300/hl (reduction of shipping bulk and increase in higher-value per unit bottled exports - part oft he strategy oft he Deutscher Weininstitut
- Top exp markets: USA, NL, UK, NO, SE (USA/NO high unit price)
- Deutsche Weininstitut promotes Q and sales of De wines dom and int. Notable “Riesling Week” in 13 countries – enc retailers and restaurants to promote DE wines for defined period (1wk -1mth) each year.~
11
Q
Describe the Rheinhessen Aanbaugebiet
A
- Largest region/ yields / prod
- 71% white – Riesling, M-TH (for blends) Silvaner, PG, PB
- Black – 2 :1 Dornfelder : PN
- Liebraumilch originated here
Soils & Climate
- Warm, dry, sheltered by Hunsrück and Taunus mnts
- – bulk prod on fertile valley floor
-
Hi Q prod – small estates, co-ops along Rheinterrase
- -steep e-f slopes banks of Rhine ~ Nierstein & Oppenheim
- am sun warms coolest part of day enh ripening
- Mod inf of Rhine – pm/autumn temps warmer ext ripening > Riesling shows ripe lemon+peach
-
Nierstein + Nackenheim called “Roter Hang” iron rich red soil – slate, clay sandstone
- Gives Riesling smokey char
- full body Rieslings made here
- Rheinhessen has a reputation for wine production, and innovation and excellence
GG wines Riesling /Spätburgunder
Producers: WG Gunderloch; WG Keller
12
Q
Describe a typical Trockenbeerenauslese wine:
A
- Always contains Noble Rot.
- Sweet and low in alcohol
- Flavours of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel and flowers.
13
Q
Wines from this region are often packaged in a flask-shaped Bocksbeutel
A
Franken
14
Q
Describe the Pfalz aanbaugebiet
A
- 2nd largest
- 80km narrow strip contuance of Alsace
- 65% white (maj dry) – ¼ is Riesling
- Other : M-TH, PG, PB
Black Grapes: (40% of planting)
- Dornfelder 2nd most after Riesling
- Portugieser (local cons), PN
Climate & Soil
- Between Haardt Mntns (cont Vosges) and Rhine plain on east.
- Rainshadow > > driest DE region, vine hydric stress (drought risk) in dry years
- Fuller body, riper fruit
- Soils vary: limestone, sandstone, basalt, clay
- exploited for giving wine of diff char and flavour
Vineyards
North most renowned - Mittelhaardt – Bad Dürkheim, Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim, Ruppertsberg
- S-f / e-f steep slopes Haardt foothills
- max sunshine, prot from wind, > ripe, f body Ries.
- H Q on the steep e-f slopes west of the villages
South – Südliche Weinstrasse, fertile, sandstone
- – trad area for inexp wine prod, now new generation imp Q esp PN, PG, PB
GG wines - Riesling, Weißburgunder; Spätburgunder
NB Prod: Dr Bürklin-Wolf; Co-op Winzerverein Deidesheim
15
Q
What are the 7 most important wine-growing regions in Germany?
What are the 6 others?
A
Mosel, Nahe, Pfalz, Baden, Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Franken.
Ahr, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württenberg, Hessiche Bergtrasse, Mittelrhein.
16
Q
An organization of German wine estates committed to terroir-driven viticulture
A
VDP (Verband Deutscher Pradikastweinguter)
