C22 - Germany /checked Flashcards
What climate does the majority of Germany’s vineyard areas have?
Cool continental (with the associated viticultural challenges) Wet summers with rain declining in autumn
Where in Germany are vineyards noticeably warmer?
Baden in the far south
What effect does Germany’s climate have on grapes?
The long, cool ripening period allows grapes to reach sugar ripeness while retaining acidity
In what German region can Botrytised sweet wines be made?
In every region of Germany
Why is there so much variance in German wines from year to year?
Due to high variations in annual water conditions
Describe the typically best site in all German regions (2)
- Steep, often stony slopes
2. Southerly aspect
Describe grape-growing practices on steep slopes in Germany (3)
- Worked on by hand
- In steepest parts, equipment is manoeuvred into place by winches
- Vines are head-pruned, individually staked with canes tied in at the top of the stakes to maximise grape exposure to light and air circulation
What might the benefit be to a vine’s proximity to rivers in Germany? (2)
- Reflected sunlight can help grapes to ripen
2. Air movement caused by flowing water can help to protect against frosts
By which oenological characteristic are grapes classified in Germany?
What main effect does this have on the harvest?
By must weight (level of sugar in grape juice)
The harvest can be spread out over a period of weeks and months because pickers will pass through the vineyard several times to ensure they get the ideal grapes for each category of wine.
Besides picking-passes, how else may grapes be sorted for different levels of wine in Germany?
They may be sorted and categorised after each picking
Towards what wine style is the ongoing trend in Germany?
What has dictated this?
Towards dry wines
The demand of the local market
In terms of vineyard plantings and quality, what is the most important wine grape of Germany?
Riesling
Which grape must be used for Prädikatsweine?
There are several options
What is the most widely planted grape variety in Germany?
Riesling
What is the style of Riesling wines in Germany?
flavour, sweetness
It varies hugely due to differences in soil and climate
- From delicate and floral, to richer peachy fruit character - - Bone dry to lusciously sweet
How are dry styles of Riesling in Germany often labelled?
Qualitätsweine
What is the sweetness style of most Qualitätsweine?
Dry styles are often labelled as Qualitätsweine
How are many of the very best dry Rieslings of Germany labelled?
Grosses Gewächs (GG)
Nearly all wines labelled as Prädikatsweine will have…
Residual sugar
Up to which Prädikatsweine category is it possible for the wine to be made in a dry style?
Auslese
What is the key to understanding Prädikatsweine?
To think of them as an indicator of style
What is the most delicate of the Prädikatsweine styles?
Kabinett
Describe Kabinett wines
body, acidity, flavours, ABV (sweet style, dry style)
- Light in body
- High acidity
- Flavours of green apple or citrus fruit, balanced with
- Residual sweetness
- Sweet styles will have an alcohol level of 8-9% abv
- Drier styles can reach 12% abv
How can Kabinett wines be made sweet? (2)
- By stopping fermentation early (better quality wines)
2. By adding sugar after fermentation (Süssreserve)
Why is stopping fermentation seen as a better quality way of creating sweetness?
It achieves a better sugar/acid balance
Describe Spätlese wines
Made in the same way as Kabinett wines, but more concentrated, riper and with a little more body, alcohol and sometimes sweetness
Citrus and stone fruit aromas (peach or apricot)
Describe Auslese wines
- Made from individually selected extra-ripe bunches
- Richer and riper than Spätlese wines
- Noble rot can be involved
Describe Beerenauslese (BA) and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) wines
noble rot, volumes, sweetness, alcohol, flavours,
Noble rot essential to achieve required must weights for TBA - not essential for BA wines, but Botrytis still typical.
- Volumes vary considerably when produced, IF produced
- Sweet and low in alcohol
- Flavours of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel and flowers
These rank among the best sweet wines in the world
Describe Eiswein
noble rot, volumes, sweetness, flavours
- Genuinely rare and made infrequently
- Noble rot not a key component
- Very sweet
- Pure varietal fruit flavours
What is the flavour focus of Eiswein?
Varietal purity
The best Eiswein achieve a balance between acidity and sweetness
Which additional winemaking methods may winemakers use to maintain varietal flavours in Eiswein? (3)
- Using carefully selected YEAST
- Handling juice with CARE
- Avoiding processes which can mask the flavours of the grape such as MLF and new oak
Give an alternative name for Müller-Thurgau
RIVANER
When was Müller-Thurgau created and between which 2 grapes?
1880s
Crossing between Riesling and Madeleine Royale
How does Müller-Thurgau compare with Riesling?
ripening, acidity, flavour
It ripens earlier, but does not have the same level of acidity or intensity of flavour
What kinds of flavours can Müller-Thurgau produce? (2)
- Attractive floral
2. Fruity flavours
What are the general quality levels of German Müller-Thurgau?
Rarely high
What is the second most widely planted white grape variety in Germany?
Müller-Thurgau
How are Müller-Thurgau plantings evolving?
Why?
Müller-Thurgau plantings are in steady decline.
The market for inexpensive medium-dry/medium-sweet Qualitätsweine made from the variety has declined.
What is Germany’s third most widely planted white grape variety?
Silvaner
Where is Silvaner mainly found in Germany?
Particularly Rheinhessen and Franken
In these regions it has traditionally been strong
What style is Silvaner made into?
Dry and sweet styles
What is the profile of Silvaner wines in Germany compared to Riesling?
acidity, flavour
- Less acidic than Riesling
- Less overtly fruity than Riesling, sometimes have an earthy quality
What kind of quality can Silvaner produce?
High quality on the right sites
What are the international common names for the following German varietals:
- Grauburgunder
- Weißburgunder
- Spätburgunder
Grauburgunder = Pinot Gris Weißburgunder = Pinot Blanc Spätburgunder = Pinot Noir
What is the third most planted grape variety in Germany?
Spätburgunder
What kind of German vineyards does Spätburgunder thrive in?
Where is Spätburgunder most important in Germany?
The warmer sites
Pfalz and Baden
What styles are Spätburgunder wines made into?
sweetness, flavour
- Dry
- Either relatively light and fruity or in a more concentrated style with oak aromas
Which is the second most widely planted black variety in Germany?
Dornfelder
What is fairly unique to Dornfelder wines in Germany?
It produces particularly deeply coloured wines
List 3 more popular black grape varieties in Germany
What style do they usually produce?
How are these wines marketed?
- Portugieser
- Trollinger
- Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier)
Usually light-bodied and fruity wines, though some intensely coloured and flavoured examples with oak character do exist
As Qualitätsweine and consumed by the domestic market
Where is the Mosel region?
Between the joining of the Mosel and the Rhine and the German border, including the small tributaries of the Saar and the Ruwer.
MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER
Which grapes dominate the Mosel?
colour, variety (1)
White grapes
Mostly Riesling
Which varieties are permitted for Grosses Gewächs wines in the Mosel?
Only Riesling
Where in the Mosel is production concentrated?
MIDDLE MOSEL
In the centre of the region
What are the 3 best known Middle Mosel villages with an established reputation for top-quality wine?
- Piesport
- Bernkastel
- Wehlen
What are 3 characters of the best vineyards of the Middle Mosel?
- Very STEEP slopes
- SLATE soils
- RIVER facing (Mosel)
Describe the Riesling wines of Mosel’s best vineyards (compared to other German regions)
body, alcohol, acidity, flavours
Compared to those of Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz:
- Lighter in body
- Lower in alcohol
- Higher in acidity
Floral and green fruit flavours
Do the cooler Saar and Ruwer areas of the Mosel have any significant plantings?
NO
Only a tiny percentage of the overall plantings in the Mosel
How do the best wines of the Saar/Ruwer compare with those of the Middle Mosel?
style, acidity
They are comparable in style and quality,
with even more acidity
What can happen to the grapes in the Mosel in cooler vintages?
What are the grapes used for in this case?
Grapes may not ripen in even the best sites
The grapes may then be used in sparkling wine production
Where are the best sites in NAHE?
Between what 2 villages?
- Very STEEP slopes
- SOUTHERN ASPECT
- RIVER facing (Nahe)
Between the villages of
- Schlossböckelheim
- Bad Kreuznach
What are the best wines of Nahe made from?
Riesling
What is the most widely planted variety of Nahe?
Riesling
What style is Riesling made into in Nahe (compared to Mosel and the rest)?
acidity, flavour
Somewhere between that of Mosel and the fuller-bodied style of Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz.
- Pronounced acidity of Mosel
- Riper fruit character than that of Mosel due to warmer character
Which varieties are permitted for Grosses-Gewächs wines in Nahe?
Riesling only
Where in RHEINGAU are most vineyards situated (3)?
Between what 2 villages?
- Very STEEP slopes
- SOUTHERN ASPECT
- RIVER facing (Rhine or Main)
Protected from winds by the Taunus Hills to the north
- Johannisberg
- Rüdesheim
Which grape variety dominates plantings in Rheingau?
Riesling
Describe Rieslings of Rheingau
body, flavour
Medium to full-body
Distinctive ripe peach character
What other style of wines can be made in Rheingau? Why?
Some of Germany’s best BA and TBA winesDue to high humidity
Around which village to the east of Rheingau are vineyards centred?
Hochheim
Which other grape variety can do well in Rheingau? Where specifically?
Spätburgunder
To the west of Rüdesheim in the village of Assmannhausen
Which grapes of Rheingau can be used for Grosses Gewächs wines? (2)
- Riesling
2. Spätburgunder
What is the largest wine region in Germany?
Rheinhessen
Which varieties are planted in Rheinhessen?
There’s a very broad range of varieties planted
What are the most planted WHITE varieties in Rheinhessen?
- Müller-Thurgau
2. Riesling
Which BLACK varieties dominate in Rheinhessen (3)?
What percentage of plantings do they occupy here?
- Dornfelder
- Portugieser
- Spätburgunder
30%
Which wines of Rheinhessen can be used for Grosses Gewächs wines? (2)
- Riesling
2. Spätburgunder
What are the steeply terraced vineyards around Nierstein, Rheinhessen sometimes called?
The Rheinterrasse
What reputation do the Rheinterrasse (Nierstein, Rheinhessen) have in the wine world of Germany?
As producing some the fullest bodied Rieslings in Germany
What reputation does Rheinhessen have?
As a result of its new winemaking movement, it has a reputation for INNOVATION and EXCELLENCE
What is the second largest wine producing area of Germany?
PFALZ
How can the vineyards of Pfalz be seen geographically?
in relation to a French wine region
As a continuation of the vineyards of Alsace
Describe the location of the vineyards of Pfalz.
mountain range
They run in a narrow 80km strip from the french border and lie to the east of the HAARDT MOUNTAINS (which are a continuation of the Vosges mountains)
Describe the climate of Pfalz and its effect on vines
water availability
It is the driest of the German regions and the vines can suffer from water stress
What is the most widely planted variety in Pfalz?
Riesling
Which other white grape is widely grown in Pfalz?
- Müller-Thurgau
- Grauburgunder
- Weißburgunder
From which varieties can GG wines be made in Pfalz? (3)
- Riesling
- Weißburgunder
- Spätburgunder
Where are Pfalz’s most established quality vineyards located?
- Forst
2. Deidesheim
What is the collective name for Forst and Deidesheim?
Mittelhaardt
What is the style of wines produced in Mittelhaardt?
Ripe and fuller-bodied
Besides Rheinhessen, where else in Germany are new and young producers making top-quality wines?
Pfalz
What is the warmest/most southerly region of Germany?
Baden
What are the wines of Baden like?
body, alcohol
- Fullest-bodied
2. Highest alcohols
Describe the size of Baden
The vineyards are spread over a large area, but in terms of vineyard area, it’s only the third largest in Germany
Around which two areas (hills) are nearly a third of plantings focused in Baden?
- Kaiserstuhl
- Tuniberg
(both opposite Colmar in Alsace)
How and where are the best vineyards of Baden situated? (incl Spätburgunder)
They are on the south facing slope of Kaiserstuhl (an extinct volcano)
What is the most widely planted variety in Baden?
Spätburgunder
After Spätburgunder, what are the most widely planted varieties in Baden, listed in descending order? (4)
- Müller-Thurgau
- Grauburgunder
- Weißburgunder
- Riesling
Which variety can be used for GG wines in Baden?
A range of black and white varieties can be used
What is unusual about Franken in relation to the rest of Germany?
Riesling is neither most widely planted, nor is it considered to be prestigious
What is seen as the top wine grape of Franken?
SILVANER
What are the key viticultural characteristics of Silvaner?
flowering, ripening, frost susceptibility
- Early flowering
- Early ripening
- Susceptible to frost damage
What is the result of Silvaner being planted in the warmest sites of Franken?
It is able to a concentration rarely achieved elsewhere in Germany
Where are the best wines of Franken?
From the south-facing slopes around Würzburg
Describe the best wines of Franken
sweetness, body,flavour
- Dry
- Richness on the palate
- With an earthy quality
What is distinctive about the way Franken Silvaner is packaged?
They are bottled in distinctive flask-shaped bottles
Which varieties can be used for GG wines? (5)
MANY
- Silvaner
- Riesling
- Weißburgunder
- Grauburgunder
- Spätburgunder
How are German PGI wines labelled?
Landwein
How is German wine without a GI labelled?
Deutscher Wein
How many delimited regions are there for German PDO wines?
13
What is the big difference between Germany’s delimited regional PDO system and France’s?
Germany’s is not linked to specific grape varieties
How are German wines typically labelled?
Varietally and classified by minimum must weight at harvest
What are the 2 fundamental levels in the German classification system?
- Qualitätswein
2. Prädikatswein
How is the Prädikatswein level divided?
Into 6 Prädikat levels
What must appear on a German PDO label? (2)
- The name of the region
- For Prädikatsweine, the Prädikat level
Varietal labelling is common
What is the Feinherb (as a labelling term in Germany)?
Feinherb is an alternative to Halbtrocken
Some producers believe ‘Halbtrocken’ has an association with lower quality wines
Other than written indications, how else may sugar levels be deduced for a German wine?
- the Prädikat level
- wine category
- alcohol level
When stated on German labels, how is vineyard location expressed?
Give an example
Village name followed by vineyard name
E.g. Piesporter, Goldtröpfchen
List in order, German categories by minimum must weight, from lowest to highest
Include what sweetness style they can be made into
Qualitätswein - dry to medium sweet
Prädikatswein: Kabinett - dry to medium sweet Spätlese- dry to medium sweet Auslese - dry to sweet Beerenauslese - sweet only Eiswein - sweet only Trockenbeerenauslese - sweet only
Which German organisation has attempted to address the issue of labelling quality indications? Who are they?
Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP)
A group of producers who have classified the vast majority of the best vineyard sites in Germany
For which wines may Grosses Gewächs be used? How does it appear on labels?
Dry Qualitätsweine from the best vineyard sites ‘GG’ and a bunch of grapes embossed on the neck of the bottle
