C22 - Germany - completed Flashcards
What climate does the majority of Germany’s vineyard areas have?
- Cool continental (with all the associated problems)
- 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
What kind of wines can be made in every region of Germany?
Botrytised sweet wines, when condition are right.
Why is there so much variance in quality and quantities of German wines from year to year?
Due to high variations in annual weather conditions
What is the result of the marginal conditions in Germany?
Small differences in vineyards can have a large impact on the wines produced
Describe the typical best sites in all German regions
- Steep, often stony slopes
- Southerly aspect
Describe grape-growing practices in Germany
- 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?
- Reflected sunlight can help grapes to ripen
- Air movement caused by flowing water can help to protect against frosts
How the grapes are classified in Germany? What effect does this have on the growing season?
- By must weight (level of sugar in grape juice)
- The harvest can be spread out over a period of weeks and months
It is possible to make a range of Qualitätsweine and Prädikatsweine each year from ____
An individual vineyard
How will harvest be performed in vineyards producing different levels of Qualitätsweine?
Pickers will pass through the vineyard several times to ensure that 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
What is the style trend in Germany? What has dictated this?
- For dry wines
- The demands of the local market
How may the local market targeted red and white wines (of varying quality) often be sold?
As Qualitätsweine
Why are the dry red and white mass wines of Germany not usuallylabelled as Prädikatsweine?
Prädikatsweine is largely the preserve of white wines
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 grape varieties
What is the most widely planted grape variety in Germany?
Riesling
What is the style of Riesling wines in Germany?
- It varies from region to region, 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 style range for dry Rieslings in Germany?
From light and fruity to very concentrated and intense
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 category is possible to make a wine 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. What levels of alcohol do they attain?
- 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?
- By stopping fermentation early (better quality wines)
- By adding Süssreserve after fermentation
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 is essential to achieve required must weights for TBA - not essential for BA wines, but noble rot still typical
- Some sites more suitable than others, but these styles not necessarily produced every year
- Volumes vary considerably when produced
- Sweet and low in alcohol
- honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel and flowers
- Some of the best sweet wines in the world
Describe Eiswein
- Genuinely rare and made infrequently
- Very sweet
- Pure varietal fruit flavours
What is the flavour focus of Eiswein?
- Varietal purity
- The best Eisweins achieve a balance between acidity and sweetness
Which additional winemaking methods may winemakers use to maintain varietal flavours in Eiswein?
Using carefully selected yeast, handling juice with care and 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 crossing with which grape varieties?
- 1880s
- Riesling and Madeleine Royale
How does MT compare with Riesling?
It ripens earlier, but does not have the same level of acidity or intensity of flavour
What kinds of flavours can Müller-Thurgau produce?
Attractive floral and fruity flavours
What are quality levels of MT like in Germany?
Rarely high quality
What is the second most widely planted white grape variety in Germany?
Müller-Thurgau
Which white grape is on a steady decline? Why?
- Müller-Thurgau
- 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?
- In those regions where it has traditionally been strong
- Particularly Rheinhessen and Franken
What style is Silvaner made into?
Dry and sweet styles
What is the profile of Silvaner wines in Germany?
- Less acidic and less overtly fruity than Riesling
- Sometimes have an earthy quality
What kind of quality can Silvaner produce?
High quality on the right sites
Name the ‘other’ white varieties which are growing in importance in Germany
- Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)
- Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
How are Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder often labelled?
Using the French or Italian name
What style are Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder often made into?
Dry styles
What is the better known name of Spätburgunder?
Pinot Noir
What is the third most planted black grape variety in Germany?
Spätburgunder
What kind of German vineyards does Spätburgunder thrive in?
The warmer sites
Which regions is Spätburgunder most important in Germany?
Pfalz and Baden
What styles are Spätburgunder wines made into?
- 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?
They are very deeply coloured
List three more popular black grape varieties in Germany. What style do they usually produce?
- Portugieser
- Trollinger
- Scwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier)
- light-bodied
- fruity
- some intensely coloured and flavoured
- some has oak
How are Germany’s less popular red wines marketed?
As Qualitätsweine and consumed by the domestic market
Where is the Mosel region?
Between where it joins the Rhine and the German border and its two small tributaries; the Saar and the Ruwer
Which grapes dominate in Mosel?
- White grapes
- Mostly Riesling
Which varieties are permitted for Grosses Gewächs (GG) wines in Mosel?
Only Riesling
Where in Mosel is production concentrated?
In the centre of the region, in an area called the Middle Mosel
What are the villages in Middle Mosel with an established reputation in producing top-quality wines ?
- Bernkastel
- Piesport
- Wehlen
Describe the best vineyards of the Middle Mosel
- Very steep slopes
- Slate soils
- Right next to the river
Describe the Riesling wines of Mosel’s best vineyards
- Lighter in body
- lower in alcohol
- higher in acidity than those of Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz
- Floral
- green fruit flavours
How many plantings of Riesling are in the cooler Saar and Ruwer areas of Mosel
Only a tiny percentage of the overall plantings
How do the best wines of the Saar/Ruwer compare with those of the Middle Mosel?
They are comparable in style and quality, but even more acidity
What can happen in the Mosel in cooler vintages?
- Grapes may not ripen in even the best sites
- The grapes may then be used in sparkling wine production
Where is the Nahe region?
Between Mosel and Rheinhessen
Where are the best sites in Nahe?
On steep, south-facing slopes on the banks of the river Nahe, between the villages of Schlossböckelheim and 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?
- 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
How is Rheingau best described?
Small but prestigious
Where is Rheingau?
North of Rheinhessen, east of Mosel
Where in Rheingau are most vineyards situated? Describe them
On the slopes of the north bank of the River Rhine (in the west of the region) and the River Main (in the east) They have a southerly aspect
Other than their southerly aspect, what other feature of the best sites in Rheingau contributes to their favourable terroir?
The protection from winds offered by the Taunus Hills to the north
Where are the majority of vineyards in Rheingau?
On the slopes to the west of the region and surrounding the villages of Johannisberg and Rüdesheim
Which grape variety dominates plantings in Rheingau?
Riesling
What style are the wines of Rheingau?
Dry
Describe Rieslings of Rheingau
- 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 wines
- Due to high humidity
Around which village to the east of Rheingau are vineyards centred around?
Hochheim
Describe wines from around Hochheim
Can be riper and fuller bodied due to a slightly warmer climate
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?
both Riesling and 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 and Riesling
Which red varieties dominate in Rheinhessen? What percentage of plantings do they occupy here?
- Dornfelder
- Portugieser
- Spätburgunder
- 30%
Which wines of Rheinhessen can be used for GG?
Riesling or Spätburgunder
Where are the best wines of Rheinhessen produced?
On the steeply terraced vineyards on the west bank of the Rhine, centred around the village of Nierstein
What are the terraces around Nierstein sometimes called?
The Rheinterrasse
What reputation do the Rheinterrasse have in the wine world of Germany?
As producing some the fullest bodied Rieslings in Germany
What other wine movement is happening in Germany? Whereabouts and what is happening?
In some less known parts of Rheinhessen e.g. the area in the south near Worms, top-quality wines have begun to be produced
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?
As a continuation of the vineyards of Alsace
Describe the vineyards of Pfalz
- They run in a narrow 80km strip from the French border - 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
It is the driest of the German regions and the vines can suffer from water stress in very warm years
What is the most widely planted variety in Pfalz?
Riesling
What reputation does Pfalz have in Germany for winemaking?
It has the longest reputation for high quality winemaking
Which other white grape is widely grown in Pfalz?
- Müller-Thurgau
- Grauburgunder
- Weißburgunder
What percentage of vineyard area do black grape plantings account for in Pfalz?
Just under 40%
What is the second most planted grape of either colour in Pfalz?
Dornfelder
Which other red grapes are grown in Pfalz?
- Portugieser (for the local market)
- Spätburgunder (which is gaining an international reputation)
From which varieties can GG wines be made in Pfalz?
- Riesling
- Weißburgunder
- Spätburgunder
Where are Pfalz’s most established quality vineyards located?
- Forst
- Deidesheim
What is the collective name for Forst and Deidesheim?
Mittelhaardt
Where in relation to Mittelhaardt are the vineyards?
On the steep slopes to the west
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 style are the wines of Pfalz being made into?
Drier styles
What is the warmest/most southerly region of Germany?
Baden
What are the wines of Baden like?
Fullest-bodied with highest alcohols
Describe the size of Baden
The vineyards are spread over a large area, in terms of vineyard area, it’s the third largest in Germany
Where in Baden are most of the vineyards located?
They are spaced out over a narrow strip of land that follows the Rhine to the Swiss border
Around which areas are nearly a third of plantings focused in Baden?
Kaiserstuhl and Tuniberg (opposite Colmar in Alsace)
How and where are the best vineyards of Baden situated?
They are on the south facing slope of Kaiserstuhl (an extinct volcano)
What is the most widely planted variety in Baden?
Spätburgunder
Which area has the best reputation for Spätburgunder in Baden?
Kaiserstuhl
After Spätburgunder, what are the most widely planted varieties in Baden, listed in descending order?
- Müller-Thurgau
- Grauburgunder
- Weißburgunder
- Riesling
Which variety can be used for GG wines in Baden?
A range of red and white wines 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?
- Early flowering and ripening
- Susceptible to frost damage
On what kinds of sites is Silvaner planted in Franken?
In the warmest sites
What is the result of Silvaner being planted in the warmest sites of Franken?
It is able to achieve the concentration rarely achieved elsewhere in Germany
Where are the best sites of Franken?
the south-facing slopes around Würzburg
Describe the best wines of Franken
- 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?
- Silvaner
- Riesling
- Weißburgunder
- Grauburgunder
- Spätburgunder
How are some 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 two fundamental levels in the German classification system?
QualitätsweinPrädikatswein
How is the Prädikatswein level divided?
Into six Prädikat levels
All PDO wines in Germany must come from…
Only one region
What info must appear on a German PDO label?
- The name of the region
- For Prädikatsweine, the Prädikat level
- Varietal labelling is common
Other than Prädikat levels, how may different levels of sweetness be labelled in German?
Dry = Trocken Off-dry/medium = Halbtrocken
What is the alternative to Halbtrocken as a labelling term in Germany? Why may this be used instead?
- Feinherb
- Some producers believe ‘Halbtrocken’ has negative association with lower quality wines
What is the legal definition of ‘Feinherb’?
There is no legal definition
Other than written indications, how else may sugar levels be deduced for a German wine?
From the wine category or 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
How from the location name, may one deduce whether a German wine is from a single vineyard or multiple?
It is not possible from location labelling, but price is a good indicator
List in order, German categories by minimum must weight, from lowest to highest, including what 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
How may quality be indicated on a German label?
There is no legally defined labelling term indicating quality
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
Is “GG” part of German law?
It is not a part of German law
How’s Germany’s reputation in producing Riesling?
- It produces the highest concentration of world-class Rieslings.
- Styles ranging from steely to lusciously sweet
How the vines are typically trained and pruned in Germany?
- 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
List the top three largest wine-growing regions of Germany in order.
- Rhienhessen
- Pfalz
- Baden
What are the top three mostly planted white grape variety in Germany, in order?
- Riesling
- Müller-Thurgau
- Silvaner
What are the top three mostly planted black grape variety in Germany, in order?
- Dornfelder
3. Spätburgunder
