C22 - Germany - completed Flashcards

1
Q

What climate does the majority of Germany’s vineyard areas have?

A
  • Cool continental (with all the associated problems)

- Wet summers with rain declining in autumn

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2
Q

Where in Germany are vineyards noticeably warmer?

A

Baden in the far south

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3
Q

What effect does Germany’s climate have on grapes?

A

The long, cool ripening period allows grapes to reach sugar ripeness while retaining acidity

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4
Q

What kind of wines can be made in every region of Germany?

A

Botrytised sweet wines, when condition are right.

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5
Q

Why is there so much variance in quality and quantities of German wines from year to year?

A

Due to high variations in annual weather conditions

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6
Q

What is the result of the marginal conditions in Germany?

A

Small differences in vineyards can have a large impact on the wines produced

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7
Q

Describe the typical best sites in all German regions

A
  • Steep, often stony slopes

- Southerly aspect

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8
Q

Describe grape-growing practices in Germany

A
  • 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
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9
Q

What might the benefit be to a vine’s proximity to rivers in Germany?

A
  • Reflected sunlight can help grapes to ripen

- Air movement caused by flowing water can help to protect against frosts

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10
Q

How the grapes are classified in Germany? What effect does this have on the growing season?

A
  • By must weight (level of sugar in grape juice)

- The harvest can be spread out over a period of weeks and months

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11
Q

It is possible to make a range of Qualitätsweine and Prädikatsweine each year from ____

A

An individual vineyard

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12
Q

How will harvest be performed in vineyards producing different levels of Qualitätsweine?

A

Pickers will pass through the vineyard several times to ensure that they get the ideal grapes for each category of wine

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13
Q

Besides picking-passes, how else may grapes be sorted for different levels of wine in Germany?

A

They may be sorted and categorised after each picking

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14
Q

What is the style trend in Germany? What has dictated this?

A
  • For dry wines

- The demands of the local market

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15
Q

How may the local market targeted red and white wines (of varying quality) often be sold?

A

As Qualitätsweine

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16
Q

Why are the dry red and white mass wines of Germany not usuallylabelled as Prädikatsweine?

A

Prädikatsweine is largely the preserve of white wines

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17
Q

In terms of vineyard plantings and quality, what is the most important wine grape of Germany?

A

Riesling

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18
Q

Which grape must be used for Prädikatsweine?

A

There are several grape varieties

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19
Q

What is the most widely planted grape variety in Germany?

A

Riesling

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20
Q

What is the style of Riesling wines in Germany?

A
  • 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
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21
Q

How are dry styles of Riesling in Germany often labelled?

A

Qualitätsweine

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22
Q

What is the style range for dry Rieslings in Germany?

A

From light and fruity to very concentrated and intense

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23
Q

How are many of the very best dry Rieslings of Germany labelled?

A

Grosses Gewächs (GG)

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24
Q

Nearly all wines labelled as Prädikatsweine will have ____

A

Residual sugar

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25
Q

Up to which category is possible to make a wine in a dry style?

A

Auslese

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26
Q

What is the key to understanding Prädikatsweine?

A

To think of them as an indicator of style

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27
Q

What is the most delicate of the Prädikatsweine styles?

A

Kabinett

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28
Q

Describe Kabinett wines. What levels of alcohol do they attain?

A
  • 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
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29
Q

How can Kabinett wines be made sweet?

A
  • By stopping fermentation early (better quality wines)

- By adding Süssreserve after fermentation

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30
Q

Why is stopping fermentation seen as a better quality way of creating sweetness?

A

It achieves a better sugar/acid balance

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31
Q

Describe Spätlese wines

A
  • 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)
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32
Q

Describe Auslese wines

A
  • Made from individually selected extra-ripe bunches
  • Richer and riper than Spätlese wines
  • Noble rot can be involved
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33
Q

Describe Beerenauslese (BA) and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) wines

A
  • 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
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34
Q

Describe Eiswein

A
  • Genuinely rare and made infrequently
  • Very sweet
  • Pure varietal fruit flavours
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35
Q

What is the flavour focus of Eiswein?

A
  • Varietal purity

- The best Eisweins achieve a balance between acidity and sweetness

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36
Q

Which additional winemaking methods may winemakers use to maintain varietal flavours in Eiswein?

A

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

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37
Q

Give an alternative name for Müller-Thurgau

A

Rivaner

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38
Q

When was Müller-Thurgau created and crossing with which grape varieties?

A
  • 1880s

- Riesling and Madeleine Royale

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39
Q

How does MT compare with Riesling?

A

It ripens earlier, but does not have the same level of acidity or intensity of flavour

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40
Q

What kinds of flavours can Müller-Thurgau produce?

A

Attractive floral and fruity flavours

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41
Q

What are quality levels of MT like in Germany?

A

Rarely high quality

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42
Q

What is the second most widely planted white grape variety in Germany?

A

Müller-Thurgau

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43
Q

Which white grape is on a steady decline? Why?

A
  • Müller-Thurgau

- The market for inexpensive medium-dry/medium-sweet Qualitätsweine made from the variety has declined

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44
Q

What is Germany’s third most widely planted white grape variety?

A

Silvaner

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45
Q

Where is Silvaner mainly found in Germany?

A
  • In those regions where it has traditionally been strong

- Particularly Rheinhessen and Franken

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46
Q

What style is Silvaner made into?

A

Dry and sweet styles

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47
Q

What is the profile of Silvaner wines in Germany?

A
  • Less acidic and less overtly fruity than Riesling

- Sometimes have an earthy quality

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48
Q

What kind of quality can Silvaner produce?

A

High quality on the right sites

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49
Q

Name the ‘other’ white varieties which are growing in importance in Germany

A
  • Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)

- Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc)

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50
Q

How are Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder often labelled?

A

Using the French or Italian name

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51
Q

What style are Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder often made into?

A

Dry styles

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52
Q

What is the better known name of Spätburgunder?

A

Pinot Noir

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53
Q

What is the third most planted black grape variety in Germany?

A

Spätburgunder

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54
Q

What kind of German vineyards does Spätburgunder thrive in?

A

The warmer sites

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55
Q

Which regions is Spätburgunder most important in Germany?

A

Pfalz and Baden

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56
Q

What styles are Spätburgunder wines made into?

A
  • Dry

- Either relatively light and fruity or in a more concentrated style with oak aromas

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57
Q

Which is the second most widely planted black variety in Germany?

A

Dornfelder

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58
Q

What is fairly unique to Dornfelder wines in Germany?

A

They are very deeply coloured

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59
Q

List three more popular black grape varieties in Germany. What style do they usually produce?

A
  • Portugieser
  • Trollinger
  • Scwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier)
  • light-bodied
  • fruity
  • some intensely coloured and flavoured
  • some has oak
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60
Q

How are Germany’s less popular red wines marketed?

A

As Qualitätsweine and consumed by the domestic market

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61
Q

Where is the Mosel region?

A

Between where it joins the Rhine and the German border and its two small tributaries; the Saar and the Ruwer

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62
Q

Which grapes dominate in Mosel?

A
  • White grapes

- Mostly Riesling

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63
Q

Which varieties are permitted for Grosses Gewächs (GG) wines in Mosel?

A

Only Riesling

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64
Q

Where in Mosel is production concentrated?

A

In the centre of the region, in an area called the Middle Mosel

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65
Q

What are the villages in Middle Mosel with an established reputation in producing top-quality wines ?

A
  • Bernkastel
  • Piesport
  • Wehlen
66
Q

Describe the best vineyards of the Middle Mosel

A
  • Very steep slopes
  • Slate soils
  • Right next to the river
67
Q

Describe the Riesling wines of Mosel’s best vineyards

A
  • Lighter in body
  • lower in alcohol
  • higher in acidity than those of Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz
  • Floral
  • green fruit flavours
68
Q

How many plantings of Riesling are in the cooler Saar and Ruwer areas of Mosel

A

Only a tiny percentage of the overall plantings

69
Q

How do the best wines of the Saar/Ruwer compare with those of the Middle Mosel?

A

They are comparable in style and quality, but even more acidity

70
Q

What can happen in the Mosel in cooler vintages?

A
  • Grapes may not ripen in even the best sites

- The grapes may then be used in sparkling wine production

71
Q

Where is the Nahe region?

A

Between Mosel and Rheinhessen

72
Q

Where are the best sites in Nahe?

A

On steep, south-facing slopes on the banks of the river Nahe, between the villages of Schlossböckelheim and Bad Kreuznach

73
Q

What are the best wines of Nahe made from?

A

Riesling

74
Q

What is the most widely planted variety of Nahe?

A

Riesling

75
Q

What style is Riesling made into in Nahe?

A
  • 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
76
Q

Which varieties are permitted for Grosses-Gewächs wines in Nahe?

A

Riesling only

77
Q

How is Rheingau best described?

A

Small but prestigious

78
Q

Where is Rheingau?

A

North of Rheinhessen, east of Mosel

79
Q

Where in Rheingau are most vineyards situated? Describe them

A

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

80
Q

Other than their southerly aspect, what other feature of the best sites in Rheingau contributes to their favourable terroir?

A

The protection from winds offered by the Taunus Hills to the north

81
Q

Where are the majority of vineyards in Rheingau?

A

On the slopes to the west of the region and surrounding the villages of Johannisberg and Rüdesheim

82
Q

Which grape variety dominates plantings in Rheingau?

A

Riesling

83
Q

What style are the wines of Rheingau?

A

Dry

84
Q

Describe Rieslings of Rheingau

A
  • Medium to full-body

- Distinctive ripe peach character

85
Q

What other style of wines can be made in Rheingau? Why?

A
  • Some of Germany’s best BA and TBA wines

- Due to high humidity

86
Q

Around which village to the east of Rheingau are vineyards centred around?

A

Hochheim

87
Q

Describe wines from around Hochheim

A

Can be riper and fuller bodied due to a slightly warmer climate

88
Q

Which other grape variety can do well in Rheingau? Where specifically?

A
  • Spätburgunder

- To the west of Rüdesheim in the village of Assmannhausen

89
Q

Which grapes of Rheingau can be used for Grosses Gewächs wines?

A

both Riesling and Spätburgunder

90
Q

What is the largest wine region in Germany?

A

Rheinhessen

91
Q

Which varieties are planted in Rheinhessen?

A

There’s a very broad range of varieties planted

92
Q

What are the most planted white varieties in Rheinhessen?

A

Müller-Thurgau and Riesling

93
Q

Which red varieties dominate in Rheinhessen? What percentage of plantings do they occupy here?

A
  • Dornfelder
  • Portugieser
  • Spätburgunder
  • 30%
94
Q

Which wines of Rheinhessen can be used for GG?

A

Riesling or Spätburgunder

95
Q

Where are the best wines of Rheinhessen produced?

A

On the steeply terraced vineyards on the west bank of the Rhine, centred around the village of Nierstein

96
Q

What are the terraces around Nierstein sometimes called?

A

The Rheinterrasse

97
Q

What reputation do the Rheinterrasse have in the wine world of Germany?

A

As producing some the fullest bodied Rieslings in Germany

98
Q

What other wine movement is happening in Germany? Whereabouts and what is happening?

A

In some less known parts of Rheinhessen e.g. the area in the south near Worms, top-quality wines have begun to be produced

99
Q

What reputation does Rheinhessen have?

A

As a result of its new winemaking movement, it has a reputation for innovation and excellence

100
Q

What is the second largest wine producing area of Germany?

A

Pfalz

101
Q

How can the vineyards of Pfalz be seen geographically?

A

As a continuation of the vineyards of Alsace

102
Q

Describe the vineyards of Pfalz

A
  • 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)
103
Q

Describe the climate of Pfalz and its effect on vines

A

It is the driest of the German regions and the vines can suffer from water stress in very warm years

104
Q

What is the most widely planted variety in Pfalz?

A

Riesling

105
Q

What reputation does Pfalz have in Germany for winemaking?

A

It has the longest reputation for high quality winemaking

106
Q

Which other white grape is widely grown in Pfalz?

A
  • Müller-Thurgau
  • Grauburgunder
  • Weißburgunder
107
Q

What percentage of vineyard area do black grape plantings account for in Pfalz?

A

Just under 40%

108
Q

What is the second most planted grape of either colour in Pfalz?

A

Dornfelder

109
Q

Which other red grapes are grown in Pfalz?

A
  • Portugieser (for the local market)

- Spätburgunder (which is gaining an international reputation)

110
Q

From which varieties can GG wines be made in Pfalz?

A
  • Riesling
  • Weißburgunder
  • Spätburgunder
111
Q

Where are Pfalz’s most established quality vineyards located?

A
  • Forst

- Deidesheim

112
Q

What is the collective name for Forst and Deidesheim?

A

Mittelhaardt

113
Q

Where in relation to Mittelhaardt are the vineyards?

A

On the steep slopes to the west

114
Q

What is the style of wines produced in Mittelhaardt?

A

Ripe and fuller-bodied

115
Q

Besides Rheinhessen, where else in Germany are new and young producers making top-quality wines?

A

Pfalz

116
Q

What style are the wines of Pfalz being made into?

A

Drier styles

117
Q

What is the warmest/most southerly region of Germany?

A

Baden

118
Q

What are the wines of Baden like?

A

Fullest-bodied with highest alcohols

119
Q

Describe the size of Baden

A

The vineyards are spread over a large area, in terms of vineyard area, it’s the third largest in Germany

120
Q

Where in Baden are most of the vineyards located?

A

They are spaced out over a narrow strip of land that follows the Rhine to the Swiss border

121
Q

Around which areas are nearly a third of plantings focused in Baden?

A

Kaiserstuhl and Tuniberg (opposite Colmar in Alsace)

122
Q

How and where are the best vineyards of Baden situated?

A

They are on the south facing slope of Kaiserstuhl (an extinct volcano)

123
Q

What is the most widely planted variety in Baden?

A

Spätburgunder

124
Q

Which area has the best reputation for Spätburgunder in Baden?

A

Kaiserstuhl

125
Q

After Spätburgunder, what are the most widely planted varieties in Baden, listed in descending order?

A
  1. Müller-Thurgau
  2. Grauburgunder
  3. Weißburgunder
  4. Riesling
126
Q

Which variety can be used for GG wines in Baden?

A

A range of red and white wines can be used

127
Q

What is unusual about Franken in relation to the rest of Germany?

A

Riesling is neither most widely planted, nor is it considered to be prestigious

128
Q

What is seen as the top wine grape of Franken?

A

Silvaner

129
Q

What are the key viticultural characteristics of Silvaner?

A
  • Early flowering and ripening

- Susceptible to frost damage

130
Q

On what kinds of sites is Silvaner planted in Franken?

A

In the warmest sites

131
Q

What is the result of Silvaner being planted in the warmest sites of Franken?

A

It is able to achieve the concentration rarely achieved elsewhere in Germany

132
Q

Where are the best sites of Franken?

A

the south-facing slopes around Würzburg

133
Q

Describe the best wines of Franken

A
  • Dry
  • richness on the palate
  • with an earthy quality
134
Q

What is distinctive about the way Franken Silvaner is packaged?

A

They are bottled in distinctive flask-shaped bottles

135
Q

Which varieties can be used for GG wines?

A
  • Silvaner
  • Riesling
  • Weißburgunder
  • Grauburgunder
  • Spätburgunder
136
Q

How are some German PGI wines labelled?

A

Landwein

137
Q

How is German wine without a GI labelled?

A

Deutscher Wein

138
Q

How many delimited regions are there for German PDO wines?

A

13

139
Q

What is the big difference between Germany’s delimited regional PDO system and France’s?

A

Germany’s is not linked to specific grape varieties

140
Q

How are German wines typically labelled?

A

Varietally and classified by minimum must weight at harvest

141
Q

What are the two fundamental levels in the German classification system?

A

QualitätsweinPrädikatswein

142
Q

How is the Prädikatswein level divided?

A

Into six Prädikat levels

143
Q

All PDO wines in Germany must come from…

A

Only one region

144
Q

What info must appear on a German PDO label?

A
  • The name of the region
  • For Prädikatsweine, the Prädikat level
  • Varietal labelling is common
145
Q

Other than Prädikat levels, how may different levels of sweetness be labelled in German?

A
Dry = Trocken
Off-dry/medium = Halbtrocken
146
Q

What is the alternative to Halbtrocken as a labelling term in Germany? Why may this be used instead?

A
  • Feinherb

- Some producers believe ‘Halbtrocken’ has negative association with lower quality wines

147
Q

What is the legal definition of ‘Feinherb’?

A

There is no legal definition

148
Q

Other than written indications, how else may sugar levels be deduced for a German wine?

A

From the wine category or alcohol level

149
Q

When stated on German labels, how is vineyard location expressed? Give an example

A
  • Village name followed by vineyard name

- e.g. Piesporter Goldtröpfchen

150
Q

How from the location name, may one deduce whether a German wine is from a single vineyard or multiple?

A

It is not possible from location labelling, but price is a good indicator

151
Q

List in order, German categories by minimum must weight, from lowest to highest, including what style they can be made into

A
  • 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
152
Q

How may quality be indicated on a German label?

A

There is no legally defined labelling term indicating quality

153
Q

Which German organisation has attempted to address the issue of labelling quality indications? Who are they?

A
  • Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP)

- A group of producers who have classified the vast majority of the best vineyard sites in Germany

154
Q

For which wines may Grosses Gewächs be used? How does it appear on labels?

A
  • Dry Qualitätsweine from the best vineyard sites

- ‘GG’ and a bunch of grapes embossed on the neck of the bottle

155
Q

Is “GG” part of German law?

A

It is not a part of German law

156
Q

How’s Germany’s reputation in producing Riesling?

A
  • It produces the highest concentration of world-class Rieslings.
  • Styles ranging from steely to lusciously sweet
157
Q

How the vines are typically trained and pruned in Germany?

A
  • 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
158
Q

List the top three largest wine-growing regions of Germany in order.

A
  1. Rhienhessen
  2. Pfalz
  3. Baden
159
Q

What are the top three mostly planted white grape variety in Germany, in order?

A
  1. Riesling
  2. Müller-Thurgau
  3. Silvaner
160
Q

What are the top three mostly planted black grape variety in Germany, in order?

A
  1. Dornfelder

3. Spätburgunder