German Terms

Question 1

Define Abfüller

Answer 1

bottler or shipper who assumes the responsibility for the origin and quality of a wine

Question 2

Define Absetzen

Answer 2

The process settling of solids (dead yeast cells, leftover grape skin fragments, etc.) to the bottom of a vat of wine or must. Also known as debourbage in France

Question 3

Define Alleinbesitz

Answer 3

A vineyard which is owned by only one owner (similar to a monopole in France).

Question 4

Define Alte Reben

Answer 4

Old Vines

Question 5

Definie Amtliche Prüfungsnummer

Answer 5

commonly referred to as the AP#; a quality control number on all QbA and QmP wines. The number contains the Exam Board number, commune number, producers registered number, an application number and the year of the application. Some producers use the application number as a sequential indication of sweetness.

Question 6

Define Anreicherung

Answer 6

Broad term for sweetening must before or during fermentation. Whereas chaptalization means the addition of sugar only, enrichment also includes the addition of grape must, concentrated grape must, and RCGM (Rectified concentrated grape must).

Question 7

Define Badisch Rotgold

Answer 7

A rotling (Rosé wine that is produced from a mixture of red and white varieties) from the Baden region. Made from Grauburgunder (min. 51%) and Spatburgunder grapes. Composition must be declared on label.

Question 8

Define Biologische Sãureabbau

Answer 8

Malolactic fermentation.

Question 9

Define Deutscher Sekt

Answer 9

sparkling wine made by any method from grapes grown in Germany

Question 10

Define Edelfäule

Answer 10

noble rot

Question 11

Define Einzellage

Answer 11

Single vineyard

Question 12

Define Einzelpfahlerziehung

Answer 12

A vine individually trained to a single stake . Used on very steep slopes such as the Mosel.

Question 13

Define Erste Gewächs

Answer 13

legal term used for dry wines in the Rheingau from the best vineyards

Question 14

Define Erzeugerabfüllung

Answer 14

grown and produced by the same grower or cooperative

Question 15

Define Federweisser

Answer 15

Unfiltered must containing CO2 and yeast that is still in the process of fermenting. An autumn specialty served with onion quiche or roasted chestnuts

Question 16

Define Feinherb

Answer 16

half-dry, no legal definition

Question 17

Define Flaschengärung

Answer 17

bottle-fermented sekt

Question 18

Define Flurbereinigung

Answer 18

restructuring of German vineyards

Question 19

Define Füder

Answer 19

1000-liter cask common in the Mosel

Question 20

Define Gerbstoff

Answer 20

Tannin

Question 21

Define Grosses Gewächs

Answer 21

VDP classification of dry wines from the best vineyards, must be Spätlese ripeness

Question 22

Define Grosslage

Answer 22

A collection of vineyards; misleading term for inexpensive wines

Question 23

Define Grosser Ring

Answer 23

Mosel growers association

Question 24

Define Gutsabfüllung

Answer 24

grown, produced and bottled by the same person/estate

Question 25

Define Halbtrocken

Answer 25

half-dry, generally less than 18 g/L residual sugar

Question 26

Define Handgerüttelt

Answer 26

Hand Riddled

Question 27

Define Hauptlese

Answer 27

The main Harvest

Question 28

Define Kellerei

Answer 28

Wine cellar (or wholesaler)

Question 29

Define Kelter

Answer 29

Wine press

Question 30

Define Keuper

Answer 30

Clay and slate soil.

Question 31

Define Lehm

Answer 31

Loam soil

Question 32

Define Leiblich

Answer 32

Medium-sweet

Question 33

Define Mergel

Answer 33

Heavy Loam

Question 34

Define Mostgewicht

Answer 34

Must weight which is the weight of sugar in the grapes at the time of the harvest

Question 35

Define Reinzuchthefen

Answer 35

Pure culture yeasts. Used by growers afraid of risk, hence stuck fermentations

Question 36

Define Restzucker

Answer 36

Residual sugar

Question 37

Define Rotling. Give three examples.

Answer 37

Rosé wine that is produced from a mixture of red and white varieties. A Rotling must have pale red or clear red color. Rotling category comprises schillerwein from Württemberg, Baden’s Badisch Rotgold, and Sachsen’s Schielerwein.

Question 38

Define Rotliegendes

Answer 38

Reddish slate.

Question 39

Define Stück

Answer 39

1200 liter cask commonly used in the Rheingau

Question 40

Define Schneewein

Answer 40

Snow wine; a term used to describe an ice wine made from grapes gathered when snow covered the vineyards.

Question 41

Define Schielerwein

Answer 41

A rotling from Sachsen

Question 42

Define Schneewein

Answer 42

snow white; another reference to ice wine; refers to when grapes are covered in snow

Question 43

Define Schillerwein

Answer 43

A rotling from Württemburg

Question 44

Define Schloss

Answer 44

German word for castle; on a wine label it is equivalent to the French word “Chateau.”

Question 45

Define Schotter

Answer 45

Gravel

Question 46

Define Sonnenuhr

Answer 46

A sundial often very large on steep vineyard sites.

Question 47

Define Spontangärung

Answer 47

German tasting term for wines made by spontaneous fermentation versus wines inoculated by cultured yeasts. The former has an earthiness versus the cleaner fruit-forward smells of selected yeasts.

Question 48

Define Steillage

Answer 48

Literally: steep site. A vineyard with an inclination of more than 30%

Question 49

Define Spritzig

Answer 49

German term for the taste sensation of a wine which contains just enough CO2 to be apparent on the tongue as a prickly sensation (but not enough to be obviously sparkling).

Question 50

Define Ton

Answer 50

Clay

Question 51

Define Trocken

Answer 51

dry; generally 4 g/L or less but residual sugar but can be up to 9 g/l if total acidity is within 2 g/l of total residual sugar

Question 52

Define Vorlese

Answer 52

A pre-harvest before the main harvest to eliminate rotten or defective bunches.

Question 53

Define Weinkellerei

Answer 53

Wine cellar or winery.

Question 54

Define Weinberg

Answer 54

German for vineyard.

Question 55

Define Weinsäure

Answer 55

Tartaric acid

Question 56

Define Weissherbst

Answer 56

rosé from a single variety of red grape

Question 57

Define Winzer

Answer 57

A wine grower

Question 58

Define Winzergenossenschaft

Answer 58

Co-op

Question 59

Define Zentralkellerei

Answer 59

A central cooperative that gets its wine or must from smaller cellars in the area and blends, produces and bottles the wines.

Question 60

Perlwein

Answer 60

Germanyt Half Sparkling. Equivalent to Frizzante.