German Terms Flashcards
Define Abfüller
bottler or shipper who assumes the responsibility for the origin and quality of a wine
Define Absetzen
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
Define Alleinbesitz
A vineyard which is owned by only one owner (similar to a monopole in France).
Define Alte Reben
Old Vines
Definie Amtliche Prüfungsnummer
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.
Define Anreicherung
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).
Define Badisch Rotgold
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.
Define Biologische Sãureabbau
Malolactic fermentation.
Define Deutscher Sekt
sparkling wine made by any method from grapes grown in Germany
Define Edelfäule
noble rot
Define Einzellage
Single vineyard
Define Einzelpfahlerziehung
A vine individually trained to a single stake . Used on very steep slopes such as the Mosel.
Define Erste Gewächs
legal term used for dry wines in the Rheingau from the best vineyards
Define Erzeugerabfüllung
grown and produced by the same grower or cooperative
Define Federweisser
Unfiltered must containing CO2 and yeast that is still in the process of fermenting. An autumn specialty served with onion quiche or roasted chestnuts
Define Feinherb
half-dry, no legal definition
Define Flaschengärung
bottle-fermented sekt
Define Flurbereinigung
restructuring of German vineyards
Define Füder
1000-liter cask common in the Mosel
Define Gerbstoff
Tannin
Define Grosses Gewächs
VDP classification of dry wines from the best vineyards, must be Spätlese ripeness
Define Grosslage
A collection of vineyards; misleading term for inexpensive wines
Define Grosser Ring
Mosel growers association
Define Gutsabfüllung
grown, produced and bottled by the same person/estate
Define Halbtrocken
half-dry, generally less than 18 g/L residual sugar
Define Handgerüttelt
Hand Riddled
Define Hauptlese
The main Harvest
Define Kellerei
Wine cellar (or wholesaler)
Define Kelter
Wine press
Define Keuper
Clay and slate soil.
Define Lehm
Loam soil
Define Leiblich
Medium-sweet
Define Mergel
Heavy Loam
Define Mostgewicht
Must weight which is the weight of sugar in the grapes at the time of the harvest
Define Reinzuchthefen
Pure culture yeasts. Used by growers afraid of risk, hence stuck fermentations
Define Restzucker
Residual sugar
Define Rotling. Give three examples.
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.
Define Rotliegendes
Reddish slate.
Define Stück
1200 liter cask commonly used in the Rheingau
Define Schneewein
Snow wine; a term used to describe an ice wine made from grapes gathered when snow covered the vineyards.
Define Schielerwein
A rotling from Sachsen
Define Schneewein
snow white; another reference to ice wine; refers to when grapes are covered in snow
Define Schillerwein
A rotling from Württemburg
Define Schloss
German word for castle; on a wine label it is equivalent to the French word “Chateau.”
Define Schotter
Gravel
Define Sonnenuhr
A sundial often very large on steep vineyard sites.
Define Spontangärung
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.
Define Steillage
Literally: steep site. A vineyard with an inclination of more than 30%
Define Spritzig
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).
Define Ton
Clay
Define Trocken
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
Define Vorlese
A pre-harvest before the main harvest to eliminate rotten or defective bunches.
Define Weinkellerei
Wine cellar or winery.
Define Weinberg
German for vineyard.
Define Weinsäure
Tartaric acid
Define Weissherbst
rosé from a single variety of red grape
Define Winzer
A wine grower
Define Winzergenossenschaft
Co-op
Define Zentralkellerei
A central cooperative that gets its wine or must from smaller cellars in the area and blends, produces and bottles the wines.
Perlwein
Germanyt Half Sparkling. Equivalent to Frizzante.
