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D3 Take 2 > German Wine Law & Regulations > Flashcards

German Wine Law & Regulations Flashcards

1
Q

To when does the current German wine law date back?

A

1971, but have been amended considerably since.

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2
Q

What is the fundamental principle of German wine law?

A

Classify grapes according to must weights at harvest.

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3
Q

Name the quality levels of German wine , in order of must weight.

A

Deutscherwein, Landwein, Qualitätswein, Prädikatswein.

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4
Q

Describe the quality level Deutscher wein.

A

No geographical indication but made from grapes exclusively from Germany.
Alcohol between 8,5 - 15% abv
Any style
Enrichment is permitted

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5
Q

Describe Landwein.

A

Introduced 1982
German equivalent of PGI
85% of grapes must originate from label named landwein region
Alcohol between 8,5-15% abv
Enrichment is permitted

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6
Q

Describe Qualitätswein.

A

PDO category.
Grapes must come for one of 13 Anbaugebiete (must appear on label).
All styles allowed
Minimum alcohol 7% abv
Enrichment is permitted
Must undergo laboratory analysis and blind tasting prior to release.

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7
Q

Qualitätswein that pass laboratory analysis and blind taste are given a number that must appear on the label. What is it called (abbreviation), how many digits is it and what does it mean?

A

AP (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer - Official exam number). 10-12 digits. Indicates where and when the wine was tested, location of vineyard and bottler’s lot number (unique for each bottling)

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8
Q

Regulations for Prädikatswein?

A

Grapes must come exclusively from a Bereich (40 districts, smaller than Anbaugebiete ).
Enrichment is not permitted.

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9
Q

Prädikatswein can be produced from any grape variety but is highly associated with what variety?

A

Riesling.

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10
Q

What does Prädikat translate to? And how many levels are there (defined by minimum must weight)?

A

Prädikat translates to Distinction. There are 6 levels.

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11
Q

Name the Prädikatswein-level that is lightest in body and highest in acid.

A

Kabinett

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12
Q

Kabinett can be dry to medium-sweet. What alcohol levels can it span, and what aromas and flavours do you find in Kabinett along with what body and acidity?

A

From 7% up to 12% for the driest versions. Kabinett is light-bodied, high in acidity with green and citrus fruit aromas.

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13
Q

What does Spätlese mean? How much later is it generally picked compared to Kabinett? What aromas do you find in Riesling spätlese?

A

Translates to late picked. Generally harvested 2 weeks later than Kabinett. Riper fruit flavours, stone fruit in Riesling.

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14
Q

What does Auslese translate to?

A

Selected harvest.

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15
Q

Short description of Auslese characteristics.

A

Ripe and more concentrated than spätlese. Honey characteristics, some grapes may have botrytis adding more flavour complexity.

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16
Q

Auslese is the last Prädikatswein category that can be dry, but the best are often sweeter in style. What is minimum abv?

A

7% abv.

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17
Q

Some producers use additional labelling terms to indicate sweetness in Auslese. Why?

A

The range of must weights is particularly wide.

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18
Q

Often shortened to BA, what does it stand for and what does it translate to?

A

Beerenauslese, translates to selected berries.

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19
Q

Beerenauslese fermentation is long and slow. Why?

A

The very high must weight make the fermentation long and slow. The wine will always be sweet.

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20
Q

The berries for Beerenauslese does NOT have to be botrytized but it is a typical feature. What is minimum alcohol? And what is typical flavours for Riesling Beerenauslese?

A

Minimum alcohol is 5,5% abv, typical flavours are of very ripe and dried stone fruits

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21
Q

When was Eiswine given its own Prädikat level?

A

1982

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22
Q

Must weight in Eiswine is equal to must weight in what other Prädikat level?

A

Auslese

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23
Q

The grapes destined for Eiswine can only be picked when frozen. Below what temperature must it be? Between what months are harvest and what vintage year is stated on the bottle?

A

Temperature must be -7 or less. Harvest is from December (occasionally November) to February the following year. Declared vintage is the year that harvest started.

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24
Q

Unpleasant flavours of rot is amplified in Eiswine along with the other flavours. Grapes have to be healthy when pressed. What do growers sometimes do to protect their crop?

A

Sometimes they cover their grapes in plastic sheeting.

25
Q

Riesling Eiswine tend to have what taste profile?

A

High acidity and concentrated, pure peach and grapefruit flavours.

26
Q

What does TBA read out as, and what is the literal translation?

A

Trockenbeerenauslese, translates into selected dried berries.

27
Q

What must the grapes destined for TBA be affected by?

A

Botrytis. The shrivelled, raisin-like grapes produce tiny amounts of highly concentrated, extremely sweet wines.

28
Q

List the four sweetness levels in German wines (that correspond to EU labelling terms), starting with the driest. What is maximum residual sugar per litre (in grams)?

A

Trocken = dry. Max 4 gr residual sugar / litre. Up to 9 if residual sugar does not exceed total acidity by more than 2 g (Riesling)
Halbtrocken = off-dry. Between 4 -12 g residual sugar/litre. Or up to 18 if rs does not exceed total acidity by more than 10 g.
Lieblich = medium, medium/sweet. Between 12 - 45 g/ L
Süss = sweet. More than 45 g/L residual sugar.

29
Q

Why is the proportion of trocken wines higher in warmer German regions compared to cooler?

A

Ripeness of fruit can balance the acidity without the need for sugar.

30
Q

Popularity of halbtrocken wines have been falling due to consumers preference of drier styles. Producers choose to not put the sweetness level on the label or use a different word. What? Elaborate.

A

Feinherb (translates into fine dry). Not defined by law. Used for wines within legal definition of halbtrocken but also extends to slightly higher levels.

31
Q

What is Goldkapsel? Where is it most commonly used?

A

Most commonly used in Mosel where many producers are making wines at a range of sweetness levels. Goldkapsel designates wines characterised by botrytis.

32
Q

What is a Bereiche, Einzellagen and Grosslagen?

A

Bereich is a wine producing district, Einzellagen is an individual vineyard site and Grosslagen is collective vineyard sites.

33
Q

Einzellagen and Grosslagen names can only be used on what quality levels?

A

Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein

34
Q

Einzellagen and Grosslagen must usually be preceded by the name of the village where the vineyard(s) is located unless what?

A

Unless the name of the property is so well known that it is officially permitted not to (Schloss Johannisberg, Schloss Vollrads)

35
Q

The state of Rheinland-Pfalz (Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Pfalz and Rheinhessen) has recently approved what to be registered and added to the Bereich?

A

Names of individual plots within a vineyard.

36
Q

Liebfraumilch is a legally defined term. What quality level (of German wine law) must it be? How many grams RS per litre? 70% must be one or several of what grape varieties? Which variety tend to be in majority? What four regions must the grapes originate from? What two region are most common?

A

Liebfraumilch must be Qualitätswein and have 18g/L of residual sugar. 70% must be Riesling, Silvaner, Kerner or müller-thurgau. Müller-Thurgau tend to be the amjority. Grapes must originate from Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Nahe or Rheingau. Most was produced in Rheinhessen and Nahe.

37
Q

When was VDP founded and why?

A

Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter was founded 1910 to promote wines without must enrichment.

38
Q

What was wine without must enrichment called in 1910 (when VDP was formed to promote them)?

A

Naturwein (rejected from German wine law in the 1960s

39
Q

How can you identify a VDP member?

A

By the VDP logo (an eagle bearing a bunch of grapes) which must appear on their wine capsules.

40
Q

How many percent of Germany’s total vineyard area is owned by VDP members? How many percent of annual production is made by VDP in volume, and in value?

A

5% is owned by VDP members. 3% of volume and 7,5% of value.

41
Q

How often are VDP members audited?

A

Every fifth year.

42
Q

VDP encourages sustainable viticulture. How many percent of Germany’s certified organic growers are VDP members?

A

20%

43
Q

In VDP, what must all dry wines be labelled with? What are wines with residual sweetness labelled as?

A

Qualitätswein trocken. Prädikat levels are used only for wines with residual sugar.

44
Q

VDP emphasise the provenance of wines. A four-tier vineyard classification system is used. What are the first two tiers?

A

VDP Gutswein - regional wines. Max yield 75hL/ha
VDP Ortswein - village wine. Variety typical of the region. 75hL/ha

45
Q

The third tier in VDP classification is what? What does it mean, elaborate.

A

VDP Erste Lage - first class vineyards. Equivalent to burgundy’s premier cru. Excellent quality wines with ageing potential. Locally associated varieties only. Max yield is 60hL/ha. Hand harvest only. Ripe enough to qualify for spätlese status.

46
Q

The best parcels in the best vineyards are called what in VDP classification and is equivalent to what burgundy classification?

A

VDP Grosse Lage is equivalent to Grand Cru

47
Q

Riesling in permitted in all Anbaugebiete for VDP Grosse Lage. But one Anbaugebiete differs. Which one and how?

A

In Ahr, Riesling is only allowed for botrytized wines when labelling it VDP Grosse Lage.

48
Q

For Grosse Lage Spätburgunder is permitted in all Anbaugebiete except two. Name them.

A

Mosel and Nahe.

49
Q

Dry wines made from grapes from Grosse Lage are designated what in the VDP?

A

Grosses Gewächs

50
Q

The term Grosses Gewächs cannot appear on the label. How is the bottle marked? Is both village and vineyard name found on the label?

A

The bottle or label is marked with the trademark GG. Only the vineyard name appears on the label (similar to grand crus in burgundy).

51
Q

Introduced 1984 to promote dry wines from the best vineyard sites, in 1999 the members joined the VDP. They can now label the wines GG (Grosses Gewächs), what were they called before and what is the name of the classification system?

A

The Rheingau Charta. The term Erstes Gewächs was introduced for the best vineyards of Rheingau.

52
Q

The German wine law from 1971 was revised in 2021. A new element is a geographic hierarchy for Qualitätswein. It is based on the principle that the smaller the unit of origin, the higher quality of the wine. Explain the pyramid thinking.

A

At the bottom is the wine growing area, the Anbaugebiete.
Above is region (replaces Bereich and Grosslage)
Village
Vineyard

Single vineyard is at the bottom in the continued pyramid, above is Erstes Gewächs and on top Grosses Gewächs.

53
Q

In the adjusted German wine law (2021) the top pyramid in quality goes from single vineyard to Erstes Gewächs and on top is Grosses Gewächs. Single vineyard in German? Translate Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs.

A

Einzellage = singe vineyard.
Erstes Gewächs = first growth
Grosses Gewächs = Great growth

54
Q

Name 3 requirements that are equal for Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs.

A
  1. Grape origin must come from single vineyard (or smaller parcel) within a classified site.
  2. Single grape variety (minimum 85%)
  3. Must be dry (Trocken)
55
Q

The grapes from a Grosses Gewächs must be handpicked. How is Erstes Gewächs regulated on that topic?

A

Grapes must be picked selectively (harvested by any means but must be subject to selection).

56
Q

Max yield for Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs? Minimum natural alcohol content?

A

Erstes Gewächs - 60 hL/ha (on steep slopes 70), minimum 11%
Grosses Gewächs - 50 hL/ha, minimum 12%

57
Q

Both Erstes Gewächs and grosses Gewächs must pass a sensory test by a tasting commission. What differs between them?

A

Grosses Gewächs must always pass a sensory test, Erstes Gewächs only if ordered by the regional bodies.

58
Q

What is a Gewann in German wine law?

A

A small parcel, registered into the vineyard register, that can be indicated on Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs.

D3 Take 2 (21 decks)

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