German Wine Laws Flashcards
How are wines labelled in Germany?
Most wines are PDO. Those wines that are PGI are labelled Landwein and those that are without a GI are labelled Deutscher Wein.
Describe the regulations in the 13 PDO regions.
These regions are not limited to a specific grape variety. Wines are typically varietally labelled and classified by minimum must weight at harvest.
How are PDO wines labelled?
These wines must come from only one region and the name of the region will appear on the label. For Pradikatswein, the Pradikat level will also appear on the label.
How is the sweetness of wines labelled on a PDO wine?
Sweetness- Dry wines can be labelled trocken and wines that are off-dry or medium can be labelled halbtrocken. Some producers feel that halbtrocken has a negative connotation and will label it feinherb.
How is the vineyard location labelled on a PDO wine?
Vineyard Location-The name of the village comes first, then followed by the name of the vineyard, but lower quality wines can also be labelled this way and can come from a large number of neighbouring vineyards. Nothing on the label indicates whether they are single vineyard or not but the price is usually a good indicator.
How is the style of the wine indicated on a PDO wine?
Pradikat levels are a good indication of style; however there is no legally defining labelling terms such as Premier Cru or Grand Cru.
What is the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP)?
An independent group of German wine producers which include the best sites in Germany.
