Germany Flashcards
What percentage of German wines are vinified dry?
60% (Up from 30% 10 years ago)
Which group brought Pinot Noir and Riesling to Germany?
The Cistercians
When did phylloxera come to Germany?
1872
What is the Deutches Weingesetz?
The fifth and most current German wine law. From 1971
What is an einzellagen?
An individual vineyard site
What is a grosslagen?
A collective vineyard site comprised of multiple vineyards
How many einzellagen are recognized in Germany?
Apprximately 2700
What is an anbaugebiete?
A German winegrowing region
How many anbaugebiete exist in Germany?
13
What is required for a wine to be labelled with an anbaugebiet?
The wine is produced from grapes grown within a single anbaugebiet
What determines a wine’s quality level in Germany?
Must weight
What is an Amtliche Prüfungsnummer?
A number with five sets of digits awarded to wines that qualify as Qualitätswein or Prädikatswein
What do the five sets of Amtliche Prüfungsnummer numbers refer to?
1: Location of the examination board
2: Village where the wine was produced
3: The producer
4: Unique bottling number
5: Year in which the wine was tested
What percentage of German wine is either Qualitätswein or Prädikatswein?
96%
When was the Deutches Qeingesetz first updated and what changed?
- Landwein added as a category. Eiswein added to Prädikatswein
What is the general size requirement for einzellagen?
5 hectares
What does feinherb mean?
A slightly off-dry wine. Now usually replaces halbtrocken
What are the levels of German wine classification (from best to worst)?
Prädikatswein
Qualitätswein
Landwein
Wein
What is the difference between Wein and Deutscher Wein?
Wein has no geographic designation. Deutscher Wein is produced only from German grapes?
Are vintage and variety permitted on Wein labels?
Yes
What is a Landweingebiete?
A winegrowing region from which Landwein is produced
How many Landweingebiete exist in Germany?
26
What are the subcategories of Landwein?
Trocken
Halbtrocken
Are Qualitätswein typically sweet or dry?
Dry
Are Prädikatswein typically sweet or dry?
Sweet
What is the Öchsle scale?
A measurement of the denisty of grape must. Higher values indicate more sugar and ripeness
What are the levels of Prädikatswein (from driest to sweetest)?
Kabinett
Spätlese
Auslese
Beerenauslese
Eiswein
Trockenbeerenauslese
What does VDP stand for in Germany and what is it?
Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter. An association with 199 producers dedicated to high quality wine and the preservation of a sense of place through cultivation of traditional grape varieties
What are the requirements to be a member of the VDP?
Higher minimum must weight and lower yields than required by law
Wines must be estate-grown
Hand-harvesting for most wines
Wines must be produced with 80% traditional grapes
No use of the Grosslagen label
What is the Traubenadler?
The VDP label found on bottle capsules from participating producers
When was the VDP founded?
1910
What are the categories of VDP wines (from best to worst)?
Grosse Lage (grand cru)
Erste Lage (premier cru)
Ortswein (village)
Gutswein (regional)
What does Kalkstein mean?
Limestone
What does Blauen Schiefer mean?
Blue slate
What does Buntsandstein mean?
Red sandstone
What does Grosses Gewächs mean?
A dry Grosse Lage wine harvested at least at spätlese level
What term is used to label dry VDP wines at Erste Lage level and below?
Trocken
Is chaptalization allowed for VDP wines?
Yes due to the fact that all VDP wines are technically Qualitätswein
In which anbaugebiete does Erste Lage not exist?
Mosel
Ahr
Rheinhessen
Where does Germany rank in terms of grape growing?
14th
How many hectares are under vine in Germany?
102.000 hectares
What is the minimum amount required for a wine to be varietally labelled in Germany?
85%
What re Germany’s three most grown grapes?
Riesling
Müller-Thurgau
Spätburgunder
What is Müller-Thurgau a blend of?
Riesling
Madeleine Royale
What is Germany’s second most planted red grape?
Dornfelder
Which country consumes the most sparkling wine per capita?
Germany
What is sekt?
German sparkling wine
What percentage of premium sekt wines are made with Riesling?
50%
How sweet is sekt in general?
Brut
What is a bereich?
A German winegrowing district inside of an anbaugebiet
What is a gemeinde?
A village or parish
What is an alleinbesitz?
A monopole
What is schillerwein?
A rosé made from fermenting red and white grapes together
Where are you likely to find Goldriesling?
Sachsen in Germany