Germany Flashcards
1
Q
Climate
A
- cool Continental
- long, cool ripening period
- grapes reach sugar ripeness while retaining acidity
- noble rot is common
2
Q
Vineyard
A
- harvested by hand
- head pruned: individually staked, canes tied in at top of stake > maximizes exposure to light and circulation of air
- Guyot trained staked vines
- slate maximizes heat and drainage, low in nutrients
3
Q
Harvest
A
- hand harvested
- wines classified by must weight
- spread over weeks to months
- several passes
4
Q
Styles of wine
A
- Qualitatsweine (dry): red and white
- Pradikatsweine (some residual sugar): white
5
Q
Riesling
A
- most widely planted
- range from delicate and floral to richer peach
- dry to lusciously sweet
- jasmine, white blossom, apple blossom, honey, grape
- age: waxy, pinenuts, petrol, oil, pestacio
- cold hardy, hard wood, tolerant of cold winds
- late budding > mitigates spring frosts
- mid to late ripening
- lighter: Mosel
- medium: Nahe
- medium to full: Rheingau
- fuller: Pfalz, Rheinhessan
- fullest: Baden
6
Q
Kabinett
A
- most delicate
- light body
- high acid
- green apple, citrus
- balanced by residual sweetness
- lower quality: sweetened with unfermented grape juice (Sussreserve)
- higher quality: fermentation stopped
7
Q
Sussreserve
A
unfermented grape juice
8
Q
Spatliese
A
- richer and riper than Kabinett
- citrus, stone fruit (peach, apricot)
9
Q
Auslese
A
- individually selected from extra ripe bunches
- richer and riper than Spatlese
- noble rot
10
Q
Beerenauslese (BA)
A
- noble rot possible
- not every year
- sweet
- low alcohol
- honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel, flowers
11
Q
Trokenbeerenauslese (TBA)
A
- noble rot essential
- not every year
- sweet
- low alcohol
- honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel, flowers
12
Q
Eiswein
A
- rare
- no noble rot, MLF, oak
13
Q
Pradikatsweine
A
- Kabinett
- Spatliese
- Auslese
- Beerenauslese
- Eiswein
- Trockenbeerenauslese
14
Q
Trocken
A
dry
15
Q
Halbtroken/Feinherb
A
off dry to medium
16
Q
Grosses Gewachs
A
- Qualitatsweine (dry)
- Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter (VDP): independent group which selects vineyards
17
Q
Muller Thurgau (Rivaner)
A
- Riesling + Madeleine Royale
- ripens earlier than Riesling
- lower acid than Riesling
- lower flavor intensity than Riesling
- on decline
- simple wine
18
Q
Silvaner
A
- dry and sweet styles
- lower acid than Riesling
- lower flavor intensity than Riesling
- primary varietal of Franken (GG)
19
Q
Spatburguner (Pinot Noir)
A
- Pfalz and Baden
- light and fruity or concentrated and oaky
20
Q
Dornfelder
A
- deep color
21
Q
Mosel
A
- Riesling (GG)*: lighter body, lower in alcohol, higher in acidity, floral and green fruit
- villages: Piesport, Bernkastel, Wehlen
22
Q
Nahe
A
- Riesling (GG)
- village: Schlossbockelheim
23
Q
Rheingau
A
- Riesling (GG): medium to full body, ripe peach
- Spatburgunder (GG)
- villages: Johannisberg, Rudesheim
- humid conditions > best BA and TBA wines
24
Q
Rheinhessan
A
- largest region
- Riesling (GG): fullest bodied
- Spatburgunder (GG)
- village: Nierstein
25
Q
Pfalz
A
- continuation of Alsace
- Harrdt Mountains (continuation of Vosges)
- Riesling (GG)
- Weissburgunder/Pinot Blanc (GG)
- Spatburgunder (GG)
- villages: Forst, Deidesheim
26
Q
Baden
A
- warmest, most southerly > fullest bodied
- Riesling (GG)
- Spatburgunder (GG)*
27
Q
Franken
A
- Riesling (GG)
- Silvaner (GG)*
- Weissburgunder/Pinot Blanc (GG)
- Grauburgunder/Pinot Gris (GG)
- Spatburgunder (GG)
28
Q
Winemaking practices for Riesling
A
- SO4 for antiseptic and antioxidant to preserve aromatics
- whole bunch pressing to preserve freshness
- inert vessels
- cool temperature and long fermentation enable more primary flavors
- MLF avoided
- lees contact for texture, acid balance and aromas
