Germany Flashcards
Climate in Germany?
Cool - Continental
What site selection influences are essential for ripening grapes?
Aspect
proximity to rivers
Proximity to mountain ranges (rain shadow)
min hL/Ha for Landwein and Deutcher Wein, and Qualitatzwein
Landwein & Deutcherwein 150hL/Ha
Qualitatzwein 105hL/Ha
these yields can be an issue for quality
Name the main trellising systems in Germany
Stake
VSP
Pendelbogan
Riesling accounts for what % of plantings?
23%
What is Sussreserve and how is it used?
Unfermented or partially fermented grape juice. Large commercial wineries use this to sweeten wines.
How are basic, inexpensive reds made in germany?
Thermovinification
Fermented off skins
stainless steel
How are premium reds made in Germany?
Cold maceration
oak
whole bunch
Whats is Deutscher wein?
Wine without a GI
what is Landwein?
PGI wines
What is Qualitatswein? (3)
PDO wines
Must be from one of 13 regions (or Anbaugebiete)
Will go through testing
What is Pradikatswein? (4)
PDO wines that are more heavily regulated
must be from one of 40 districts (Bereich)
enrichment not permitted
Must weights come under Kabinett - TBA
Kabinett Pradikatswein? (4)
Lowest must weights
Citrus & green apple flavours
light in style
highest acid
Spatlese Pradikatswein?
Fully ripe grapes
higher alcohol than Kabinett
greater fruit concentration - usually stone fruit
fuller body than Kabinett
Auslese Pradikatswein? (4)
Extra ripe grapes
some grapes affected by Botrytis
often honey characters
Usually sweet but last classification that can be dry
Legal min alcohol for Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese?
7%
Legal min alcohol for Beerenauslese, Eiswein and TBA?
5.5%
Beerenauslese Pradikatswein? (4)
Individually selected berries
hand harvested
Botrytis grapes common
flavours of very ripe and dried stonefruit
Eiswein Pradikatswein? (3)
Picked at below -7 degrees by law
Must be pressed when frozen
Pure peach and grapefruit flavours
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Extremely high must weights
Must be Botrytis affected grapes only
Most expensive wines in Germany
Marmalade, honey and dried fruit character
What are the issues with labelling a wine Trocken, Halb-Trocken, Lieblich etc?
These are based on what RS the wine has and not how the wine tastes (high acid Riesling can taste drier)
In geographical labelling terms, what are the following:
Bereiche
Einzllagen
Grosslagen
Bereiche: A distrrict
Einzllagen: Individual vineyard site
Grosslagen: Collective vineyard sites
Einzllagen and Grosslagen can only be used for which PDO wines?
Qualitatzwein & Pradikatswein
Where does the VDP differ from the traditional Qualitatswein/Pradikatswein laws? (4)
Lower min yields
Use of traditional grapes for specific regions
Higher min must weights
four tier vineyard classification system (crus)
What is Gutwein VDP?
Regional wine (Bourgogne)75hL/ha
What is Ortwein VDP?
Village wine (Gevrey Chambertin) 75hL/ha
What is Erste Lage VDP? (20)
1er cru wine
60 hL/Ha
What is Gross Lage VDP (5)
Grand cru - Best parcels in best vineyard
lowest yields - 50hL/Ha
12 months in oak for reds
Min aging for whites. September 1st, the year after harvest
appears as GG on the label (Gosses Gerwach not allowed)
What does Erste Gerwacha refer to?
A top site in Rheingau (The Rheingau charter)
Rheinhessen reputation? (3)
Warm and dry climate
Bulk wine production on the valley floor
quality wine production in the south
Nahe reputation? (4)
Small growers
mild temperatures
low rainfall
Mostly high quality whites, riper Riesling
Nahe soils?
Sandstone and slate
Franken Reputation (4)
Mostly Muller thurgau grown
Dry whites
High quality Sylvaner (full bodied, dry, floral)
High quality PN in the west
High quality PN & Riesling producer from Franken?
Rudolf Furst
Ahr reputation? (3)
Mostly red wine
mostly co ops - 85%
Sheltered valley good for ripening reds
Ahr soils?
Greywacke
Dark slate
Rheingau reputation? (4)
Highly prestigious region
Full bodies, riper style of riesling
Rhine sits at 1km wide - moderates and causes botrytis
wide range of soils
Riesling accounts for what % of german plantings?
23% (majority)
