Germany Flashcards
What is the main climate of Germany?
Cool continental
Why is site selection important?
Due to the high latitude
What plays a moderating effect on the cool climate?
-Rivers (Rhine)
-Radiate heat, moderating temperatures and extending the growing season
What is the best exposure for vineyards?
-South-facing slopes to maximise sun exposure
- can be very steep up to 70% gradients in Mosel)
What are the winters like in Germany?
-Cold, allows eiswein production
What is a risk in spring?
-Frost, rivers and plantings on slopes to mitigate the effects
What about rainfall?
-500-800 mm of which lots falls in summer
-risk of: fungal disease, dilution of grapes and when heavy storms: hail
What are the autumns like in Germany?
-long&dry extending the growing season
-grapes can accumulate high levels of sugar suitable for Pradikatswein
-morning mist from river can help botrytis develop
What are the 2 mountains in Germany, what do they do?
-Taunus&Haardt
-shelter vineyards from cold winds & worst rain
Which soil type is predominant in the Mosel&Ahr? describe its features
-dark-coloured slate
-retains heat during the day&radiates the heat during the night
Which grape varieties grow best on calcareous soils?
-Spatburgunder, weissburgunder & chardonnay in baden, pfalz & rheinhessen
-in Franken, Silvaner grows best on calcareous soils
Which soil does grauburgunder prefer?
-heavier clay soils
What is a major problem in the Mosel and Rheingau regarding soils?
-Erosion on steep slopes
- soils&rocks need to be placed back on the slopes = high costs for vineyard maintenance
How many ha under vine does Germany have?
100.000
around 9 million hl
Why is good canopy management important?
-to maximise sun exposure
-air circulation to reduce risk of disease caused by wet summers
What shift has there been regarding grape varieties?
-From 90% white to 39% red in 2017
- ince 1990s more interest in Grau & weissburgunder and to lesser extent in chardonnay
Why is Riesling so popular in Germany?
-can survive the cold german winters
-late budding with thick wood -> fairly frost resistant
When does Riesling ripen? What does this mean?
-Late-ripening
-needs good sun exposure & dry autumns
-cooler years and sites: may not fully ripen
How is greater consistency in terms of ripening Riesling achieved?
-Improved vineyard management techniques
-rising temperatures
What about the acidity levels in Riesling?
-High
-Maintains high acidity levels, even when fully ripe
-provides good balance in sweet wines
-ageing potential
What about sugar levels in Riesling?
-Can develop high natural sugars
-also susceptible for botrytis
- suitable for sweet wine production
Why was Muller Thurgau developed?
- To have a grape variety that ripens earlier than riesling in a cool climate
What are the characteristics of Muller Thurgau?
-High yielding -> inexpensive blends such as liebfraumilch
-lower acidity and structure than riesling
-simple floral&fruity aroma
Which style of spatburgunder can be produced in Germany?
-High quality, complex, often oak aged (less new oak)
What is a winemaking technique which can be used for spatburgunder?
-Whole bunch fermentation
-to add tannins from stems without the use of oak
What is the style of Dornfelder? describe the 2 styles
-deep in colour
-high acidity
-fruity&floral notes
-style 1: fruity, early drinking, can have little residual sugar, sour cherry and blackberry
-style 2: complex style, ageing potential,lower yielding, focus on tannin&structure and fermented/aged in oak
In which areas is Dornfelder successful?
-Rheinhessen and Pfalz
What is the style of Silvaner?
-lower in acidity and less aromatic than Riesling
-high volume, inexpensive wines
-green to tropical fruit
-when yields controlled: high quality, dry, earthy character
Where is Weissburgunder grown? Describe the style
-Pfalz, Baden, Rheinhessen
-very good quality with aromas of citrus and stonefruit
-medium (+) acidity
Where is grauburgunder grown? Describe its style
-Pfalz, Baden, Rheinhessen
-sometimes oak aged
-very good quality, medium acidity, stonefruit and tropical, sometimes dried fruit
-dry & med body to sweet & full body
Since when is Chardonnay allowed? producing which style?
-1990
-high quality often oak aged from warmer areas: Kaiserstuhl in Baden and Southern Pfalz
What about the crossing Scheurebe, why is this variety successful?
-others too high levels of sugar and lower acidity = no balance
-scheurebe= full bodied, ripe grapefruit and peach with lower acidity than Riesling but still age worthy
What are 2 common practices regarding winemaking with inexpensive high volume wines?
-enrichment (up to 3% abv and 2% in baden, not allowed in pradikatswein)
-de-acidification
What winemaking technique can be used for premium Riesling?
-fermentation and maturation in old oak vessels
Which type of oak is used in Germany?
-German oak for large oak vessels (1000 litres fuder of Mosel or Oval shaped 1200 ltr)
-French oak for small barriques
Why is stainless steel the main fermentation vessel in Germany?
-for inexpensive wines: easy temp. control, cleaning and use of large vessels + no oxygen and addition of flavours
-premium Riesling: to maintain primary aromas
Why is new oak not used for Riesling?
-Could mask primary aromas
How was sweet wine traditionally made?
-residual sugar was fermented to dryness
-post-fermentation: sussreserve added (unfermented or partially fermented grape must)
Can sussreserve come from the same must as the wine? If so, explain
-Yes
-Pre-fermentation, part taken from must -> clarified, chilled and s02 added to remain fresh
-then: added back to fermented wine to create desired sweetness level
-min/no alc may reduce the alcohol level of the final wine (depending on the amount added)
-said to give less balanced wines
What is the other method of making sweet wines?
-stopping fermentation by adding so2 when desired residual sugar levels are reached
-racked or filtered
-for quality concious producers
What about the fermentation of (T)BA & Eiswein?
-high must weight and slow fermentation (up to several months for TBA)
Results in: fermentation can stop naturally leaving high levels of residual sugar behind and low levels of alcohol
How are inexpensive red wines often made?
-thermovinification for quick extraction of colour and flavour
-may even be fermented off skins for fruity red wine with low tannins
-no oak
Which winemaking techniques are common for high quality red?
-cold maceration
-whole bunch fermentation
-oak maturation
Which 4 quality levels of wine are based on the must weight?
-Deutscherwein
-Landwein
-Qualitatswein
-Pradikatswein
If the wine is classified as Deutscherwein, where are the grapes sourced from? nad as Landwein?
-Deutscher wein: in or outside germany, no geographical indication
-Landwein: if region is stated on the label, at least 85%
Which sweetness levels can kabinett have?
-dry to medium sweet
describe the style of kabinett
-lightest body and highest acidity
-green & citrus aromas
What range are the alc percentages of kabinett?
-7-12% abv
What is the style of spatlese compared to kabinett?
-fully ripe grapes, picked 2 weeks later than kabinett
-also min. 7% abv
-greater concentration of riper fruit (stonefruits for riesling), higher alc levels
-
What style can auslese produce?
-dry to sweet
-from specially selected extra ripe grapes
- mostly hand harvested but not obligated
-riper and more concentrated than spatlese
-min 7% abv
-honey characteristic when affected by botrytis, adding to complexity
Why is hand harvest obligatory with Beerenauslese?
-because berries are carefully selected
What is the style of Beerenauslese?
-Sweet, min. 5.5 abv%
-no botrytis obligatory but common
-very ripe and dried stonefruits
in what years is Beerenauslese produced?
-when grapes are affected by noble rot
due to brief periods of humidity followed by sunny and dry afternoons
-very low yields + labour intensive = rare wines and expensive
How is eiswein made?
-berries need to be picked when frozen (below -7 degrees)
-fruit should be healthy: the unpleasant flavour of rot will be amplified along with other flavours
-need to be pressed when frozen: very small amounts of concentrated juice with high levels of acidity and sugar
What is the style of eiswein?
-high acidity, concentrated flavours of pure peach and grapefruit
-rare and sold at premium prices
Describe the style of TBA
-very high must weight -> affected by botrytis producing very concentrated, tiny shrivelled raisin-like grapes
-sweetness still balances acidity = ageing potential
-do rarely exceed 8% abv
-yields are extremely low (not more than 100 bottles per time), cannot be produced every year since botrytis is neccessary
=most expensive wine of germany
why do some producers use EU labelling terms?
-because consumers cannot tell what the residual sugar is of auslese, spatlese, kabinett or qualitatswein
- to create sweetness levels
up to how many grams of residual sugar is Trocken?
up to 4 grams
up to how many grams of residual sugar is halbtrocken (off-dry)
-4 to 12 grams
up to how many grams of redisudal sugar is lieblich (medium/medium sweet)?
-12 to 45 grams
Why do producers use Fernheib as labelling term?
-not defined by law
-who do not want to label as halbtrocken due to negative association
-can have slightly higher levels of residual sugar
What is goldkapsel?
-a gold capsule created in the Mosel
-No official labelling term
-indicated botrytis affected wines
- shorter capsules = higher levels of concentration than auslese
-longer capsules = even further levels
What are einzellagen?
- individual sites within wine producing districts
-from less than 1 ha up to over 200 ha
What are Grosslagen?
-collective vineyard sites
-can have einzellagen in them
-600-1800 ha
note: NOT CONFUSE WITH GROSSE LAGE VDP (one of top vineyards)
Is liebfraumilch legally defined? If yes, what are the requirements?
-Yes
-medium-dry white qualitatswein
-min. 18 g/l residual sugar
- at least 70& riesling, silvaner, muller thurgau or kerner
-most blends are muller thurgau dominated
-mainly from rheinhessen and pfalz
What is the VDP?
-Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter
-a hierarchy of vineyard sites with now 200 members
-vdp set up higher standards when pradikatswein was set up in 1971
-vdp logo must appear on the capsules
What makes VDP different from Pradikatswein?
-stricter regulations regarding grape growing and winemaking
- lower max. yields
-higher min. must weight
How must dry wines be labelled in VDP?
-as qualitatswein trocken
-pradikat levels only apply to wines with residual sweetness
What classification system did the VDP created?
-4-tier classification system
-applies ONLY to VDP members and is NOT A PART OF GERMAN WINE LAW
What is the ‘lowest’ tier of the VDP classification system? what are the maximum yields?
-vdp Gutswein
-75 hl/ha
Where is VDP Ortswein equivalent to?
-Burgundy Villages
- also max 75 hl/ha
What are the rules applicable to VDP Erste Lage?
-similar to premier cru from Burgundy
-max. 60 hl/ha
-must be hand harvested & ripe enough to qualify for spatlase
-vineyard name&village must appear on label
Where can Grosse Lage be compared with?
-Grand Cru Burgundy
-best parcels of best vineyards
-outstanding quality
What is the max. yield for Grosse Lage?
50 hl/ha
Where is Spatburgunder applying for Grosse Lage not allowed?
-In the Nahe&Mosel
When are dry white wines from Grosse Lage released?
Released no sooner than 1st september the year following the harvest
When are red wines from Grosse Lage released?
-12 months of minimum oak ageing
-not released 1st of september in the year after this oak ageing
What about sweet pradikat wines in Grosse Lage?
-can be sold 1st May year following harvest
What cannot be stated on the label regarding Grosse Lage?
-Grosses Gewachs for dry wines
-instead voor VDP wines: GG
What is the climate of Rheinhessen?
-Warm&dry
-sheltered by mountains (hunsruck&Taunus)
What are the soils in Rheinhessen?
-Warm and fertile
-valley floors
-inexpensive, high volume wines
Where is Rheinhessen famous for?
-Liebfraumilch
Which grape variety dominates in Rheinhessen?
- 71% white wine production
-Riesling, MT 2nd
Which black grape variety is leading in Rheinhessen?
Dornfelder
Regarding business, who produce which style of wine in Rheinhessen?
-Bulk production = merchant houses
-quality wine = small estates or co-operatives
Which area of Rheinhessen produces good quality wines? describe the features
-Rheinterrasse
-West bank of Nierstein and Oppenheim
-steep sloped vineyards
-east-facing aspect = morning sun = enhanced ripening
-proximity Rhine = moderating influence = warmer evening & autumn temp = longer ripening
Describe the style of a Rheinterrasse Riesling
Ripe lemon and peach
Which vineyards within Rheinterrasse are well reputated?
-Roter Hang
-due to soil: Rotliegenden soil
What are the features of Rotliegenden soil?
-Iron rich red soil of slate, clay & sandstone
-said to give smoky character to wine
Name another region within Rheinhessen gaining a better reputation for high quality Riesling and Spatburgunder
-Wonnegau
-South Rheinhessen
-Moderating influence from Rhine
What are qualitats&pradikatswein due to the revised german wine classification?
-protected designation of origin (PDO)
What is landwein due to the revised german wine classification? What is not allowed on the label?
-protected geographical indication
-may state 1 of defined landwein areas but not the village/vineyard
Is it allowed to enrich qualitatswein?
Yes
What is the range of Oechsle with qualitatswein?
between 50 and 72 degrees depending on the style
What is the range of Oechsle with pradikatswein?
between 70 and 154 degrees depending on style
What is the minimum must weight of eiswein?
same as Beerenauslese
What has been established in 2021? what are the tiers?
A geographic hierarchy for qualitats wein
-winegrowing area, region, village, vineyard
What is the German name for the winegrowing area?
-Anbaugebiet
-lowest tier
What is the German name for village?
-Ortwein = village wine with the village on the label
What is the German name for vineyard (highest tier of qualitatswein)?
-Einzellage = single vineyard
-dry and sweet
- further categories within vineyads= erstes gewachs and grosses gewachs
What is the location of Pfalz?
-Narrow strip of vineyards between haardt mountains to the west and rhine plain to the east
-remarkably not centred along river valley
What about the climate of the Pfalz?
-Runs North from Alsace -> haardt continuation of Vosges mountains providing rain shadow effect
-driest wine-producing area = drought can be an issue
Which grape varieties dominate in Pfalz?
-65% white
-25% of that Riesling
-also MT,grau and weiss
What is the style of Pfalz wine?
-fuller bodied and ripe fruit than Rheinhessen
-due to warmer temperatures
Where is the best quality wine produced in Pfalz? Why?
-Mittelhaardt around Bad durkheim,Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg in Northern part of Pfalz
-South or east facing steep slopes in foothills of the haardt for maximised sunlight exposure, protected from winds = ripe, full-bodied riesling
What are the soil types in Pfalz?
-Diverse, creating different styles
-sandstone, limestone, basalt and clay
Where are inexpensive wines made in Pfalz?
-Sudliche weinstrasse
- inexpensive wines on more fertile sandstone soils
What is the most planted black variety in Pfalz?
Dornfelder
Why are pinot grapes common in Pfalz?
-Area has been under German and French rule
-similar climate to Alsace
Baden is split into 3 different areas. Where are they located?
-North of Heidelberg to Swiss border to the south
-between Franken and Wurttemberg
-East of Bodensee
Where are most vineyards located in Baden? What is its climate?
-Eastern side of Rhine opposite Alsace
-benefit from rain shadow Vosges Mountains + Southerly latitude = warmest, sunniest, driest wineproducing area of Germany
Which part of Baden makes fuller bodied spatburgunders?
-Kaiserstuhl = extinct volcano
-Steep, south-facing slopes
-high alc, complex, smoky ripe fruit
Which part creates more delicate spatburgunder?
-Cooler areas such as Ortenau
-Calcareous soil (around Tuniberg and Breisgau) = more acidity&delicate fruit
How many % of Baden plantings are white?
59%, mainly Muller Thurgau
What are the grapegrowing conditions of Baden?
-Warm&dry, ideal for high volume inexpensive wines
Which grape varieties are developing in terms of higher quality production in Baden?
-weissburgunder, grauburgunder and chardonnay
-often matured in oak
Who are the biggest producers in baden?
-Co-operatives, 75% of production
-Badischer Winzerkeller
What is the location of Wurttemberg?
-Around Stuttgart
-East of Baden
-South of Franken
What is the main style produced in Wurttemberg?
-light, fruity reds
-domestic market
What are the main producers in Wurttemberg?
-Co-operatives
-Moglingen
Where are higher quality wines produced in Wurttemberg?
-by smaller producers
-around river Neckar, steep, terraced vineyards
What is the climate of wurttemberg?
-warm summers temperatures
-spring frost can still be issue due to overall continental climate
-black grape varieties mostly planted (68%)
What are the most planted black grape varieties of Wurttemberg?
-Lemberger, Trollinger, Schwarzriesling (can differentiate on export markets with these grape varieties)
-also increasingly spatburgunder
apart from light bodied reds, which style can also be produced from Lemberger in particular?
-fuller bodied, higher alcohol, riper fruit
-often oak aged
What is the location of the Mosel?
-Most Northerly
-Site selection important to ensure grapes can ripen
What is the best aspect of vineyards in the Mosel?
-Steep, south-facing slopes overlooking river Mosel
-for better sun exposure and some sun reflected from the river
What is the famous soil type of Mosel?
-Dark coloured slate = radiates heat
-different soil structures&colours = influence on characteristics and aromas of wine
Where do best wines from Mosel come from?
-Middle Mosel
-such as: Wehlen (Sonnenuhr), Bernkastel (Doctor), Piesport (Goldtropfchen)
Describe Mosel style
-compared to other Riesling regions: paler in colour, lighter in body, lower alc, higher acidity
-floral and green fruit
-balance of flavour intensity and acidity = long bottle ageing
Apart from Middle Mosel, where can other high quality Riesling be produced?
-Valleys of the river Saar and Ruwer (tributaries of Mosel)
-Sheltered side valleys
-south-east and south-west aspects
-higher altitude than middle mosel can result in higher acidity
-high reputed vineyards: Scharzhofberg, Saar
Where is more inexpensive wine made in Mosel?
-Flatter land around for example piesport
-Muller thurgau planted here
-less complex, produced by merchants
Where are the vineyards of Franken located?
-w-shaped area along south-facing slopes of river Main
What is the climate of Franken?
-Due to further east location: most continental climate of wine regions of Germany
-Warm summers, but shorter growing season due to cooler autumns and harsh winters
-spring frost can be a problem
Which grape variety produces a distinctive style in Franken?
Silvaner
Describe the features and style of Silvaner
- early budding and ripening -> can reach fruit ripeness before cool autumns reach
-susceptible to spring frost, gets best sites to mitigate frost problems
-best silvaners: south-eat facing slopes, chalky soils around Wurzberg, full-bodied dry wines, floral& wet stone
Describe the features and style of Silvaner
- early budding and ripening -> can reach fruit ripeness before cool autumns reach
-susceptible to spring frost, gets best sites to mitigate frost problems
-best silvaners: south-eat facing slopes, chalky soils around Wurzberg, full-bodied dry wines, floral& wet stone
Which grape variety also produce very good wines in Franken? Explain
-Spatburgunder
-west of region -> steep terraces on sandstone soils
Where is the Nahe located?
Between Mosel and Rheinhessen
what is the climate of Nahe?
Protected by Hunsruck mountains = mild temperatures and low rainfall
What is the main grape variety grown in Nahe? explain its style
-Riesling
-due to slightly warmer climate: lower levels of acidity, riper fruit and more body than Mosel
-Not as much as Rheingau and Rheinhessen
Where are the warmer conditions of the Nahe?
-east of region
-south facing slopes of nahe
-moderating influences from rivers: nahe&rhine -> max sunlight and steep slopes
-soils: slate&sandstone
Where are the cooler conditions of the Nahe?
To the west where harvest is later
Which wines are produced on gentle slopes in Nahe?
-Inexpensive Muller Thurgau
-due to deeper and more fertile slopes
What is the main planted black grape variety of Nahe?
-Dornfelder
-total black varieties just 25% of plantings
Where is the Rheingau famous for?
-most prestigeous and high quality Riesling which can be age worthy
What influences the climate of Rheingau?
-Taunus mountains= protect region from cold Northerly winds to the west
-south-facing aspect
results in: fuller-bodied, riper fruit than mosel
-wider rhine = moderating effect on temperature = less risk on frost
-increased humidity = perfect for botrytis
Which slopes are said to be the best for dry wine production in Rheingau?
-mid-slopes
-moderating influences from river
-far away enough from humidity that can lead to fungal disease
What are the soil types of Rheingau?
-sand,loam and loess around Hochheim to the east
-west: sandstone&slate
Which red grape variety grows in Rheingau? Describe its style
-spatburgunder
-west end around Assmannshausen
-steep south to south-west facing slopes around Hollenberg = fuller bodied Pinot Noir
-very good to outstanding in quality
What about the producers in the Rheingau?
-Co-operatives less influential than other wine regions in Germany
What is the location of the Ahr?
-One of most Northerly area
What are the special conditions that spatburgunder can grow in the Ahr?
-Northerly location = mainly cooler but..
-river Ahr cutting narrow, sheltered valley with steep south-facing slopes
What is the soil type of the Ahr?
-Dark slate (heat retaining)
-greywacke = dark sandstone
What was the traditional winemaking approach compared to the winemaking approach now in the Ahr?
-traditionally: late harvest black grapes with residual sweetness
-now: very good quality spatburgunder fermented to dryness
-relatively high tannins with spicy characteristics due to oak ageing
What type of producers dominate the Ahr?
-co-operatives, Mayschoss one of oldest co-operatives of the world
-also smaller estates making their way on the export market
How many growers does Germany have?
-16000 growers, of which half owns less than 3 ha
Generally speaking, what leads to higher production costs?
-labour intensive work at steep vineyards
-low yields (particularly sweeter wines)
-vintage variation
How much vineyard area does co-operatives own?
-around 30%
-one of the first wine-producing countries to establish co-operatives
How much wine is exported in percentages?
-10% of total production
The price per hl also has risen, why?
-from below €200 per hectolitre to €300
-due to less bulk shipping and increased bottled exports
What are the top 5 export markets?
USA, NL, UK, Norway and Swesen
-NL&UK average lower price due to inexpensive wines (although shrinking)
