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Germany Flashcards

1
Q

History of German wine?

A

Flurbereinigung - vineyard restructuring after WW2

5th German wine law in 1971 - established regions and classifications based on must weight

Liebfraumilch was 60% of export in 1980s - Blue Nun and Black Tower

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2
Q

General German climate?

A

Cool continental
Moderate rainfall - mostly in summer
Morning mists

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3
Q

General German Topography?

A

Steep, south-facing slopes
Rivers radiate heat - moderate temp and extend growing season
Taunus and Haardt mountain ranges

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4
Q

German production?

A

7th largest area under vine
100,000ha planted
9mil hL produced

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5
Q

Vineyard management in Germany?

A

Average yields: 150hL/ha Deutscher Wein/Landwein; 105hL/ha Qualitatswein
VSP Trellising
Pendelbogen (replacement cane with arches), also single/double
Mostly hand harvesting - steep slopes, required by Beerenauslese and above
Little organic/sustainable due to climate

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6
Q

How is fruit ripeness improved in Germany?

A

Better clonal selection
Summer pruning
Green harvesting
Selective hand harvesting

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7
Q

Describe Riesling:

A

23% of total plantings
Late budding
Late ripening
Thick wood
Needs sun exposure and dry autumns
High level of sugar
Susceptible to botrytis
Great ageability

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8
Q

Describe Muller-Thurgau:

A

AKA Rivaner
Earlier-ripening than Riesling
High yields
Much lower acidity than Riesling
Popular in Liebfraumilch

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9
Q

Describe Spatburgunder:

A

AKA Pinot Noir
11.5% of total plantings
High quality, complex, oak-aged examples
Whole bunch common

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10
Q

Describe Dornfelder:

A

Deep color
High acid
Fruity, floral
Mainly grown in Rheinhessen and Pfalz

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11
Q

Describe Silvaner:

A

Simple, inexpensive wines
High quality in Franken
Lower acidity than Riesling
Plantings declining
Early budding
Early ripening

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12
Q

Winemaking in Germany:

A

Experimentation with lees/oak for whites
Enrichment common
- prohibited in Pradikatswein
Deacidification allowed, not often used

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13
Q

Sweetening practices in Germany?

A

Sussreserve - traditionally used to sweeten wines that had been fermented to dry
Sussreserve must be made from the same region/quality level as the wine
RCGM can only be used for Deutscher Wein

Now, quality producers stop fermentation with SO2, racking, or filtering

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14
Q

Describe Deutscher Wein:

A

Formerly Tafelwein
Grapes grown in Germany
No Geographical Indication
Tiny production

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15
Q

Describe Landwein:

A

Equivalent to PGI
85% must be from region
Trocken or Halbtrocken
Tiny production

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16
Q

Describe Qualitatswein:

A

13 Anbaugebiete (named quality regions)
Must undergo analysis and tasting panel
Given AP number for vineyard/lot/testing location (Amtliche Prufungsnummer)

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17
Q

Describe Pradikatswein:

A

All grapes must come from a Bereich (one of small 40 districts)
Classified as one of six levels based on must weights
Half the production of Qualitatswein

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18
Q

Describe Kabinett:

A

Lightest bodied
Highest in acidity
Dry to med-sweet
7%-12%ABV
Green and citrus fruit

19
Q

Describe Spatlese:

A

Fully ripe grapes
Harvest 2 weeks later than Kabinett
Ripe stone fruits
Slightly higher alc and body (min. 7%)
Dry to med-sweet

20
Q

Describe Auslese:

A

Extra ripe grapes
Riper, concentrated flavors
Honey character; some grapes may have botrytis
Dry to sweet
Min 7% ABV

21
Q

Describe Beerenauslese:

A

Individually selected berries
Min 5.5% ABV
Often botrytized
Very ripe and dried stone fruit
Yields very low, very labor intensive

22
Q

Describe Eiswein:

A

Grapes picked when frozen (below -7*C)
Healthy grapes only
Risk of losing grapes while freezing - cover in plastic sheeting
Pressed when frozen
High acidity
Min. 5.5% ABV
Concentrated peach and grapefruit

23
Q

Describe Trockenbeerenauslese:

A

Must use only botrytis grapes
Min 5.5% ABV
High acidity
Extremely low yields/production - most expensive wines in Germany

24
Q

Sweetness scale in Germany:

A

Trocken - max 4g/L, or up to 9g/L when sugar does not exceed acidity by more than 2g/L
Halbtrocken - 4-12g/L, or up to 18g/L “”” than 10g/L
Lieblich - 12-45g/L
Suss - more than 45g/L

25
Geographic Labeling Tiers:
Bereiche (districts) Grosslagen (collective vineyard sites - 167) Einzellagen (single vineyards - 2658) Grosslage/Einzellagen only used for Qual/Prad Labels name "District - Vineyard"
26
Describe Liebfraumilch:
Medium-dry white Qualitatswein Min. 18g/L At least 70% Riesling, Silvaner, Muller-Thurgau, Kerner Rheinhessen and Pfalz produce majority On the decline
27
What is the VDP?
Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter Producer group founded in 1910 Around 200 members VDP logo (eagle w/grapes) on their wine capsules 5% of vineyard area, 3% of production Stricter regulations - audited every 5 years Encourages sustainability
28
VDP categories:
VDP Gutswein: "regional level", 75hL/ha VDP Ortswein: "village level", 75hL/ha VDP Erste Lage: "premier cru", 60hL/ha; ripe enough for Spatlese, traditional techniques, and village + vineyard on label VDP Grosse Lage: "grand cru", 50hL/ha; outstanding and ageable
29
What is Grosses Gewachs:
Dry wines made from grapes from Grosse Lage "GG" Only vineyard name on label, no village
30
German wine law changes?
Revised in Jan 2021 Transitional period until 2025 Changes to Qualitatswein hierarchy: - Anbaugebeit - Region - Ortwein - (village) - Einzellage (single vineyard)
31
Regions in eastern Germany:
Saale-Unstrut Sachsen Small, produce Muller-Thurgau, Weissburgunder, Riesling
32
Describe Rheinhessen:
25% of vineyards "warm" and dry Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, and Dornfelder dominate Bulk wines dominate Weingut Keller - producer
33
Describe Rheinterrasse:
Stretch of steep east-facing slopes on the Rhine Rotleigenden soil - smoky character from iron-rich red soil
34
Describe Pfalz:
Driest region Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Dornfelder, Spatburgunder, Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder Mittelhaardt has most renowned vineyards Dr. Burklin-Wolf - producer
35
Describe Baden:
Benefits from Vosges rainshadow Warmest, sunniest, driest Best known for reds - Spatburgunder (oaked) Whites still 59% - Mulller leads Co-ops lead - Badischer Winzerkeller
36
Describe Wurttemberg:
Light, fruity reds 68% red Spatburgunder, Trollinger, Lemberger, Schwarzriesling Domestic consumption Co-op - Moglingen
37
Describe Mosel:
Riesling 60% Site selection essential to ensure ripening South facing slope over the Mosel Dark slate soils for heat radiation Upper Mosel, Middle Mosel, and Lower Mosel Lower alcohol, high acid Pronouned floral, green fruit, long ageing Moselland - co-op that is world's largest producer of Riesling
38
Describe Franken:
Most continental climate Short growing season Dry styles 92% white grapes - Muller + Silvaner; Spatburgunder Horst Sauer - producer
39
Describe Bocksbeutel:
Flat, round bottle with a short neck Traditional, widely used in Franken
40
Describe Nahe:
Mild temp Low rainfall Gentle slopes with deep, fertile soil Dornfelder, Muller, Spat, Grau, Weiss
41
Describe Rheingau:
Small but prestigious South-facing slopes Fuller-bodied, riper fruit Moderated by widest part of the Rhine Lower yields Riesling 78% - dry to botrytized Spatburgunder - Hollenberg vineyard
42
Describe Ahr:
83% black grapes Traditionally late harvested reds, now typical Spatburgunder Mayschoss - oldest co-op in the world
43
Wine business in Germany?
Germany 4th largest consumer of wine Cost of farming becoming unsustainable for growers Weinkellerei (merchant houses) and co-ops common German exports declining - 10% USA, Netherlands, UK, Norway, Sweden DWI - Deutsches Weininstitut - promotional body

D3 (29 decks)

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