Germany Flashcards
When was Germanys wine law first introduced? What is the perception of these laws and the fundamental principle?
1971, having been amended considerably since, creating a system that’s often been criticised as confusing to the consumer.
To classify grapes according to their must weight at harvest. There are few other rules regarding grape growing or winemaking, though there are limitations on yields.
There are four quality levels of German wine which are in increasing order of must weight: Deutscher Wein, Landwein, Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein.
What are the requirements of Deutscher Wein? When are they intended to be drunk, and how much of production do they account for?
Formerly known as Tafelwein, this covers wine without a geographical indication made exclusively from grapes grown in Germany.
Alcohol levels must be between 8.5-15% abv and can be produced in any style.
These are inexpensive wines intended to be drunk when young.
Together with Landwein, they accounted for 4% of 2018 production.
What are the requirements of Landwein? How much of production do they account for?
Introduced in 1982 as the equivalent of PGI wine.
At least 85% of grapes must originate in the Landwein region named on the label.
Alcohol levels must be between 8.5-15% abv.
In most regions, the wine can only be trocken or halbtrocken, although sweeter styles are permitted in some regions.
Together with Deutscher Wein, they accounted for 4% of production in 2018.
What are the requirements of Qualitätswein? What quality of production can you find within?
A PDO category with less stringent regulations than the Prädikatswein.
Grapes must come exclusively from one of the 13 designated quality wine regions (Anbaugebiete), the name of which must be on the label.
Wine can be made in all styles, and minimum alcohol is 7% to allow for sweeter styles. There is no maximum alcohol.
Enrichment is permitted, as it is for Deutscher Wein and Landwein.
The majority of everyday drinking and high volume wines come under this category, though there are some high-quality examples as an increasing number of producers are following the VDPs lead and labelling the wines Qualitätswein trocken.
What do Qualitätswein wines need to undergo prior to labelling?
A laboratory analysis and a blind tasting prior to release. Those that pass are given an AP (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer) number which must appear on the label.
This is a 10-12 digit number indicating where and when the wine was tested, location of the vineyard and the bottles specific lot number (unique for each bottling)
What are regional requirements for Prädikatswein? How does this differ to Qualitätswein?
Both PDO categories, but Prädikatswein has more stringent regulations.
The grapes must come exclusively from a Bereich (one of 40 recognised wine producing districts, smaller than an Anbaugebieten), the name of which needs not, and increasingly is not featured on the label (the name of the Anbaugebiete must, however, be stated).
What grapes are permitted for Prädikatswein production?
Those with he highest must weights and enrichment is not permitted.
It can be produced from any variety, although it is often associated with Riesling.
How much Prädikatswein is produced each year, on average, and where does the name come from?
Depends on vintage. On average, about half of Qualitätswein, but in the best vintages, they can be around the same.
‘Prädikat’ means ‘distinction’, and there are six levels defined by must weight.
What are the requirements and profile of Kabinett wines?
Produced from grapes with the lowest must weights for Prädikatswein, making them the lightest in body and highest in acid.
Can be dry-medium sweet: those with RS can have alcohol levels as low as 7% (the legal minimum), while dry wines can have up to 12%.
Light body, high acidity, aromas of green and citrus fruit.
What are the requirements and profile of Spätlese wines?
Produced from fully ripened grapes, usually picked about 2 weeks after those for Kabinett.
They have greater concentration of riper fruit flavours (typically stone for Riesling), slightly higher alcohol levels (at a comparable level of RS), and a fuller body.
Can also range from dry to medium sweet.
Minimum alcohol must be 7%
What decisions are made in the vineyard for Auslese wines?
Made from specially selected, extra ripe bunches of grapes.
While they should be carefully selected, hand harvesting is not compulsory, and some producers harvest mechanically before sorting in the winery.
What is the general flavour profile of Auslese wines, and what levels of sweetness can they be? What effect does this have on labelling?
Even riper and more concentrated than Spätlese, often with honey characteristics, and some may have been affected by botrytis giving extra complexity.
The last category in which wines can be dry, though many of the best are sweet (the balance of sweetness and acidity gives them the ability for long term ageing). For the sweeter wines, alcohol can be as low as 7% (legal minimum).
Because the range of must weights covered by this category is particularly wide, some producers use additional labelling terms, not defined by law, to indicate sweetness levels.
How is BA made?
From individually selected berries, must therefore be harvested by hand. At must weights this high, the wine will always be sweet and fermentation can be long and slow, reaching only relatively low levels of alcohol (minimum is 5.5%, same with Eiswein and TBA).
Berries don’t need to be botrytised, but it is a typical feature of this wine.
For riesling, typical flavours are very ripe and dried stone fruit.
Wines are often only produced in yeats with suitable conditions for Noble Rot to form: brief periods of humidity, followed by dry, sunny weather.
Yields are very low and the wines are very labour intensive. Therefore are very rare and expensive.
When was Eiswein awarded its own Prädikat category? What are requirements for production?
1982.
Must weights are the same as for BA, but the grapes must be picked when they are frozen, at temperatures below -7°C. The harvest can take place any time between December (some time as early as November) to February of the following year. (The vintage given is the year in which the harvest started).
Once picked, the grapes must be pressed while still frozen, artificial freezing is not permitted. Pressing releases small quantities of naturally concentrated juice with very high levels of sugar and acid.
The grapes have to be very healthy, any presence of rot would be amplified along with the other flavours.
What is a major risk when producing Eiswein? How is this mitigated?
While waiting for the grapes to freeze, growers can lose some or all of their crop either to disease or pests.
Some growers cover their grapes in plastic sheeting to protect them until they freeze.
What is the general profile of Eiswein?
Rieslings tend to have high acidity and concentrated, pure peach and grapefruit flavours.
Because only small amounts are produced, Eiswein is rare and sells at premium prices.
What are the requirements for TBA wines? How are they made and what is usual production?
The extremely high must weights required mean the grapes have to be affected by botrytis. The shrivelled, raisin like grapes produce tiny amounts of highly concentrated, extremely sweet wines.
This sweetness is still balanced by high acidity, which can help the wines age elegantly for a very long time.
The high must weight means fermentation is long and slow, and can rarely continue above 8%.
Due to extremely low yields these are made in tiny quantities (rarely more than 100 bottles at a time) and only in suitable years.
Often the most expensive wines produced in Germany.
What are the terms producers can choose to put on the label to indicate sweetness levels? What are their requirements?
In line with the EU labelling terms for sweetness:
• trocken- wines with no more than 4g/L (or up to 9g/L where RS doesn’t exceed total acidity by more than 2g/L, often the case with Riesling)
• halbtrocken - between 4-12g/L (or up to 18g/L where RS does not exceed total acidity by more than 10g/L)
• lieblich (medium/medium sweet) - 12-45g/L
• süss (sweet) - 45g/L+
What do the labelling terms indicating sweetness not necessarily reflect?
How dry or sweet the wines actually taste. Eg, a high acid riesling will taste drier than a medium acid Müller-Thurgau with the same RS.
Why does the proportion of trocken wines produced vary between regions?
A higher proportion is usually produced in warmer regions where the ripeness of fruit can balance acidity without the need for sugar (especially for Riesling).
Eg in 2018, trocken wines accounted for just under 50%, but in Baden, it was 65%, and in the Mosel, it was 30%.
What trend is halbtrocken going in? What is this resulting in?
Falling in popularity as consumers look for drier styles.
Because of the potential negative connotations, the producers that Still make wines that could be labelled halbtrocken now may make no reference to sweetness on the label, or use the term feinherb (less obvious connotations, translation is ‘fine dry’) and not defined by law.
What is the term ‘feinherb’ used for?
Wines that fall within the legal definition of halbtrocken but also extends to those with slightly higher RS.
