Germany Flashcards
What is the climate of Germany
Cool continental climate
annuel weather vary considerably, leading variation from year to year
Summers can be wet
Rain declines in autum
What is the warmer region of Germany?
Baden, far south
What are the factors influencing the climate in the vineyards and how are they affecting the grapes ?
Cool ripeing period gives the grapes times to reach ripeness and retain acidity.
When the conditions are right, noble rot will develop
The vineyards locations make significant differences in quality of wine
On what type of locations are the best vineyards?
How are they better ?
On steep and often stony slopes with southerly aspect
near a river to benefit from relfected sunlight and air movement that can protect against frost
- Maximise heat and sunlight
- Head-pruned, individually staked and canes tied at the top of the estake for exposure and air circulation
- Worked by hand because of extreme slopes
How are the wine classified ?
By must weight
How are they maximising picking to respect must weight ? ?
Harvest is spread out over a number of weeks and month. Pickers will pas through the vineyard several times to ensure that they get the ideal grapes for each category of wine.
What in the trend of German wine style ?
dry styles of wine
Wine and red, at all quality levels
Sold as Qualitätswein
What is the most planted variety, producing the best quality wine in Germany ?
Riesling
Can other grape variety than Riesling could produce Prädikatswein ?
Yes
Describe the characteristics of German Riesling
Vary widely from region to region
From delicate and floral to peachy fruit
From bone dry to lusciously sweeet
Describe the characteristic of German Dry Style Riesling
Often labelled Qualitätswein
Ligt and fruit to very concentrated and intense.
How are labelled the best German Dry style Riesling ?
Grosses Gewächs (G)
What is the PGI of Germany ?
What are called wines without GI ?
PGI : Landwein
Without GI : Deutscher Wein
Explain Qualitätswein
Category for German PDO
come from one of 13 winegrowing areas
winegrowin area must appear on the label
Explain Prädikatswein
Category within Qualitätswein
Made from higher must weights (sugar level)
6 levels based on increasing must weights
prädikats is whon on the label
What are the 6 Prädikastwein and their wine style ?
Kabinett - Dry to medium sweet
Spätlese - Dry to medium sweet
Auslese - Dry to sweet
Beerenauslese (BA) - sweet only
Eiswein - Sweet only
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) - Sweet only
What are the two terms to indicate sweetness in German Wines ?
Dry - Trocken
off dry or medium - Halbtocken or feinherb
Feinherb is not legally defined
No obligation to put these indications on the bottle
Explain the new hierarchy for the source of the grapes in German Labelling
Five year transitionnal period to adopt the legislation as 2021. Wines can come from
- Winegrowing area
- Region (term region must appear on label)
- Village (the name of the village simply appears on label)
- Single vineyard (label with village and vineyard)
What is the labelling term form single vineyard in Germany ?
Village + name of the vineyard on label
Can be classified as Erstes Gewächs or Grosses Gewächs (must be dry and made to stricter regulations. Grosses gewächs is stricter)
What is the German association with its own classification. how does that work ?
VDP : Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter
Producer with its own vineyard and classifications
Members have classified vineyards by consensus and includes majority of best sites in Germany
Strict regulations, and focused on high quality wines
Are recognized by an eagle of the capsule
Single vineyard can be VDP.erste lage or DPP.Grosses lage.
Dry wine from single vineyards are VDP. Grosses Gewächs, and grapes are embossed on the neck of the bottle
Considered best dry wines in germany
Describe Kabinett wines
Most delicate
light body, high acidity, flavours of green appel or citrus fruit
balanced with residual sweetness
Sweet styles 8%-9%
Dry styles can reach 12%
Dry to medium sweet
What are the techniques to have residual sugar in Kabinett wines ?
For low quality wine: Add unfermented grape juice called Süssreserve
For high quality wine : Stop fermentation early.
Describe Spätlese wines
More concentrated, riper and more body and alcohol, and where relevant, sweetness than Kabinett from same region
Citrus and stone fruit aromas are common
Dry to medium sweet
Describe Auslese wines
Made from individually selected extra-ripe bunches
Richer and riper compared to spätlese from the same region, regardless of style noble rot can play an important part in the flavour profile
Dry to sweet
Describe Beerenauslese (BA) and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) wines
Noble rot is essential to reach sugar level for TBA,Not for BA
Howeverm Noble rot is typical for these wines
Not made every year and volumes vary
Sweet, low in alcohol
flavours of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel and flowers
rank among best sweet wines in the world
Sweet only
Describe Eiswein
Noble rot is NOT key component
Focus on varietal purity
fine balane between acidity and sweetness
Flavours are accentuated by using selected yeast, handling the juice with care and avoiding malolactic converstion or oak
Name the white grapes grown in Germany
Riesling
Müller-Thurgau
Grauburgunder / Ruländer (Pinot gris)
Weißburgunder (pinot blanc)
Sylvaner
Describe German Müller-Thurgau characteristics
Crossing between Riesling and Madeleine Royale
Floral and fruity but rarely high quality
often medium-dry medium-sweet
Second most widely planted but in decline
Describe German Sylvaner characteristics
Mainly grown in Rheinhessen and Franken
Dry and sweet styles
less acidic and fruit that riesling
Can have earthy quality
High quality wines on the right site
Name the black grapes grown in Germany
Spätburgunder (pinot noir)
Dornfelder
Portugieser, Trollinger Shwarzriesling(Meunier)
What is Pinot Noir called in Germany?
Where does it grow well?
Spätburgunder
It thrives in warmer vineyard sites, and it grows well in Baden and Pfalz.
Dry , light and fruity or concentrated style with oak aromas
What is the particularity of Dornfelder ?
widely planted in Germany
Deeply coloured wines
Where is located Mosel ?
on the River Mosel, from were i joins the River Rhein to german border
What grape is only permitted fo GG wines is mosel ?
Riesling
What are some weather hazards that Germany faces?
Spring frost
Summer hail
Heavy summer rain
The central part of the Mosel, known as the Middle Mosel, is where some of the best known villages are located that produce top-quality Rieslings.
Name 3 villages.
Piesport
Bernkastel
Wehlen
Describe the best sites and styles of wine of mosel
Very stte slopes with slate soils
Lighter in body, lower in alcohol and higher acidity compared with other regions
Floral and green fruit predominate
In Saar and Ruwer, cooler vintages grapes do not ripen fully and are used in sparkling wines
What river flows through Nahe?
River Nahe
It’s on the banks of this river where the best vineyards of the Nahe are found.
Where is Nahe located ?
Just west of Rheinhessen
Name the village in Nahe producing superior-quality Riesling.
Schlossböckelheim
Bad kreuznack
On south-facing slopes
What is the wine styles of best vineyards of Nahe
Riesling only the only variety permitted of GG wines
Slighty riper fruit character than mosel as climate is warmer
What are the two rivers near Rheingau
River Rhein in the west and Main in the east
Where are located the best vineyards of Rheingau
On slopes of the north Bank, with southerly aspects
What offers protection to the north of Rheingau and better condition for ripening ?
The Taunus Hills
Name two villages of Rheingau that are best known for Riesling
In the best of the region
Johannisberg and Rüdesheim
What are the wine styles made in Rheingau
Riesling dominates - medium to full body with ripe peac character
Best BA and TBA wines
in the west of the region, Riper fuller bodied to to warmer climate.
Excellent Spätburgunder too
GG wines from Rheingau can be made of which grapes ?
Riesling and Spätburgunder (Pinot noir)
What is the largest vine-growing region in Germany ?
Rheinhessen
From which village are coming some of the fullest-bodied Rieslings in Germany and Rheinhessen ?
Niersten, on the Rheinterrasse in Rheinhessen.
GG wines from Rheinhessen can be made of which grapes ?
Riesling and Spätburgunder (Pinot noir)
Was is the reputation of Rheinhessen ?
Innovation and excellence, as a growing number of top-quality wines is produced in new areas.
Was is the second-largent wine-growing region in Germany ?
Pfalz
Where is Pfalz located ?
Near Alsace, 80 km strip north from the french border and lie tot the east of the haardt mountaions (continuation of the Vosges)
What is the particularity of the climate of Pfalz?
Driest of German regions
In very warm years, vine can suffer from water stress
In which two region is Riesling the only permitted grape variety for GG wines?
Mosel
Nahe
GG wines from Pfalz can be made of which grapes ?
Reisling
Weißburgunder
Spätburgunder
What are the most planted variety in Pfalz ?
Riesling
Dornfelder
What are the most established quality vineyards in Pfalz?
Describe the wines
Forst and Deidsheim (refferred as Mittelhaardt)
Ripe, fuller bodeid style
What is the warmest and most southerly wine region of Germany ?
Baden
What are the styles of wine found in Baden ?
Fullest bodied German wines with the highest alcohol
What is the third vinegrowing region in Germany ?
Baden
Where are located the best vineayrds in Baden ?
On south facing slopes of the Kaiserstuhl (extinct volcano)
What is the most planted variety in baden ?
Spätburguner
GG wines from Baden can be made of which grapes ?
range of white and black variety
What is the most widely planted and prestigious grape of Franken ?
Silvaner
Where is Franken located ?
in the east, of rHeingau of the River Main
What are the characteristics of Silvaner in Franken?
early flowering and ripening silvaner
susceptible to frost damage
planted on warmers sites
Best examples are from south facing slopes around Würzburg,
dry, richness on the palate, and earthy quality
Slask shaped bottles
GG wines from Franken can be made of which grapes ?
Silvaner, Riesling, Weissburgunder or spätburgunder
Name the rehions and villages for top quality wines in germany
mosel (riesling)
Piesport
Bernkastel
Wehlen
Nahe (Riesling)
- Schlossböckelheim
Rheingau (Riesling)
- Rudesheim
- Johannisberg
Rheinhessen (Riesling)
- Nierstein
Pfalz(Riesling)
- forst
- Deidesheim
Baden (spätburgunder)
franken (Silvaner)
