Germany Flashcards
Germany
Location: SW Germany
Geography: 49oN parallel, rolling hills, steep hillside riverbanks
Climate: Continental cool
Moderator: Rhein River, Mosel River
Soil: Slate, Basalt
Grapes: Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)
Viniculture: Long cool growing season, Maximize sunlight to achieve ripeness - Steep hillsides (warm air circulation), Vineyards along NORTH banks of rivers (southern facing sun exposure), dark or light soils (absorbs or reflects sunlight)
Viticulture: Chaptalization for higher alcohol/ not sweetness, no lees, no MLF
German Wine Law and Classification
Wein
Landwein (PGI) - Regional wines; rarely exported
Qualitätswein (PDO) - Quality wine from one of 13 major regions (anbaugebiete), Includes top trocken wines
Prädikatswein (PDO) - Subset of Qualitätswein categorized by ripeness at harvest, Six prädikate (levels of quality)
VDP - Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweingüter
Founded in 1910, Members committed to top quality
GG - Grosses Gewächs
Great Growth, Dry (trocken) wines
The Six Prädikat Levels of Quality / By Increasing Ripeness
- Kabinett
- Spätlese
- Auslese - may have Botrytis
- Beerenauslese (BA) - sweet wine
- Eiswein - frozen berries at first freeze, no botrytis
- Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) - dried berries
On the German Wine Label
Region (Anbaugebiete) - Mosel
Village (Gemeinde) - Ürzig
Vineyard (Einzellage) - Würzgarten
Quality (Prädikat) - Auslese
Grape - Riesling
13 Major German Wine Regions (Anbaugebiete)
Ahr, Mosel, Mittelrhein, Rheingau, Nahe, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Hessische-Bergstrasse, Baden, Wurttemberg, Franken, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen
Mosel
Location: SW Germany
Geography: 49o parallel, on Mosel River
Climate: Continental cold moderated by river
Geography: Very steep vineyards, S facing, disparate on winding river
Soil: Red or blue slate
Grape: Riesling
Viticulture: Long growing season
Vinification: Stainless steel fermentation, Residual sugar left in the wine to balance acidity, Low alcohol
Rheingau
Location: SW Germany
Geography: S of the Mosel on the Rhine River, backdrop of Taunus Mountains
Climate: Continental moderated by mountains and river
Soil: Mix of slate and other soils
Viniculture: Long, S facing slope
Grapes: Riesling, Spatburgunder (PN)
Rheinhessen
Location: SW Germany
Geography: S of Rheingau, across from Rhine along a riverbend south
Grapes: Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner
Viniculture: larger footprint
Viticulture: Bulk wine (Liebfraumilch) and high end wines
Pfalz
Location: SW Germany
Geography: Northern continuation of Alsace, Haardt Mountains, Rhein River
Climate: Sunny & dry, rainshadow from Hardt Mountains (west)
Grapes: Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder
Viticulture: Dry wines
Baden
Location: SW Germany, along French & Swiss borders, east of Alsace
Climate: Continental
Grapes: Spätburgunder, Müller Thurgau
Franken
Location: C Germany, Bavarian beer area
Geography: Main River, near Frankfurt
Grapes: Silvaner, Spätburgunder, Müller Thurgau
Vinification: odd shaped bottle called Bocksbeutel
German Riesling
Style: Light-bodied, aromatic white wine, Tart & ripe push-pull
Tells: Tart green apple, lime zest, petrol, slate, aromatic, Rs
Tasting Notes: Pale straw to green rim, M+ intensity, Stone fruit, white peach, green & yellow apple, lime zest, Ripe & tart, slight white & yellow flowers, mint, herbal green, petrol, crushed rock, slate, off-dry
Acidity: High, Body: Light, Sweet: Off-dry, Alcohol: Low; Complexity: M+
Pairing: Spicy Indian and Asian, fatty pork, bacon
Other wines: Aussie Riesling (pineapple, oily), Chenin Blanc (lees), Muscat Blanc (citrus), Gewurztraminer (lychee, tropical, full-bodied)
