Germany Flashcards

1
Q

Be familiar with where German wine regions are located.

A

You got this!

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2
Q

Most wine regions in Germany are located in the _______ corner of the country on the borders with these three countries.

A
  • Southwest corner
  • France, Belgium and Switzerland
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3
Q

In Germany, vineyards planted at this latitude and above.

A

49°N

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4
Q

Fill in the blank.

The overall climate of Germany is ______.

A

Cool Continental

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5
Q

Fill in the blank.

The main river that runs through Germany’s winegrowing regions is the ______ River.

A

Rhine

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6
Q

Select the correct answer.

The Rhine River in Germany has many:

a. rocks
b. tributaries
c. fish

A

b. tributaries

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7
Q

What is so important about the influence of rivers in Germany on winegrowoing?

A
  • Rivers provide a moderating influence.
  • Rivers reflect sunlight back up to the vineyards increasing warmth to aid in ripening.
  • Rivers create airflow which can discourage fungal disease.
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8
Q

How do mountain ranges affect Germany’s winegrowing regions?

A
  • Provide protection from cold north winds.
  • Create rain shadows.

It’s already quite cool up at the 49th parallel, so protection from cold northerlies is important!

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9
Q

What is the dominant soil type found in the Mosel in Germany?

A

Slate

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10
Q

Select the correct answer.

The grape growing season in Germany is:

a. Cool
b. Arid
c. Mediterranean

A

a. Cool

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11
Q

How is it possible that a place as northerly and as cool as Germany can successfully grow grapes?

A
  • Vineyards are planted on steep, south-facing hillsides maximizing sun exposure and warmth.
  • Vineyards are carefully selected for successful ripening.
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12
Q

Define Deutscher Sekt.

A

Sparkling wine made by any method from grapes grown in Germany.

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13
Q
  • What is Chaptalization?
  • When is it used?
A
  • The process of adding sugar to unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation.
  • Used when grapes do not achieve sufficient sugar ripeness.
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14
Q

What are the most commonly used fermentation and aging vessels in Germany?

A
  • Stainless-steel fermentation
  • Large wooden fuder or stück
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15
Q

Why is residual sugar often left German Riesling?

A

To counterbalance acidity (not all sugars are fermented to alcohol).

Think lemonade: if the acidity (lemon juice) is too high, it needs to be balanced with a little sugar.

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16
Q

Select the correct answer.

The alcohol level in off-dry German Rieslings is typically:

a. low
b. medium-plus
c. high

A

a. low

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17
Q

German Rieslings can be fermented to what levels of dryness to sweetness?

A

Dry, off-dry, or lusciously sweet.

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18
Q

Fill in the blank

The most planted and most important grape variety in Germany is ______.

A

Riesling

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19
Q

Name 4 other white grape varieties grown in Germany.

A
  1. Müller-Thurgau
  2. Silvaner
  3. Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
  4. Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)
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20
Q

What is the most important red grape variety grown in Germany?

A

Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)

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21
Q

Fill in the blank.

In Germany, wines below the quality wine cateogory without a Geographic Indication are called _______ ____.

A

Deutscher Wein

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22
Q

Fill in the blank.

In Germany, wines below the quality wine cateogory with a Geographic Indication are called _______.

A

Landwein (regional wines)

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23
Q

What is a Qualitätswein?

A

Quality wine from one of the 13 major wine regions.

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24
Q

What is a wine region called in Germany?

A

Anbaugebiete

There are 13 Anbaugebiete in Germany.

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25
Q

Above the Qualitätswein level there is Prädikatswein.

What does Prädikatswein translate to?

A

‘Distinction’

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26
Q

Is Chaptalization allowed or not allowed for Prädikatswein?

A

Not allowed

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27
Q

Select the correct answer.

Which level is considered the highest quality level for wines with residual sugar?

a. Deutscher Wein
b. Landwein
c. Prädikatswein

A

Prädikatswein

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28
Q

List the 6 levels of prädikate in order of ripeness.

A
  1. Kabinett
  2. Spätlese
  3. Auslese
  4. Beerenauslese
  5. Eiswein
  6. Trockenbeerenauslese

These designations are categorized by ripeness at harvest, however choices made in the winery will determine finished sweetness of the wine.

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29
Q

Briefly describe the style of a German Riesling Kabinett.

A

Typically off-dry in style, but can also be made trocken (dry).

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30
Q

Briefly describe the style of a German Riesling Spätlese.

A

Typically off-dry in style, but can also be made trocken (dry).

Grapes for Spätlese are harvested later than Kabinett, so the fruit profile will taste more ripe compared to a Kabinett.

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31
Q

Briefly describe the style of a German Riesling Auslese.

A

Often off-dry in style, they can sometimes be made trocken (dry).

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32
Q

Briefly describe the style of a German Riesling Beerenauslese.

A

Very sweet in style, often affected by botrytis (but not always).

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33
Q

Briefly describe the style of a German Riesling Eiswein.

A
  • Very sweet in style, grapes must be frozen when harvested.
  • No effects of botrytis.

Eisweine have the same ripeness-level as Beerenauslese.

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34
Q

Briefly describe the style of a German Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese.

A

Very sweet in style.

TBAs typically have been affected by botrytis.

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35
Q

What does the VDP acronym stand for?

A

Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweingüter

36
Q

What exactly is the VDP?

A

A national German association of producers committed to traditional quality winemaking.

It developed its own classification system on Burgundy model with classified top vineyard sites.

37
Q

Which German organization has this as their logo?

A

VDP

38
Q

What does Grosses Gewächs mean?

A

Great Growth

Used for single vineyard, dry, Grand Cru wines.

39
Q

What is the term Erstes Gewächs used for?

A

Single vineyard Premier Cru wines

40
Q

In Germany, what is a Gemeinde?

A

Local community or village

41
Q

In Germany, what is an Einzellage?

A

Single vineyard

42
Q

In Germany, what is the Oechsle Scale

Also written as Öchsle

A

The German scale used to measure must weight.

Measured in degrees, e.g. Kabinett’s Öchsle Scale is 70-85°

43
Q

What is a Bocksbeutel?

A

Unique, flattened ellipsoid wine bottle specific to the Franken anbaugebiete.

44
Q

What does the term Trocken mean on a bottle of German wine?

A

Dry

45
Q

What does the term Halbtrocken mean on a bottle of German wine?

A

Half-dry

46
Q

What is Edelfäule?

A

Noble Rot in German

47
Q

What is the German word for ‘castle’?

A

Schloss

It’s similar to the French word for château.

48
Q

Fill in the blank

The Mosel region in Germany is situated along the ______ River.

A

Mosel

49
Q

What are the soil and vineyards like in Mosel, Germany?

A
  • Soil: slate that is porous and heat-retaining.
  • Vineyards: South-facing to capture warmth of the sun.
50
Q

Name 5 important villages in the Mosel.

A
  1. Erden
  2. Ürzig
  3. Wehlen
  4. Bernkastel-Kues
  5. Piesport
51
Q

Fill in the blanks.

The Nahe region in Germany is situated on the _____ River, a tributary of the _______.

A
  • Nahe
  • Rhine
52
Q

What is the climate of the Nahe?

A

Continental

53
Q

Which region in Germany is essentially a continuation of Alsace, France?

A

Pfalz

54
Q

Which river moderates the climate of Pfalz?

A

Rhine River

55
Q

Why is Pfalz one of the warmest areas in Germany?

A

Protection of mountains to its west, creating a rain shadow.

56
Q

The two main grape varieties grown in Pfalz are:

A
  1. Riesling
  2. Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder)
57
Q

Where is the region Franken located?

A

Along the Main river near Frankfurt.

58
Q

What is the main white grape variety in Franken?

A

Silvaner

59
Q

What is the main red grape variety in Franken?

A

Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)

60
Q

In which German wine region are wines in Bocksbeutel?

A

Franken

61
Q

In Germany, which Anbaugebiete is largest in size and in production volume?

A

Rheinhessen

62
Q

Fill in the blank

The ______ River flows through Rheinhessen.

A

Rhine

63
Q

Baden border which two countries?

A

France and Switzerland

64
Q

Which anbaugebiete in Germany is the warmest?

A

Baden

65
Q

What are the two main grape varieties in Baden?

A
  1. Spätburgunder
  2. Müller Thurgau
66
Q

Fill in the blanks.

The Rheingau is essentially one long _____-facing slope facing the _____ River.

A

South-facing slope facing the Rhein River

67
Q

How does the Rhine River affect the Rheingau region and its vineyards?

A
  • Moderates climate
  • Reflects light
68
Q

What is the climate of Rheingau?

A

Continental

69
Q

What are the two main grapes of Rheingau?

A
  1. Riesling
  2. Spätburgunder
70
Q

Fill in the blank

A major and important village in Rheingau is _______.

A

Johannisberg

71
Q

What protects the Rheingau from cold northerlies?

A

Mountains

72
Q

Which river flows through Mittelrhein?

A

Rhein River

73
Q

What is the climate in Mittelrhein?

A

Continental

74
Q

Fill in the blanks.

The main grape variety in Mittelrhein is ______ grown on _____ soils.

A
  • Riesling
  • Slate
75
Q

This region is one of Germany’s smallest and most northerly winegrowing regions, situated north of the 50th parallel.

A

Ahr

76
Q

Fill in the blank.

The main grape variety in Ahr is ______.

A

Spätburgunder

(some of the best in Germany)

77
Q

How can the Ahr successfully grow Pinot Noir at such a high latitude?

A
  • The winegrowing area surrounds the Ahr River, a tributary of the Rhine, and its terraced vineyards are sheltered from cold winds by the Eifel Mountains.
  • Steep slopes of rocky, volcanic slate offer warmth, and the region is actually warmer than the Mosel.
78
Q

Name an important producer in Nahe.

A

Hermann Dönnhoff

79
Q

Name an important producer in Franken.

A

Hans Wirsching

80
Q

Name 3 imporant producers in Rheingau.

A
  1. Franz Künstler
  2. Robert Weil
  3. Josef Leitz
81
Q

Name one important producer in Rheinhessen.

A

Gunderloch

82
Q

Name 5 important producers in Mosel, Germany.

A
  1. Fritz Haag
  2. Dr. Loosen
  3. Egon Müller
  4. Joh. Jos. Prüm
  5. Selbach-Oster

Photo is of Egon Müller’s famous Scharzhofberger Riesling.

83
Q

What were the two major outcomes from the 1971 German Wine Law?

A
  1. Stipulated ripeness level at harvest as the prime determinant for quality.
  2. Established the top two categories of wine QbA and QmP.

Qualitätswein (formerly QbA, or Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete) and Prädikatswein (formerly QmP, or Qualitätswein mit Prädikat) represent the two tiers of German “quality” wine.

84
Q

Which 3 levels of Prädikatsweine belong in the dessert wines section?

A
  1. Beerenauslese
  2. Eiswein
  3. Trockenbeerenauslese
85
Q

What foods would you pair with a German Riesling Kabinett or Spätlese?

A
  1. Thai
  2. Vietnamese
  3. Salads
  4. Fresh or light cheeses
86
Q

What foods would you pair with German Riesling Auslese?

A
  1. Duck
  2. Pork
  3. Sausages
  4. Hard or stinky cheeses
87
Q

What would you pair with BA, TBA, or Eiswein?

A
  1. Peach desserts
  2. Pineapple desserts
  3. Blue or stinky cheeses