Germany Flashcards
How does the climate of Germany influence its wine production?
- Germany’s vineyards, straddling the 50th parallel, operate at the northern edge of viticulture.
- Cooler temperatures slow ripening, helping retain high natural acidity and freshness in the grapes.
- The overall cool climate results in wines that are typically lighter in body, with vibrant acidity, delicate fruit, and pronounced minerality.
- In warmer vintages, higher must weights may lead to richer, fuller-bodied wines, but the intrinsic acidity helps maintain balance.
What are the key climatic challenges faced by German vineyards?
Cool Temperatures & Short Growing Season
Frost Risk
Excess Rainfall & Humidity
How do temperature and sunlight affect ripeness and acidity in German wines?
Cool temperatures slow ripening, preserving high acidity but making full ripeness harder to achieve.
Limited sunlight in northern regions means sugar accumulation can be slow, leading to lower alcohol levels.
South-facing slopes and river reflections help maximize heat and light, aiding ripeness while maintaining freshness.
What role do river influences (e.g., the Mosel and Rhine) play in German viticulture?
Reflect sunlight, moderating temperatures
Humid conditions near rivers also encourage botrytis
What are the two main categories of German wine quality classification?
Qualitatswein and Pradikatswein
What distinguishes Prädikatswein from Qualitätswein?
Qualitätswein – A higher-quality wine that must come from one of Germany’s 13 Anbaugebiete and meet minimum ripeness and alcohol requirements. Can be chapitalised
Prädikatswein – A premium category with six ripeness levels, with no chaptalization allowed.
What are the six Prädikat levels, and how do they indicate ripeness?
It is a must weight based system
Kabinett: Light-bodied, dry to medium-sweet wines with low alcohol content
Spätlese: More intense wines made from fully ripe grapes harvested later than Kabinett
Auslese: Noble wines made from selectively harvested, overripe grapes
Beerenauslese (BA): Rich, sweet dessert wines made from individually selected, overripe berries
Eiswein: Ice wine made from grapes naturally frozen on the vine
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) The richest and sweetest wines in the classification
What does the term Kabinett mean in the Prädikat system?
Literally ‘cabinet’ wine, everyday, lwoer alcohol. First level of Pradikat
How does Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) differ from Eiswein?
TBA has nobel rot, where Eiswein is concentrated by freezing the grape.
How many Anbaugebiete (wine regions) are there in Germany?
13 :
Ahr, Baden, Franconia, Hessische Bergstraße, Mittelrhein, Mosel, Nahe, Pfalz, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, and Württemberg
What are the most important wine regions in Germany for Riesling production?
- Mosel – Light, high-acid wines with floral and mineral notes.
- Rheingau – Fuller-bodied, riper Rieslings with elegance and structure.
- Pfalz – Rich, fruit-forward Rieslings with more weight.
- Nahe – Balanced Rieslings with vibrant acidity and diverse styles.
Which German wine region is the largest in terms of vineyard area?
Rheinhessen - mostly Muller-Thurgau
Which Anbaugebiete are known for producing Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder)?
Most vines in Baden
What is the squat green bottle from Franken?
Bocksbeutel
What is a Bocksbeutel?
A squat brown bottle tradtional in Franken
What are the German terms for vineyard/areas, and what is the hierarchy?
Anbaugebiet → a wine growing area
Bereich → A subregion within an Anbaugebiet (e.g., Bernkastel in Mosel).
Grosslage → A group of Einzellagen under one name.
Einzellage → A single vineyard with distinct characteristics.
Thus, Bereich > Grosslage > Einzellage in terms of size and specificity.
What does Einzellage mean in German wine labeling?
Single vineyard
How is a Grosslage different from an Einzellage?
A grosslage is a group of einzellage.
What is a Bereich, and how does it fit into Germany’s wine classification?
A larger district in a wine region
What does the term Ortswein indicate about a wine’s origin?
Ortswein indicates that the wine comes from a specific village within a German wine region. It is a step above Gutswein in the VDP classification
What does Sekt refer to, and how is it different from Champagne?
Sekt is sparkling wine, not necessarily from grapes in Germany. Majority tank method.
What does Erzeugerabfüllung mean in German wine production?
Estate bottled
What is the most widely planted white grape variety in Germany?
Riesling
Which grape variety is most associated with Mosel wines?
Riesling
What is Spätburgunder, and where is it commonly grown?
Baden
What are some notable crossings developed in Germany?
Muller Thurgau
Dornfelder
What is Müller-Thurgau, and how does it compare to Riesling?
A crossing that produces less acidic wines than Riesling
What are some of the most famous wine villages in Mosel?
Mainly in Bernkastel Bereich
Bernkastel-Kues
Piesport
Wehlen
Urzig
Which villages in Rheingau are known for producing top-quality Riesling?
Rüdesheim – Home to Berg Schlossberg, one of Rheingau’s top sites.
Johannisberg – Historic village where late-harvest Riesling (Spätlese) was discovered.
Hochheim – Produces structured, elegant Rieslings.
Name a key wine village in Pfalz known for its Spätburgunder production.
Schweigen
What are some of the key wine villages in Rheinhessen?
Nierstein – Home to the Roter Hang, a famous red slate slope producing complex Rieslings.
Westhofen – Known for Grosse Lage sites such as Morstein and Kirchspiel.
Dalsheim – Produces high-quality wines, including those from VDP estates.
What type of soil is most commonly found in the Mosel region?
Blue slate
How do the steep slate slopes of Mosel affect vine growth?
Improve drainage, radiate heat, help ripen
What are the dominant soil types in Rheingau, and how do they impact the wine style?
Slate and quartzite higher (mineral driven)
Loam and loess lower (richer)
What does Trocken mean on a German wine label?
Dry
How does Halbtrocken differ from Trocken?
Off dry vs dry
What does Feinherb indicate on a German wine label?
Unofficial term, similar to Halbtrocken but often with a slightly higher RS
What is the VDP, and what role does it play in German wine classification?
An association of German estates
Stricter quality standards
Terroir driven wines with own vineyard classification
What are the four levels of the VDP classification system?
Grosse Lage
Erste Lage
Ortswein
Gutswein
(roughly requivilant to Burgundy GC/PC/Village/Regional)
What does Grosse Lage indicate about a vineyard site?
Highest vineyard classification of VDP system
What does the term Grosse Gewächs (GG) mean, and what are its requirements?
Grosse Lage site
Approved varietals (depends on region by mostly Riesling, some Silvaner (Franken) and Spatbugunder in some)
Hand harvested
Min. Spatlese
Fermented Dry
Label GG with VDP eagle
What is ‘Grosslage’ vs ‘Grosse Lage’
Grosslage is a designation for a group of vineyards under German wine law
Grosse lage is a top tier vineyard classification under the VDP system. Wines can be labeled GG (Grosse Gewachs)
Match the following wine villages to their Anbaugebiete:
Bernkastel-Kues → ?
Rüdesheim → ?
Deidesheim → ?
Nierstein → ?
- Mosel
- Rheingau
- Pfalz
- Rheinhessen
What does the term Classic indicate on a German wine label?
Classic Wines:
- Defined as “harmoniously dry” with a maximum of 15 g/l residual sugar.
- Typically single-varietal wines without a vineyard designation.
- Must achieve a minimum alcohol content of 12% (11.5% in the Mosel).
How is Selection different from Classic?
Selection Wines:
- Considered “superior dry,” with a maximum of 9 g/l residual sugar (12 g/l allowed for Riesling).
- Produced from a single vineyard and a single variety.
- Yields are restricted to 60 hl/ha, must weight must be equivalent to Auslese levels, and grapes are hand-harvested.
- Release is not permitted before September 1 of the year following harvest.
What does Erste Lage mean in the VDP system?
Premium vineyards, second highest tier.. Akin to Premier Cru
What grape varieties are permitted for Grosse Gewächs wines?
Varies by Anbaugabiete. Mostly Riesling, some Silvaner in Franken, Spatburgunder in some.
