Germany Flashcards
Germany geography
Southwestern Germany - most bordering france near Alsace region
Vineyards planted around the 49th N parallel and above all (limit for most wine areas and typically “impossible” to grow grapes)
Germany climate & topography
Cool continental
Moderating influence from rivers
Rolling hills, rivers and steep hillside vineyards on riverbanks (facing south and east). River helps reflect sunlight to the vineyard
Germany soil
Heat retaining soils such as slate and basalt
Germany wine overview - grapes
White
* Riesling (best Rieslings)
* Muller-Thurgau (bulk wine)
* Silvaner (mineral driven, stunning wines)
Red
* Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir)
German viticulture
- Steep, south facing hillsides (requires all hand work)
- vineyards along banks of rivers
- Maximize sunlight to achieve ripeness
- Long, cool growing season
Germany vinification Riesling
- Large cask or stainless-steel fermentation
- Chaptilization (added to help boost finished alcohol), but not common
- Wines can be fermented dry (trochen), off-dry or lusciously sweet
Germany wine classification
(without geographic indiction)
Wein (Wine)
Germany wine classification
(with geographic indiction)
Landwein(PGI)
* regional wine, rarely exported
Qualitatswein (PDO)
* Quality wine from one of 13 major regions (anbaugebiete
* Categroy includes top trocken wines
Pradikatswein (PDO)
* subset of Qualitatswein categorized by ripeness at harvest
* Six pradikate (level of quality)
What are the six Pradikat level of quality?
Grapes picked at increasing levels of ripeness
1. Kabinett - reserve wine kept in a special cabinet
2. Spatlese - “late” harvest (Lese = harvest)
3. Auslese - “out” harvested (hand picked or picked out)
4. Beerenauslese (BA) - Hand picked berries
5. Eiswein - Ice Wine (frozen grapes on the vine)
6. Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) - Dried berries picked out
German classification
What is the VDP?
VDP = Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter
Founded in 1910
Members committed to top quality, higher standard than government requirements
German Classification
What is the GG?
Gosses Gewachs = Great Growth
Dry/Trocken wines
Similar to Grand Cru, top vineyards and wines have to be dry
Decoding the German Label
Region (Anbaugebiete)
* Mosel
Village (Gemeinde)
* Urzig
Vineyard (Einzellage)
* Wurzgarten
Pradikat
* Auslese
Grape
* Riesling
German Region - Mosel
Mosel
* Western Germany
* Follows Mosel RiverNorthern limit of viticulture
* Cold and Continental climate
* moderated by the river
* Balance of sweetness and acidity
* Riesling is THE grape, sweet wines
German region - Rheingau
- South of Mosel on the Rhein river
- Continental climate in rain shadow
- lower acid wines, dry wine production
- Riesling is still king here
German region - Rheinhessen
- South of Rheingau
- Grapes - Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner
- wide range of wine from Liebfraumilch to top vineyards for dry Riesling
German Region - Pfalz
Continuation if Alsace
Haardt Mountains - rain shadow
Grapes
* Riesling
* Weissburgunder - Pinot Blanc
* Grauburunder - pinot Grigio
* Spatburgunder
German Region - Baden
french and swiss borders
Warmest growing area
grapes
* Spatburgunder
* Muller Thurgau
German region - Franken
Along main river near Frankfurt
Grapes
* Spatburgunder
* Muller Thurgau
* Silvaner - greatest Silvaner in world
Vinification
* Bocksbeutel - big, round bottle
