Germany Flashcards
The northerly winemaking regions of Germany straddle what parallel?
the 50th parallel, amongst the world’s coolest vineyards.
The Cistercians of Burgundy founded what famous monastery in the Rheingau in 1136?
Kloster Eberbach monastery, where they amassed the largest vineyard holdings in Europe by the end of the Middle Ages
What vineyard remains an alleinbesitz of Kloster Eberbach for over eight centuries?
The walled Steinberg vineyard, an ortsteil within the commune of Hattenheim, was the monks’ centerpiece and remains wholly intact today
What is an an alleinbesitz?
monopole
What is an ortsteil?
district
What did Napolean establish in the late 18th Century?
his Civil Code, annexing all German lands west of the Rhine for France in the late 18th century
What happened in 1803 to all of the Church’s vineyard holdings in Germany?
were secularized
Where did Kloster Eberbach end up after being dissolved as a monastery?
in the hands of the state-run Hessische Staatsweingüter after World War II
What led to the vineyard organization and registration mandated by the German Wine Law of 1971?
the Napoleonic Code led to fractured ownership and a gradual, significant splintering of vineyards. By the 1960s, there were over 30,000 different vineyard sites throughout West Germany!
What did the German Wine Law of 1971 split up?
30,000 einzellagen were condensed in bureaucratic fashion into 2,600 registered vineyards, each with a minimum size of 5 hectares.
What are the few exceptions to the mandated minimum size of vineyards by the German Wine Law of 1971?
- Doctor vineyard in Bernkastel
- Kirchenstück and Freundstück vineyards in Forst
- Schloss Vollrads ortsteil vineyard in Rheingau
What are the country’s current most planted white and red varieties?
Riesling and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)
What does the “discovery” of Spätlese harvesting and the Auslese category date back to?
Spätlese- 1775
Auslese- 1787
What were the best wines produced along the Rhine called in English markets in the 19th century?
Hock
What Institute developed a number of hardier grape crossings that would ripen in greater abundance across a variety of sites?
The Geisenheim Wine Institute in the Rheingau, founded in 1872
What is Müller-Thurgau a cross of?
Originally thought to be Riesling x Silvaner, more recent DNA testing has proven Riesling x Madeleine Royale
What is Ehrenfelser a crossing of?
Riesling x Sylvaner
What is Kerner a crossing of?
Trollinger (a red variety also known as Schiava grossa or Vernatsch) and Riesling
What crossings are more notable for their ability to ripen where Riesling cannot?
Bacchus and Faber
The Bacchus grape is a crossing of what?
a Silvaner x Riesling cross with Müller-Thurgau
What Riesling x Silvaner crossing developed in the Rheinhessen, is one of the few to show real quality potential?
Scheurebe
The Faber grape is a crossing of what?
Pinot blanc and Müller-Thurgau
What s the most prominent German red crossing and is currently the country’s second most planted red grape?
Dornfelder, bred in 1956
What problems attacked the German wine industry in the late 19th century?
Phylloxera, The root louse, mildew problems, a huge depression, and two devastating world wars
What wine almost singlehandedly destroyed the image of German wine internationally in the 1980s?
Liebfraumilch, sweet, cheap, characterless beverage was a resounding commercial success
What rules regulate Liebfraumilch?
usually produced from Müller-Thurgau but cannot carry a grape name on the label, may be blended from vineyards throughout Rheinhessen, Nahe, Rheingau, and the Pfalz
What is the VDP?
Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter
What is Grauburgunder?
Pinot Gris
What is Weissburgunder?
Pinot Blanc
What red grapes are presently relevant in Germany?
Spätburgunder, Dornfelder, Blauer Portugieser, Trollinger, and Schwarzriesling
What is Schwarzriesling?
Pinot Meunier
What is Weissherbst?
a saignée rosé wine made from a single varietal and of at least QbA quality
What represent the two tiers of German “quality” wine?
Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein
What was Qualitätswein formerly known as?
Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA)
What was Prädikatswein formerly known as?
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP)
Prädikatswein is at the apex of Germany’s legal quality pyramid, and wines in this category are further labeled by what following levels (prädikats)?
Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein
The prädikat level is determined by what?
the level of sugars in the grape at harvest, measured by degrees according to the Öchsle scale
Each anbaugiete has its own minimum requirements for each authorized grape; thus, the minimum required for each prädikat level is what?
expressed as a range
On the prädikat level scale, there is no what?
maximum sugar levels for each category, and grapes harvested at higher must weights may be declassified to a lower prädikat
A common phenomenon in the warmer vintages of recent years, when many Riesling grapes picked at ___ ripeness have been released as ___ instead
Spätlese, Kabinett
Prädikatswein must carry a minimum alcohol level of what?
7% (5.5% for Beerenauslese, TBA, and Eiswein wines)
At Prädikatswein level, winemakers may not what?
chaptalize
Prädikatswein must also carry what on the label?
an Amtliche Prüfungsnummer (AP Number), a series of five sets of numbers indicating that the wine has been approved by a tasting panel
What do the 5 numbers that make up an AP number indicate?
1- region where the wine was tested 2- commune in which the wine was bottled 3- bottler's code 4- unique code for the bottling 5- two numbers indicate the year in which the application was filed
While Prädikatswein as a category is intended to showcase Germany’s best efforts, many of the country’s superb Grosses Gewächs dry wines are released as what?
QbA, without mention of prädikat level
What is an anbaugebiete?
One of Germany’s 13 quality wine regions
Below the quality wine category are what?
the PGI category of Landwein and wines without geographic indication, or Deutscher Wein (known as tafelwein until 2009)
Landwein regulations?
Landwein originates in one of 26 broad regions, and must be trocken or halbtrocken in style
Deutscher Wein regulations?
100% German in origin, or a statement must be included on the label naming the countries that contribute to the blend, may state the variety on the label
Most Sekt, or German sparkling wine, is made at what level of quality?
Deutscher Wein
Most Sekt is produced by what method?
Charmat
Sekt may labeled as QbA if what?
it is produced from traditional grapes grown in one of the 13 anbaugebiete of Germany
What are the Minimum Öchsle Ranges for each Prädikat Level?
Kabinett 70-85° Spätlese 80-95° Auslese 88-105° Beerenauslese 110-128° Trockenbeerenauslese 150-154° Eiswein 110-128°
What was the VDP originally when founded in 1910?
the Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer, strove to promote unchaptalized natur wines, principally through wine auctions
What led the VDP to rewrite its internal constitution to promote superior standards while respecting new labeling laws, and change its name?
The 1971 Wine Law, it abolished the use of the term natur and created the category of QbA, for which chaptalization is legal
In 1984, what separate organization was formed to advance the classic, dry style of Rheingau Riesling?
Charta
What icon distinguishes Charta wines?
3 Roman arches, styled from the balcony of Graue Haus, in Winkel
What did the organization of Charta represent?
the first major attempt by producers to validate dry wines within a system that only rewards sugar
The core belief in the quality and tradition of dry wines started by Charta was adopted by whom?
the VDP, who merged Charta’s promotion of dry Riesling with a renewed emphasis on terroir and vineyard site as a measure of quality
Today, the VDP hosts how many estates?
200 of Germany’s finest estates as members
The VDP promotes their wines through what?
an extralegal, tiered hierarchy and a more restrictive classification of einzellagen than the government provides, as spelled out in the 2002 VDP Accord and subsequent revisions
Prior to the 2012 vintage, what represented the top tier of the VDP quality pyramid?
Erste Lage wines, (“first site”) term was reserved by VDP for Germany’s finest single vineyard sites.
Erste Lage wines carry what on the label?
a specialized logo- a “1” followed by a cluster of grapes
Erste Lage regulations?
hand-harvested, max yield of 50 hl/ha, min must weight equivalent to Spätlese
IF Erste Lage wines are DRY, the wines are denoted by what?
the initials “GG” (Grosses Gewächs)
Erste Lage wines that are lusciously sweet are labeled by what?
traditional prädikat levels
Grosses Gewächs wines are legally considered what?
trocken and may not contain more than 9 g/l of residual sugar
In the Rheingau, Grosses Gewächs wines frequently carry the alternative label of what?
Erstes Gewächs, a trademarked term established by Charta.
While Grosses Gewächs is barred by German wine law from appearing on wine labels—hence its indication by initials—__ ___ is a legally authorized term, and it may be spelled out in full
Erstes Gewächs
Grape varieties approved for Erste Lage wines vary according to each anbaugebiet, but there is a clear emphasis on what?
Riesling
55% of VDP estate vineyards are planted to what grape?
Riesling
Grosses Gewächs white wines may not be released before when?
September 1 of the year following the harvest
Grosses Gewächs red wines may not be released before when?
Sept 1st of 2nd year following harvest
Erste Lage wines labeled by prädikat may be released as soon as when?
May 1 of the year following the harvest
What must be listed on the label and approved by the VDP for Erste Lage wines?
The einzellage (in the style of the grands crus of Burgundy, the village name is dropped)
While a site may be recognized by both the German Wine Law and the VDP, the VDP’s demarcation is often what?
narrower, representing a return to pre-1971 vineyard boundaries
In early 2012, the VDP elected to create what?
a new, four-tier system designed to better emulate the model of Burgundy
What are the VDP Classification (2012 forward) and corresponding maximum yields?
Grosse Lage: “Grand Cru” Wines (max. 50 hl/ha)
Erste Lage: “Premier Cru” Wines (max. 60 hl/ha)
Ortswein: Village Wines (max. 75 hl/ha)
Gutswein: Regional Wines (max. 75 hl/ha)
From 2012 onward what is Erste Lage?
The Erste Lage sites are NOW Grosse Lage while the premier cru sites are termed Erste Lage
Producers of Grosse Lage wines will be held to the preexisting standards for top sites, and the wines may be what?
dry (“GG”) or sweet (labeled by prädikat)
Producers of sweet wines may make a range of prädikat levels from a Grosse Lage site, but dry wine is limited to what?
1 dry wine may be produced in each of the top vineyards
The former Erste Lage logo will be applied only to what?
wines of Grosse Lage quality; An indication of either Grosse Lage or Erste Lage will appear on the capsule
The Grosses Gewächs category is reserved for what?
Grosse Lage
Producers of Erste Lage dry wines must label their products as what?
trocken
While all VDP members are committed to Grosse Lage, individual member organizations in each anbaugebiet may choose whether or not to develop what?
an Erste Lage designation
What is an example of an anbaugebiet that is developing their Erste Lage designation?
The Pfalz- some former top sites, like Paradiesgarten and Kalkofen in Deidesheim, will be recast as “Premier Cru”
What is an example of an anbaugebiet that is unlikely to adopt the Erste Lage tier?
The Rheinhessen VDP organization
The tiers of ___ and ___ are modeled on Burgundy’s village and regional wines, respectively
Ortswein, Gutswein
Name some members of the VDP
Robert Weil, Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt, Dr. Loosen, Egon Müller, Joh. Jos. Prüm, Dönnhoff, Keller, Bürklin-Wolf, Toni Jost
What is mandatory in the VDP?
Estate-bottling
Capsules on all VDP member estates’ bottles must be emblazoned with what?
VDP logo, a stylized eagle clasping a cluster of grapes
What does Bürklin-Wolf label its Grosse Lage wines as?
“GC”—for “Grand Cru”—rather than “GG”
In the Mosel, producers may now make Grosse Lage wines at every prädikat level, but producers in Pfalz will not be able to produce what?
Kabinett Grosse Lage
The state-affiliated German Wine Institute at Mainz also created what?
its own simplified hierarchy for drier styles of wine, which debuted with the 2000 vintage
The German Wine Institute at Mainz substituted terms for the more cumbersome halbtrocken and trocken?
The terms Classic and Selection
According to The German Wine Institute at Mainz, Classic wines are considered what?
“harmoniously dry” with a maximum residual sugar content of 15 g/l
According to The German Wine Institute at Mainz, Selection wines are considered what?
“superior dry” with a maximum residual sugar content of 9 g/l (12 g/l allowed for Riesling)
According to The German Wine Institute at Mainz, Wines labeled “Classic” are single varietal wines and omit what?
any mention of a vineyard on the label
minimum alcohol content of “classic” wines?
a superior min alcohol content of 12% (11.5% in the Mosel)
“Selection” wines are ___ vineyard wines from a ___ variety
single
What are yields and must weight requirements for “Selection” wines?
60 hl/ha, must weight must be equivalent to Auslese, hand-harvested
Unlike the VDP’s stringent hierarchy, Classic and Selection are what?
legally recognized terms and may be used by producers in any anbaugebiet that meet the requirements
The VDP and Classic/Selection are what?
essentially competing systems
Despite its lack of legal backing and more difficult terminology, the VDP system is clearly what?
superior to Classic/Selection wines, the better producers support VDP and its stricter guidelines, while the marketplace has not embraced the Classic/Selection wines.
The Mosel was known as what until August 1, 2007?
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
The Mosel is highly regarded for what?
its pure, light, low alcohol Kabinett Rieslings and is well known for the precipitous slate slopes the vines inhabit.
Many producers in the Mosel choose to bottle small quantities of “reserve” selections with a what?
goldkapsel—a gold-colored capsule
What does a goldkapsel usually indicate?
additional sweetness due to a higher must weight, and is most commonly encountered on Auslese bottlings
Even richer bottlings than Auslese in the Mosel are marked with what?
a Lange Goldkapsel (a longer gold capsule), this length and color may be the only clue to a substantial difference in price and character
The Goldkapsel is a device used almost exclusively by whom?
Mosel producers
The Goldkapsel is a means of subverting the 1971 Wine Law, which prohibited additional qualifications of the prädikat level on the bottle, such as what?
feine and hochfeine
The Mosel River emerges from the Vosges Mountains in France and flows eastward into Germany, joining with what?
its tributaries (the Saar and Ruwer) until it merges with the Rhine at Koblenz, marking the end of the Mosel Valley and the border of the Mittelrhein anbaugebiet
The Mosel is divided into what 6 bereiche?
- Bernkastel
- Burg Cochem
- Saar
- Ruwertal
- Obermosel
- Moseltor
The ___ bereich is the largest, occupying a stretch of the Mosel from Trier to Zell, wherein most of the Mosel’s greatest gemeinden and einzellagen are located
Bernkastel
In Bereich Bernkastel, name the important einzellages
Trittenheim, Piesport, Brauneberg, Bernkastel-Kues, Graach-an-der-Mosel, Wehlen, Zeltingen, Ürzig, and Erden
Bereich Bernkastel, sandwiched in between Cochem and Ruwertal is known as what?
The Mittelmosel
What are the soils like in the Mittelmosel?
composed of dark blue Devonian slate, although red slate characterizes the vineyards near Erden
What does the blue slate that characterizes the Mittelmosel contribute to the vines?
absorptive, retains heat and the river reflects warmth onto the vines, allowing them to ripen in a region where the annual average temperature is 49° F—8° colder than the grapevine’s ideal annual temperature
Mittelmosel slopes predominantly share what aspect?
southward-facing
Name two commonly encountered grosslagen within the Bernkastel bereich
Badstube and Michelsberg
Describe the grosslagen of Badstube
an be the source of decent wines sourced from the region around Bernkastel-Kues
Describe the grosslagen of Michelsberg
a commercially made, rather unfortunate smear on the integrity of Piesport
What is Piesport’s greatest vineyard, a world apart from those labeled Piesporter Michelsberg?
Goldtröpfchen—“droplets of gold”
Name some producers in the Goldtröpfchen vineyard of Piesport
Reinhold Haart and Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt
What is special about the Goldtröpfchen vineyard, structurally?
it is a natural amphitheatre