Germany Flashcards
Where is the famous Doctor vineyard of Mosel located?
Bernkastel-Kues
In the VDP classification system, dry wines of Rheigau frequently carry what alternative to “GG” on the label?
Erstes Gewächs
A legally authorized term that may be spelled out in full on the label.
Where is the Goldtröpfchen vineyard, one of the Mosel’s most pedigreed sites, located?
Piesport
What extremely complex soil makeup is found in the Pfalz region?
Red sandstone
Calcium-based limestone
Loess
Red slate
Basalt
Igneous granite
Alluvial gravel
In the VDP classification system dry wines are labeled “GG” and not Grosses Gewächs. Why?
Grosses Gewächs is considered trocken by German wine law and is barred from appearing on the labels.
In Germany, what 2 tiers represent “quality” wine?
Qualitätswein
Prädikatswein
Quality wines of Rheinhessen have classically been produced in what area?
Rheinterrasse
(North east section of Rheinhessen along the Rhine River)
What grape is usually used to produce Liebfraumilch?
Müller-Thurgau
Although, Liebfraumilch cannot carry a grape name on the label.
What does a gold-colored capsule (goldkapsel) on a German wine indicate?
Generally indicates additional sweetness due to a higher must weight and is most commonly encountered on Auslese bottlings.
Almost exclusively used by Mosel producers.
The upper slopes of the Rheingau region are dominated by what soil type?
Slate
What is the world’s most northerly wine region dedicated to red wine production?
Ahr
What is the most famous vineyard of Bernkastel-Kues?
The Doctor vineyard
What is sparkling wine in Germany called?
Sekt
Where does the Mosel River start?
In the Vosges Mountains of France flowing eastward into Germany until it merges with the Rhine River.
From North to South list some of the wine producing villages of the Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstrasse.
Kallstadt
Ungstein
Bad Dürkheim
Wachenheim
Forst
Deidesheim
Rupperstberg
List the anbaugebiets of Germany from Southwest to Northeast.
Baden
Württemberg
Hessische Bergstrasse
Pfalz
Nahe
Rheinhessen
Mosel
Rheingau
Franken
Mittelrhein
Ahr
Saale-Unstrut
Sachsen
Where is Roter Hang located?
In the Rheinterrasse area of the Rheinhessen region.
List some of the important communes of the Rheingau region.
Assmannshausen
Rüdesheim
Geisenheim
Johannisberg
Winkel
What are the 2 tiers of the state-afilliated German Wine Institute?
Classic
and
Selection
German wines that have the varietal listed on the label must contain how much of the stated varietal?
85%
How does the VDP describe the climate of Ahr?
As Mediterranean
Which region has more acreage devoted to Silvaner than any other winegrowing region in the world?
Rheinhessen
Describe the soil of the Roter Hang.
A slope of red clay and slate along the Rhine River.
What is the name of the squat, flask-shaped bottle traditionally used in the Franken region?
Bocksbeutel
Besides Riesling and Müller-Thurgau, what other white grapes are used to produce wine in Germany?
Silvaner
Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)
Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
Kerner
Bacchus
Historically, the most important vineyards of Pfalz lay further north in what area?
On the east-facing slopes of the Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstrasse.
In what vineyard of the Rheingau region was botrytis first successfully harnessed, leading to the development of Spätlese and Auslese?
Schloss Johannisberg
What geographic features make it possible for Ahr to have a warmer climate than Mosel?
The Eifel Mountains shelter the vineyards from the cold winds.
Steep slopes of rocky, volcanic slate absorb heat and provide warmth.
Moderating influence of the Ahr river by reflecting sunlight onto the vines.
What are the minimum alcohol requirements for Prädikatswein?
7% for Kabinett, Spätlese, and Auslese
5.5% for Beerenaulese, Trokenbeerenauslese, and Eiswein
What red grapes other than Spätburgunder are used to produce wine in Germany?
Dornfelder
Blauer Portugieser
Trollinger
Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier)
List the different levels of Prädikatswein and the corresponding Öchsle Range.
Kabinett: 70-85˚
Spätlese: 80-95˚
Auslese: 88-105˚
Beerenauslese: 110-128˚
Trokenbeerenauslese: 150-154˚
Eiswein: 110-128˚
The Vosges Mountains of Alsace are know as what in the Pfalz region of Germany?
Haardt hills
What does each set of the Amtliche Prüfungsnummer represent?
1st set - region where the wine was tested
2nd set - commune in which the wine was bottled
3rd set - bottler’s code
4th set - unique code for bottling
5th set - year in which the application was filed
What red wine region is located north of the 50th parallel?
Ahr
The Pfalz region of Germany is divided into what 2 areas?
Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstrasse
Südliche Weinstrasse
The lower vineyards of the Rheingau region that are located closer to the water contain what mixture of soil?
A mixture of clay, loess, alluvial sand and red slate.
Where is the Rothenberg vineyard located?
In the Roter Hang area of Rheinhessen.
Vine cultivation of the Mittelrhein region is most similar to what other region of Germany?
The Mosel region.
Steep, slate riverside slopes planted predominantly to Riesling.
What is Pfalz’s warmest and most exceptional vineyard site?
Grosse Lage Kirschenstück
Located in Forst
What is the most well-known producer that produces wine from the Hermannshöhle vineyard?
Dönnhoff
Describe “Selection” wines according to the German Wine Institute.
Selection wine are “superior dry” with a maximum RS content of 9g/l (12g/l for Riesling). They are single vineyard wines from a single variety and the must weight at harvest must be equivalent to Auslese.
The commune of Johannisberg of Rheingau is dominated by what vineyard?
Schloss Johannisberg
As of 2012, what grape still ranked ahead of Riesling (until 2013) as Rheinhessen’s most planted varietal?
Müller-Thurgau
Prior to 2012, what was the top teir of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter?
Erste Lage
“First Site”
What are the 2 main tributaries of the Mosel River?
The Saar River and the Ruwer River
In the VDP classification system of Germany what does the following logo mean?
That the wine represents the top tier of Grosse Lage.
(Prior to 2012, Erste Lage)
Name 2 communes located in the south of the Rheinhessen region that are producing some of Germany’s best dry Rieslings.
Westhofen
Dalsheim
What type of wine is the commune of Assmannshausen know for?
Red wine produced from Spätburgunder.
What allows the vines to ripen in the Mosel region when the annual average temperature is 49˚ (8˚ colder than ideal)?
The blue slate absorbs and retains heat and the Mosel river reflects warmth onto the vines.
Generally, how would you describe the Riesling produce in the Nahe region as compared to those of Mosel and Rheingau?
Nahe generally produces a sweet Riesling that falls somewhere between the sweet Rieslings of Mosel and the dry Rieslings of Rheingau.
What is an Amtliche Prüfungsnummer (AP number)?
A series of 5 sets of numbers indicating that the wine has been approved by a tasting panel.
Where is the Mittelrhein region located?
On the Rhine River just north of Assmannshausen of the Rheingau region.
What is the dominant grape of the Ahr region?
Spätburgunder
What is considered to be the finest vineyard of the Nahe region?
Hermannshöhle
in Niederhausen
What is the greatest vineyard of Piesport?
Goldtröpfchen
(droplets of gold)
What vineyard of Assmannshausen is known to produce the best wine from Spätburgunder?
Höllenberg
What commune of the Rheingau is known for red wine production?
Assmannshausen
In the VDP classification system of Germany, how is a wine indicated as dry on the label?
GG
What is the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter?
A national German association of producers committed to top quality.
What is Germany’s most elusive and expensive dry bottling of Riesling, and where does it come from?
The “G-Max”
It comes from an undisclosed vineyard in the Rheinhessen region.
The Franken region is centered along what river?
The Main River
Today, what are the 4 tiers, and corresponding maximum yields, of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter classification system?
Grosse Lage: “Grand Cru” (max 50 hl/ha)
Erste Lage: “Premier Cru” (max 60 hl/ha)
Ortswein: “Village” (max 75 hl/ha)
Gutswein: “Regional” (max 75 hl/ha)
Describe “Classic” wines according to the German Wine Institute.
They are “harmoniously dry” with a maximum RS content of 15g/l. They are single varietal wines and show higher minimum alcohol content of 12% (11.5% in Mosel).
Prior to 2012 the top tier of the the VDP classification system of Germany was known as Erste Lage. How was this indicated on the label?
A specialized logo was used with a “1” followed by a cluster of grapes.
Where are the best vineyards situated in the Nahe region?
Along the south-facing slopes of the Nahe River, a tributary of the Rhine.
What does this logo mean if found on a bottle of German wine?
The wine was produced by an estate that is a member of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter.
What village is home to the Pfalz’s warmest and most exceptional vineyard site, Grosse Lage Kirchenstück?
Forst
What is “Steinwein”?
An old nickname for Frankish wine in General.
Thought to get its name from the Stein vineyard of Würzburg.
What does VDP stand for?
Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter
List some of the famous “sundial” (sonnenuhr) vineyards of the Mittelmosel.
Juffer Sonnenuhr of Braunberg
Wehlener Sonnenuhr of Wehlen
Zeltinger Sonnenuhr of Zeltingen
What is a bocksbeutel?
A squat, flask-shaped bottle traditionally used in the Franken region.
What grape thrives in the Franken region?
Silvaner
What 2 varietals account for the vast majority of the white grapes planted in Germany?
Riesling
Müller-Thurgau
In the VDP classification system, dry wines are labeled as “GG”. How are sweet wines labeled?
They are labeled by prädikat.
The stretch of the Mosel River between Trier and Zell has most the greatest site of the Mosel area. What is this region called?
Mittelmosel (Middle Mosel)
What is Liebfraumilch?
A sweet, cheap, characterless beverage that is usually made from Müller-Thurgau.
It may be blended from vineyards throughout Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, and Nahe resulting in a wine lacking tipicity and complexity.
What are some common characteristics of the best vineyards of the Mosel region?
The best vineyards are exclusively found on sheer aspects of the southward-facing slopes.
In the VDP classification system of Germany, what does the following logo mean?
Grosses Gewächs
It indicates a dry wine.
In what commune of Rheingau is the Höllenberg vineyard found and what grape is produced there?
Assmannshausen
Spätburgunder
What is the premier grape of the Nahe region?
Riesling
What is Sekt?
German sparkling wine made by the Charmat method.
List some of the most important towns found in Mittelmosel and one corresponding vineyard.
Trittenheim: Apotheke
Piesport: Goldtröpfchen
Brauneberg: Juffer Sonnenuhr
Bernkastel-Kues: Doctor
Graach-an-der-Mosel: Josephshöfer
Wehlen: Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Zeltingen: Zeltinger Sonnenuhr
Ürzig: Würzgarten
Erden: Prälat
In Germany, what are the most planted white and red varieties?
Riesling
Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)
