Germany Flashcards
Where is Pfalz located?
- Geographically contiguous with Alsace
Rheingau - grape varieties?
- Riesling
2. Spatburgunder (pinot noir)
Why are slate and basalt prized as such great soils in Germany?
They absorb the daytime heat and retain it at night
What should you look for on a German wine label? (8)
- Producer
- Vintage
- Alcohol Level
- Wine Region (Anbaugebiet)
- Village Name (Gemeinde)
- Vineyard Name (Einzellage)
- Grape Variety
- Ripeness at Harvest Level (Pradikat)
Rheingau - mountain range?
Taunus Mountains (provide protection)
Rheingau - soils?
Slate and others
What does the VDP classification of vineyards emulate?
Burgundy’s Grand Cru model
What type of latitude is Pfalz on relative to the rest of the Germany?
Relatively southerly latitude
Rheinhessen - grape varieties?
WHITE
- Riesling (best but not most planted in Rheinhessen)
- Muller-Thurgau
- Silvaner
What is the topography like in Germany?
- Rolling hills w/ rivers
- Steep hillside vineyards on river banks
What style of wine does Pfalz focus on?
Dry wine
Rheingau - location?
Sout of Mosel on Rhine River
Is chaptalization allowed in Germany?
- It is controversial and against the law for most quality levels
The Haardt Mountain are the northerly extension of the __________ Mountains.
Vosges
Name 5 of the 13 regions in Germany.
- Mosel
- Nahe
- Rhienhessen
- Pfalz
- Baden
- Wurttemberg
- Franken
- Hessiche Bergstrasse
- Rheingau
- Mittelrhein
- Ahr
- Saale-Unstrut
- Sachsen
What type of grape variety is Grauburgunder?
Pinot Gris
Describe the range of quality in Rheinhessen.
- Liebfraumilch to top vineyards for dry Riesling
- Specificity of village and vineyard is key
Mosel - viticulture? (5 points)
- Long growing season to achieve ripeness
- South-facing slopes very close to Mosel River
- Ripening a challenge
- High in acidity
- Low in sugar
What overall effect do rivers have on viticulture in Germany?
They reflect sunlight up the steep slopes to warm the vineyards and a very difficult ripening environment.
Name three primary aspects of viticulture in Germany.
- Steep, south-facing hillsides
- Long, cool growing season making it difficult to ripen grapes
- Planted along river valleys of Rhine, Mosel, and their tributaries
What are the soils in Germany?
- Varies BUT…
- Best vineyards are planted on heat-retaining soils and rocks such as slate and basalt
What is Liebfraumilch?
- Cheap, sweet wine
- Mainly made from Muller-Thurgau
__________ is Germany’s oldest winemaking region and one of the greatest locations for the pure expression of Riesling.
Mosel
Pfalz - climate?
- Sunny and dry
- One of the warmest growing areas in Germany
Rheinhessen - topography - what kind of land does it have?
Flat, fertile farmland
The Rheinhessen has the __________ area under vine and is the __________ wine region in germany.
Most; largest
Mosel - vinification? (3 points)
- Stainless steel fermentation
- Residual sugar left in wine to counter acidity
- Alcohol in finished wine generally low topping out at 8%
Rheinhessen - location and geography?
- South of Rheingau
- Large sprawling wine area
What are Grosses Gewachs?
Dry or trocken wines from the top vineyard sits in VDP classification
What does the word “einzellage” mean in English?
vineyard
What are the designations for wines with geographic indication in Germany?
- Landwein (PGI)
2. Qualitatswein (PDO)
Define Qualitatswein (PDO).
- Quality wine from 1 of 13 major regions (called Anbaugebiete)
- Includes top trocken wines