GERMANY Flashcards
What does “Hock” mean?
- An English term since 1800s used to indicate wines from the middle Rhine which later became the generic term for German wines. - By the end of 1800s “Mossele” evolved as a distinct category than the generic Hock.
When was Phylloxera discovered in Germany?
1872
What was the outcome of the Flurbereiningung campaign?
Consolidation of parcels of land divided by successive generations. Many of the old terraces critical to winegrowing were eliminated to make room for the increasing Muller-Thurgau plantings.
What does Amtliche Prufungsnummer mean?
“Official exam number” consisting of 5 sets of digits.
- the location of the examination board
- the village in which the wine was produced
- the producer
- the unique number of the bottling
- the year in which the wine was tasted (typically 1 calendar year after the harvest)
What is the minimum size for single vineyards in Germany?
5 hectares with a few exceptions:
- Forster Kirchenstuck - Pfalz
- Bernkasteler Doctor - Middle Mosel
- Kiedricher Turmberg - Rheingau
- Schloss Vollards - Rheingau
What does the term Feinherb indicate on a German wine label?
Indicates a a slightly off-dry style;
no legal definition
What does “geschutzte Ursprungsbezeichnung” mean?
Protected designation of origin
What are the 4 German Wine categories?
- Wein (Deutscher Wein if produced from 100% German grapes)
- Landwein (8.5% min alcohol level)
- Qualitatswein (7% min alcohol level)
- Pradikatswein (min 7% abv for Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese; min 5.5% abv for Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese)
What are the minimum must weights for Pradikatswein ?
- Kabinett 70 - 85 oechsle
- Spatlese 76 - 95 oechsle
- Auslese 83 - 105 oechsle
- Beernauslese 110 - 128 oechsle
- Eiswein 110 - 128 oechsle
- Trockenbeerenauslese 150 - 154 oechsle
What does VDP stand for?
Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter - an association of German producers dedicated to high quality wines made from representative varieties for each region with the aim of preserving the sense of place.
What are the requirements for the VDP membership?
- higher minimum must weights than the German law
- lower maximum yields than the German law permits
- all wines must be estate grown
- must cultivate a minimum of 80% traditional grapes
- VDP prohibits the usage of Gorsslagen on the label
- mandatory presence of the logo (Traubenadler)
When was VDP founded? How was it initially called?
1910
Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer - Natur referring to unchaptalized wines.
What are the 4 different tiers in VDP? What are the maximum yields for each tier?
- Gutswein - regional tier - 75hl/ha
- Ortswein - village tier - 75 hl/ha
- Erste Lage - premier cru - 60hl/ha
- Grosse Lage - grand cru - 50hl/ha
What is Gutswein?
The first tier in the VDP classification; the only statement of origin on the label is the Anbaugebiete is coming from
What is Ortswein?
The second tier in the VDP classification denoting wines made from multiple vineyards within the same village that are typically labeled with the village name and/or a statement of soil like: Kalkstein (limestone), Blauen Schiefer (blue slate) or Buntsandstein (red sandstone).
What is Erste Lage?
The third tier in the VDP classification often traditionally labeled with the vineyard name preceded by the village name.
What is Grosse Lage?
The forth and the highest tier in the VDP classification which are labeled solely with the vineyard name.
What does the term Grosses Gewachs (GG) mean?
- a dry wine from a Grosse Lage vineyard
- must be minimum Spatlese level at harvest
- max 9 grams/l RS - must carry GG on the label
- the whites can be released only after 1st September of the year after the harvest
- the reds must age an additional year with 12 months in wood
Can Pradikat levels be used on VDP wines labels?
Yes, but are reserved for sweet wines. “Spatlese trocken” and “Auslese trocken” no longer appear on dry wine labels.
When can Pradikatswein Grosse Lage be released?
As early as 1st of May the year following the harvest.
Is chaptalization allowed in VDP wines?
Legally yes. It is routinely practiced with the Spatburgunder.
In which Anbaugebiete doesn’t exist the “Erste Lage” category?
Mosel, Ahr and Rheinhessen.
What is the most planted grape in Germany?
Riesling
What are the sizes of Stuck, Doppelstuck and Halbstuck?
- Stuck - 1200 liters
- Doppelstuck - 2400 liters
- Halbstuck - 600 liters

