Germany

Question 1

In which regions of Germany can botrytised wines be made?

Answer 1

All of them.

Question 2

Which ranks higher Qualitätswein or Prädikatswein?

Answer 2

Prädikatswein - it is the one divided into 6 levels.

Question 3

What is PGI wine labelled in Germany?

Answer 3

Landwein (there is not that much of it, most is PDO).

Question 4

What are the 13 wine regions of Germany?

Answer 4

Rheinhessen
Pfalz
Baden
Mosel
Würtemberg
Franken
Nahe
Rheingau
Mittelrhein
Saale-Unstrut
Ahr
Hessiche Bergstrasse
Sachsen
(in declining order of total vineyard area)

Question 5

What does VDP stand for?

Answer 5

Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter

Question 6

What is the VDP symbol?

Answer 6

An eagle displayed head to sinister charged with six roundels, 3,2, and 1 (grapes).

Question 7

Talk about the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter.

Answer 7

Membership is currently 197 of the best wine estates in Germany.

• founded 1910
• 3.5% of German vineyard area
• insist on lower yields and higher must weights than required by German law
• must plant at least 80% of their vineyards with grapes traditionally associated with the locality
• compliance inspections every 5 years

Question 8

Talk about Grosses Gewäches.

Answer 8

Prestige wine category devised by VDP.

• do not bear Prädikat labelling but must be of a must weight of at least spätlese
• letters GG and a bunch of grapes embossed on the glass bottle

Question 9

Talk about Kabinett.

Answer 9

Must weight, depending on variety and growing region, between 67 and 82 degrees Oechsle. (9.1 to 10.9% residual sugar).

• Mosel Kabinetts which have residual sugar often as low as 7 or 8% alcohol.
• but Baden and Pfalz dry Kabinetts may have 13% or more

Question 10

Talk about Spätlese.

Answer 10

Literally ‘late harvest’.

• as a Prädikat defined by must weight
• but ‘spätlese trocken’ a labelling term that was/is used

Question 11

Talk about Auslese.

Answer 11

Literally ‘selected harvest’.
- policy within VDP is to abandon use of Prädikat designations for dry wines so ‘Auslese trocken’ now unlikely to be seen

Question 12

Talk about Beerenauslese.

Answer 12

Literally ‘berry selection’.

• many vintages yield none in Germany
• more frequent in Austria’s Neusiedlersee
• but climate change has increased the amount produced
• higher minimum potential alcohol is required than for Sauternes

Question 13

Talk about Eiswein.

Answer 13

A rarity in Germany

• botrytis plays little part
• focus is on varietal purity
• masking the flavours of the grape is avoided

Question 14

Talk about Müller-Thurgau.

Answer 14

White grape variety.
Second most widely planted variety in Germany.
1882 cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royale (a now extinct table grape).
(M-T also known as Rivaner in Luxembourg and Slovenia; Riesling-Sylvaner in NZ and Switzerland).
- large, thin-skinned berries prone to rot
- ripens earlier than Riesling (the main object of Dr Muller who promoted/crossed it) but does not have its high acidity or flavour intensity
- unlike Riesling it can be grown anywhere
- good wine is made from it in Alto Adige, but not in Germany
- largely disappeared now in NZ

Question 15

What is the third most planted white variety in Germany?

Answer 15

Silvaner.

Question 16

Talk about Silvaner in Germany.

Answer 16

3rd most planted white variety.

• traditionally strong in Rheinhessen and Franken
• made in both dry and sweet styles
• on right site can give high-quality wines

Question 17

What is Spätburgunder the German name for?

Answer 17

Pinot Noir (late Burgunder).

Question 18

Which is the third most planted grape variety in Germany?

Answer 18

Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir.

Question 19

Talk about Spätburgunder.

Answer 19

Particularly important in Pfalz and Baden.
Thrives in warmer areas.
- quality has greatly increased in the last 40 years
- lower yields, longer maceration, barrel maturation and climate change mean a wine comparable to Burgundy now being produced
- Ahr, Baden and Pfalz particulary good

Question 20

Talk about Dornfelder.

Answer 20

Widely planted in Germany.

• a cross from 1956
• Helfensteiner x Heroldrebe
• depth of colour of wine produced
• good acidity
• can develop in cask or bottle sometimes
• slightly floral
• easier to grow than Pinot Noir
• better resistance to rot than Portgieser
• plantings are on the increase

Question 21

Talk about Mosel.

Answer 21

Includes the River Mosel from border with Luxembourg until it joins the Rhine and its 2 tributaries the Saar and the Ruwer
(Mosel was known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer until 2007)
- 8,776 hectares in 2013
- white grapes and Riesling in particular dominate production
- Riesling the only permitted variety for Grosses Gewächs wines
- production concentrated in Middle Mosel where number of village have high reputation including:
Piesport;
Bernkastel;
Wehle.
- best vineyards on steep slopes right next to the river.
- all best vineyards predominantly on Devonian slate (retains warmth)
- labour intensive and not very viable economically
Mosel Rieslings have less alcohol, more acidity and lighter body than typical Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz Rieslings.

Question 22

What is an ‘einsellage’?

Answer 22

Literally ‘an individual site’.
Plural : einzellagen
- about 2,600 of them registered in Germany
- vary in size between 1 and 200 hectares

Question 23

Talk about Nahe.

Answer 23

4,187 hectares in 2013
Riesling the most widely planted.
- varied geology
- balmy autumns good for late ripening
- wide area that lies between Mosel and Rheinhessen
- on river Nahe - best sites are along it between Schlössbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach, on steep south-facing slopes
- Rieslings have acidity of Mosel ones but riper fruit character

Question 24

Talk about Rheingau.

Answer 24

Small but prestigious region.
3,166 hectares in 2013.
- vineyards on the north banks of the River Rhein and the north banks of the River Main. Southerly aspect.
- Taunus hills to the north give protection and improve conditions for ripening. A favourable mesoclimate.
- Johannisberg and Rüdesheim important villages
- humid condition means some of the best Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese are made here
- vineyards to east, on Main, centred round village of Hochheim [origin of word ‘Hock’] - warmer climate, riper fuller Rieslings
- GG wines can be made o Spätsburgunder or Riesling

Question 25

Talk about Rheinhessen.

Answer 25

The largest German vine-growing region.

• wide range of varieties
• Muller-Thurgau and Riesling the two most common of either colour
• Dornfelder, Portugieser and Spätburgunder the most common black varieties
• GG wines can be made from either Riesling or Spätburgunder
• area around Nierstein (on steep slopes on west bank of Rhine) produces some of the fullest-bodied Rieslings in Germany
• more good quality wine being produced from Rheinhessen than in the past - has reputation for innovation

Question 26

Talk about Pfalz.

Answer 26

Germany’s second largest wine growing region.
- can be seen as a continuation northwards of Alsace
- lie to east of the Haardt mountains which are a continuation of the Vosges
- the driest of all German regions, can suffer from water stress in dry years
- Riesling the most widely planted - reputation for quality
- Muller-Thurgau
- Grauburgunder
- Weissburgunder
- Dornfelder
- Portugieser (for local market)
Area of Mittlehaardt contains Forst and Deidesheim - these two villages, their vineyards on steep Rhineside slopes, produce a ripe, fuller-bodies style of Riesling

Question 27

Which mountains continue north from the Vosges Mountains?

Answer 27

The Haardt Mountains in Pfalz.

Question 28

Talk about Baden.

Answer 28

Warmest and most southerly of German regions.
- fullest bodies wines with highest alcohol
- a third of the plantings in
Kaiserstuhl (an extinct volcano), and
Tuniberg - both opposite Colmar in Alsace