Germany Flashcards
Nahe production, Grapes, Styles
7th in vineyard acreage. ~75% white, Riesling dominates, generally sweet, Riesling only grape allowed for VDP GL bottlings.. M-T and other crossings planted in the 60’s but on the decline now, w/ Sylvaner. red grapes Dornfelder and Spatburgunder on the rise
Nahe Geography
West of Rheinhessen, SW of Rheingau, the Hünsruck Hochwald highland forest forms its NW border w/ Mosel. Great variation in topography, geography and soils generates a wider range of wine styles, hence the nickname “The Tasting room of Germany.” The best vineyards are generally located along the course of the Nahe River (a Rhine tributary) but also some along the tributaries Gräfenbach and Guldenbach streams in the north and the Glan and Alsenz river valleys in the south
Nahe Climate
In a transitional zone between maritime and continental climatic influences. Protected from wind and weather on the north and west by wooded mountains, the region’s climate remains mild and dry—average annual rainfall is around 500 millimeters (about 20 inches), making the Nahe Germany’s driest wine growing climate. Most precipitation occurs in the summer months rather than over harvest, and frosts are rare
Nahe Beireche and subregions
Nahetal is the sole Bereiche. 3 unoffiial subzones: Upper Nahe (Martinheim and Monzingen to Schlossbockelheim), Middle Nahe (Schlossbockelheim to Bad Kreuznach) and Lower Nahe (Bad Kreuznach to Bingen)
Lower Nahe: notable villages and vineyards, producers, relative climate
From N-S: Bingen (RB, in Rheinhessen), Munster Sarmsheim, Burglayen (Home to Schlossgut Diel), Dorsheim, Laubenheim, Windesheim (along the Gludenbach), Langenlonsheim, Wallhausen and Roxheim (both along the Grafenbach. Warmer than Upper and MIddle Nahe, Rieslings are fuller more similar in style to Rheinhessen, PN performs best here
Middle Nahe: notable villages and vineyards, producers, relative climate/geo
From E-W: Bad Kreuznach, Bad Munster-Ebernburg, Traisen (Bastei vyd), Norheim (Dellchen vyd), Niederhausen (Hermannsberg and Hermannsholle vyds), Oberhausen (Brukce vyd and home of Donnhoff), Schlossbockelheim (Felsenberg and Kupfergrube vyds). . Vyds on dramatic S facing slopes on the north bank of the Nahe. proximity to the Hunsruck hills means it’s slightly cooler than lower Nahe
Upper Nahe: notable villages and vineyards, producers, relative climate/geo
From E-W: Bockenau (Felsenack vyd and home to Shafer-Frohlick), Monzingen (Fruhlingsplatzchen vyd and home to Emrich Schonleber), Martinstein. Vineyards generally planted on dramatic, south-facing slopes along the Nahe’s northern bank. In proximity to the Hunsrück hills, climate tends to be slightly cooler than in the Lower Nahe
Nahe producers
Donnhoff (Oberhausen), Schlossgut Diel (Burglayen), Shafer-Frohlich (Bockenau), Emrich Schonleber (Monzingen)
Bad Kreuznach
Nahe’s largest town and the commercial center of the region’s wine trade
Bad Munster-Ebernburg
a Nahe spa town (bad means bath) and southern suburb of Bad Kreuznach. Nahe R. turns sharply N here
Traisen
Middle Nahe. GL: Bastei
Norheim
Middle Nahe. GL: Dellchen (Donnhoff makes a GG) Riesling
Niederhausen
Middle Nahe. GL: Hermannsberg (Gut Hermannsberg Alleinbesitz), Hermannshohle (Donnhoff makes a GG and a Auslese Goldkapsel Riesling)
Oberhausen
Middle Nahe. GL: Brucke (Donnhoff Alleinbesitz)
Schlossbockelheim
Middle Nahe. GL: Felsenberg (Donhoff and Shafer-Frohlich), Kupfergrube (Shafer-Frohlich makes a GG Riesling)
Bockenau
Upper Nahe. GL: Felseneck (Shafer-Frohlich makes a range of Rieslings)
Monzingen
Upper Mosel. GL: Fruhlingsplatzchen (Emrich-Schonleber makes a GG Riesling)
Rheingau production, grapes, style
85% white, 80% Riesling, 15% red, Spatburgunder. 40% of Riesling Pradikat but trending dry: 80% less than 9 g/l
Rheingau climate
cool, continental, warmed by the Rheingau, which is wide here. provides some humidity to encourage botrytis
Rheingau Bereiche and subregions
One Bereiche: Johannisberg. Subregions: Western Rheingau (where the Rhine turns north, vineyards face west), Central Rheingau (between Wiesbaden and Rudesheim), Eastern Rheingau (along the Main R.)
Rheingau Bereiche and subregions
One Bereiche: Johannisberg. Subregions: Western Rheingau (where the Rhine turns north, vineyards face west), Central Rheingau (between Wiesbaden and Rudesheim), Maingau: (along the Main R.)
Western Rheingau: notable villages and vineyards, producers, relative climate
Lorchhausen & Lorch (Eva Fricke), Assmanhausener Hollenberg (August Kessler makes Spatburgunder). Cooler, climate more similar to MIttlerhein than Central Rheingau, purer slate soils
Central Rheingau western villages: notable villages and ortsteil
Villages: Rudesheim, Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich, Hallgarten, Hattenheim Ortsteil: Schloss Johannisberg, Schloss Vollrads, Schloss Reichartshausen, Steinberg
Central Rheingau eastern villages: notable villages
Hattenheim, Erbach, Kiedrich, Eltville, Rauenthal, Martinsthal, Walluf, Wiesbaden
Maingau: notable villages, relative climate
Kostheim, Hochheim am Main, Florsheim. Marks the transition from the Rheinish massif to the Mainz basin; loess covered loams and marls; Along the Main River, E of the Rhein, Gentler slope, rarely > 120m, warmer
Schloss
german for castle
Kloster
german for abbey
Charta
est 1984, association in Rheingau, aimed to define and classify top vineyard sites and elevate dry Riesling. Members may list Charta on the label and/or the double arch logo. Erste Gewaches for dry Riesling and Spatburgunder from select sites legally recognized in Rheingau for the 1999 vintage, based on an 1867 Rheingau map, represented the first site-based quality hierarchy accepted into law in the wake of the 1971 legislation. Any grower who adheres to the guidelines and has shares in the land is permitted to use the Erste Gewaches labeling, which ends up covering 1/3 of the acreage in the Rheingau.
Assmannshausen
Western Rheingau known for Spatburgunder. GL: Hollenberg (August Kessler)
Rudesheim
Central Rheingau. GL: Berg Schlossberg (steepest slopes in Rheingau @ 70%), Berg Roseneck, Berg Rottland. Producers: Georg Breuer, Josef Leitz, Schloss Schonborn
Geisenheim
Central Rheingau, home to Germany’s top enological school and grape-breeding institute
Schloss Johannisberg
Central Rheingau Ortsteil. Founded by Benedictine monks in the early 1100’s, the oldest Riesling estate in the world, created the 1st spatlese in 1770 and the 1st Eiswein in 1858. among the first producers in Germany to introduce glass bottles, in the early 1700s. Under corporate ownership today
Johannisberg
Central Rheingau. GL: Holle, hillside vineyards
Winkel
Central Rheingau. GL: Jesuitengarten (another in Forst), Hasensprung
Schloss Vollrads
Central Rheingau Ortsteil in Winkel. at 3 ha, granted an acreage exemption to the 1971 wine law.
Oestrich
Central Rheingau. GL: Lenchen, Doosberg. Producers: Josef Spreitzer, Jakob Kuhn
Hallgarten
Central Rheingau hillside village. GL: Jungfer, Schonhell
Schloss Reichartshausen
Central Rheingau Ortsteil in Hattenheim.
Steinberg
Central Rheingau Ortsteil in Hattenheim. alleinbesitz of Kloster Eberbach.
Hattenheim
Central Rheingau. GL: Pfaffenberg (Schloss Schonborn alleinbesitz), Mannberg (mostly owned of Langwerth von Simmern)
Kiedrich
Central Rheingau hillside village. GL: Grafenberg (Robert Weil)
Erbach
Central Rheingau. GL: Marcobrunn (Schloss Schonborn, von Simmern)
Eltville am Rhein
Central Rheingau. GL: Sonnenberg
Hochheim am Main
Maingau, Rheingau. GL: Holle, Kirchenstuck (a more famouf Kirchenstuck in Forst). Producers: Franz Kunstler
German Pradikat ripeness ranges
Kab: 70-85 Spat: 76-95 Aus: 83-105 BA/Eis: 110-128 TBA: 150-154
Mosel Riesling pradikat min ripeness
Kab: 73 Spat: 80 Aus: 88 BA/Eis: 110 TBA: 150
Rheinhessen Riesling pradikat min ripeness
Kab: 73 Spat: 85 Aus: 92 BA/Eis: 120 TBA: 150