Germany Flashcards
1
Q
What northern parallel do German vines grow on?
A
the 50th
2
Q
When was winemaking established on the slopes of the Mosel?
A
4th century by the Romans
3
Q
What are einzellagen?
A
Vineyards
4
Q
In the Middle Ages, who was instrumental in vine cultivation?
A
The church with the work of monks
At the time, the church ruled over the state and essentially ran the economy
5
Q
Who founded the famous Kloster Eberbach monastery in the Rheingau in 1136?
A
The cistercian monks
6
Q
What is an ortsteil?
A
A single vineyard
7
Q
What is an alleinbesitz?
A
A monopole
8
Q
The Steinberg vineyard remains wholy intact today and is a monopole of what region for over 8 centuries?
A
Kloster Eberbach
9
Q
In the late 18th century what happened that changed the structure of the German vineyards?
A
Napoleon defeated Germany and instituted his Napoleonic code - the same that was instituted in Burgnudy and the ownership of the vineyards were split up
10
Q
What did the German Wine Law of 1971 implement?
A
It organized the 30,000 different vineyards into 2600 registered vineyards.
Each vineyard had a minimum size of 5 hectares
A few vineyards were excluded from this restriction: the Doctor vineyard in Bernkastel—whose three proprietors successfully petitioned to have the expanded boundaries shrunk to three hectares in 1984—the Kirchenstück and Freundstück vineyards in Forst, and the Schloss Vollrads ortsteil vineyard in Rheingau
11
Q
What is Germany’s most planted white and red varietal?
A
Riesling
Spatburgunder
12
Q
What is edelfäule?
A
Noble rot (botrytis)
13
Q
When was the use of noble rot “discovered” in Germany? By who?
A
harvesters at Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau
1775
The estate introduced the Auslese category in 1787 and the first Eiswein in 1858
14
Q
What is “Hock”?
A
British term for German wine
Specifically can mean to Riesling along the Rhine
15
Q
Why in the 1700’s did German vineyards get pushed up the mountains?
(And therefore produced better wines in the future)
A
Farmers needed to plant more food crops. This in turn lead to the vines planted in less nutrient dense soil and then made better quality and lauded wines by the mid 19th century.
16
Q
Where is the Geisenheim Wine Institute located?
A
In the Rheingau
17
Q
When was Muller Thurgau created? Where?
A
1882 at Geisenheim wine institute
18
Q
What are the parents of Muller Thurgau?
A
Riesling x Madeleine Royale
19
Q
Scheurebe is a crossing of which two grapes?
A
Riesling x Bukettrebe
It was developed in the early 20th century in the Rheinhessen
20
Q
What is the most prominent German crossing of a red gape and also the second most planted red grape in Germany?
A
Dornfelder a crossing of Helfensteiner x Heroldrebe
Developed in 1956
21
Q
What grape is used in Liebfraumilch?
A
Generally Muller Thurgau it is not allowed to cite a varietal on their label. Also, blending from vineyards across the Rheinhessen, Nahe, Rheingau, and the Pfalz is allowed
22
Q
Starting in the late 19th century what setbacks did the German wine industry face
A
Starting with phylloxera in the late 19th century Germany faced many set backs. After phylloxera, root louse, mildew problems, a huge depression, and WW1 & WW2 devastated Germany and the wine industry.
After WW2 vineyards were replanted for mass production with hybrid grapes (not Riesling). Liebfraumilch became a huge commercial success but was very damaging to Germany’s wine reputation in the rest of the world
23
Q
Approximately what percentage of German vineyard are planted with white grapes?
A
2/3
24
Q
Besides Riesling (the most planted white grape) and Muller Thurgau, what are other commonly planted white grapes?
A
Silvaner Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) Kerner Bacchus
Each account for at least 2% of total plantings
25
In varietal German wines, what percentage of the varietal must be in the wine?
85%
26
In descending order, after Spatburgunder, what are the most planted red grapes in Germany?
Dornfelder
Blauer Portugieser
Trollinger
Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier)
27
What is a synonym for Schwarzriesling?
Pinot Meunier
28
What is Weissherbst?
A single varietal German rose made via the saignee method
29
What is QbA?
Qualitätswein
| which was formerly Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete
30
What are the two quality levels of German wine?
Prädikatswein and Qualitatswein
31
How is the prädikat level is determined?
By the level of sugar in the grapes AT HARVEST
32
What are the 6 pradikat levels?
```
Kabinett
Spätlese
Auslese
Beerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese
Eiswein
```
33
What is the minimum alcohol level for Pradikatswein?
7% min
| 5.5% for Beerenauslese, TBA, and Eiswein wines
34
Can winemakers chaptalize at the Pradikat level of quality?
No
35
What is the name of the scale used to measure the sweetness level in Pradikat wines?
Öchsle scale
36
Wha is Amtliche Prüfungsnummer (AP Number)?
In pradikatswein, it is a series of five sets of numbers indicating that the wine has been approved by a tasting panel
37
What do the Amtliche Prüfungsnummer (AP Number) numbers represent?
the first number refers to the region where the wine was tested
the second set of numbers refers to the commune in which the wine was bottled
the third set of numbers is the bottler's code, the fourth set of numbers is a unique code for the bottling
the final two numbers indicate the year in which the application was filed
38
What does Grosses Gewächs (GG) indicate on a label?
The wine is dry
39
What are the 4 levels of Germany's wine?
Pradikatswein
Qualitatswein
Landwein
Detuschewein
40
List the pradikat level and their associated minimum Oschle range
```
Kabinett 70-85
Spatlese 80-95
Auselese 88-105
Beerenauslese 110-128
Trockenbeerenauslese 150-154
Eiswein 110-128
```
41
Is chaptalization legal in Qualitatswein?
Yes
42
What did the Charta organization champion?
Dry traditional style riesling
| Charta didn't last a long time but the VDP took over in it's place with similar emphasis on quality
43
Approximately how many vineyards are part of the VDP?
Approximately 200
44
What is the difference between Erste Lage and Grosse Lage?
Erste Lage means "first site" and before 2012 Erste Lage vineyards were considered the top vineyards in Germany. Then, naming changed and Grosse Lage became equal to Grand Cru and Erste Lage is now equal to premier cru.
45
From a grosse lage vineyards, can different style wines be made?
Grosse Lage vineyards can release different wines at different pradikat levels but can only release one dry (GG) wine.
46
What are the requirements for Grosse Lage wines?
Harvested by hand
max 50hl/ha
min must weight be equal to Spatlese
47
Grosses Gewächs wines are legally considered trocken, what is the max RS per liter allowed?
9g/liter
48
In the Rheingau, what label is often seen in place of Grosses Gewachs?
Erstes Gewächs
49
55% of VDP vineyards are planted to which grape?
Riesling
50
Name the 4 VDP designations in hierarchical order
Grosse Lage
Erste Lage
Ortswein
Gutswien
51
What are the maximum yields associated with each VDP designation?
Grosse Lage 50hl/ha
Erste Lage 50hl/ha
Ortswein 75hl/ha
Gutswein 75hl/ha
52
Are VPD wines estate bottled?
Yes. Estate bottling is mandatory
53
What is the VDP logo?
An eagle with a cluster of grapes
54
What is a competing system of the VDP?
The German Wine Institute at Mainz created a system implementing the terms "classic" 15 g/l and "selection" (9 g/l (12 g/l allowed for Riesling)
55
What is the Grosse Lage logo?
a “1” followed by a cluster of grapes
56
What are the aging requirements for Grosses Grewachs wines?
Whites: May not be released until September 1 following harvest
Reds: Receive an additional year of aging
57
When can Erste Lage wines labeled "pradikat" be released?
The May 1 following harvest
58
What is a goldkapsel?
A gold capsule (cap closure) used in the Mosel to indicate "reserve" wines
It generally indicates additional sweetness due to a higher must weight, and is most commonly encountered on Auslese bottlings
The Goldkapsel is a device used almost exclusively by Mosel producers, and is a means of subverting the 1971 Wine Law, which ruled that additional qualifications of the prädikat level, such as feine and hochfeine, could not be listed on the bottle.
59
When is a Lange Goldkapsel used?
In the Mosel, a Long Godkapsel (longer gold capsule) is used to denote an even richer bottling.
The length and color of capsule may be the only clue to a substantial difference in price and character
60
What are tributaries of the Mosel?
The Saar and the Ruwer
61
What does gemeinden mean?
Commune or village
62
What Mosel bereiche contains the Mosel's greatest gemeinden and einzellagen?
The Bernkastel bereich
63
What are the Mosel's six bereich?
```
Burg Cochem
Bernkastel
Ruwertal
Saar
Obermosel
Moseltor
```
64
What soil characterizes the Mitel Mosel?
Dark blue Devonian slate
However, the vineyards near Erden are characterized by red slate
65
What is a grosslagen?
A larger collective vineyard comprised of smaller vineyards
66
Badstube and Michelsberg are two commonly encountered grosslagen in which bereich?
Bernkastel
67
What three vineyards feature a sundial in them?
Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Zeltinger Sonnenuhr
Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr
68
What is considered Piesport's greatest vineyard?
| What makes it great?
Goldtröpfchen "Droplets of Gold"
| It's built as a natural amphitheater and is one of the best terroir expressions for Mosel Riesling
69
Name two Goldtropfchen vineyard producers
Reinhold Haart
| Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt
70
Where is the famous Doctor vineyard located?
Bernkastel-Kues, Mittelmosel
71
The growers to the east of the vineyard whose vines were excluded from Doctor in 1984 may label their wines as?
Alte Badstube am Doktorberg
72
Name a producer of Bernkasteler Lay
Dr Loosen
73
In Graach, who owns the great alleinbesitz
| Josephshöfer
Reichsgraff vos Kesselstatt
74
Sonnenuhr vineyards of Wehlen (Wehlener Sonnenuhr) are exemplified by which producer?
Joh. Jos. Prüm
75
The sonnenuhr vineyards of Zeltingen (Zeltingener Sonnenuhr) are exemplified by which producer?
Dr. Loosen
76
What does Ürziger Würzgarten mean?
Spice garden of Urzig
77
Who is a subsidiary of the Mönchhof estate (based in Urzig)?
Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben - they are the most prominent producers of Würzgarten wines.
78
The vineyards of Prälat and Treppchen are near what town? What soil type characterizes these vineyards?
Erden
Red Slate
Prälat is one of the Mosel's warmest sites. Dr. Loosen is a premier producer of its wines
79
Why is the saar valley cooler than the Mittelmosel?
Because of it's higher altitude
80
Scharzhofberger, an ortsteil within the gemeinde of Wiltingen that is considered one of the Mosel's finest sites is located in which bereich?
Who is considered it's greatest grower?
Saar Bereich
| Egon Müller
81
Name two exemplary monopoles along the Ruwer
Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg (part of a trio of monopoles owned by the von Schubert-Grünhaus estate)
Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg, owned by Karthäuserhof.
82
What was used to be the name for the Burg Cochem Bereich?
Zell Bereich
83
What is the dominant grape in the Obermosel and Moseltor bereiche
Elbling, not Riesling
84
Burg Cochem includes the lower Mosel Valley, from the village of Zell north to Koblenz, this region is also referred to as...?
The terrassenmosel, because the river get's narrower and hills get steeper, creating the need to terrace the hillsides in order to grow vines.
85
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemeinden: Trittenheim
Apotheke
| Trittenheim is located in the Mittelmosel
86
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemeinden: Piesport
Goldtropfchen
Domherr
Piesport is in the Mittelmosel
87
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemeinden: Brauneberg
Juffer
Juffer Sonnenuhr
Brauneberg is in the mittelmosel
88
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Bernkastel-Kues
Doctor
| Lay
89
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Wehlen
Sonnenuhr
90
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Zeltingen
Sonnenuhr
91
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Graach an der Mosel
Domprobst
| Josephshöfer (monopole of Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt)
92
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Urzig
Würzgarten
93
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Erden
Prälat
Treppchen
(red slate)
94
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Eitelsbach
Karthäuserhofberg
Eitelsbach is located in the Ruwer
95
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Wiltingen
Scharzhofberger
Wiltingen is located in the Saar
96
Name an important Einzellagen in the following Gemendein: Saarburg
Rausch
| Saarburg is located in the Saar
97
Which is Germany's oldest winemaking region?
The mosel
98
What region are Kloster Eberbach and Schloss Johannisberg located in?
Rheingau
99
Approximately what percentage of Rheingau vineyard acreage is devoted to Riesling?
80%
100
What is the Rheingauʼs sole bereich?
Johannisburg
101
What are the soil types seen in the Rheingau?
Slate in the upper vineyards
| Clay, loess, alluvial sand and red slate in the lower vineyards - the vineyards closest to the water
102
How would you describe a Rheingau riesling as compared to a Mosel riesling?
Rheingau rieslings are typically more powerful - The wines are typically fuller in body and more concentrated, yet acidity can be bracing
103
In which region has the VDP listed the most Erste Lage sites?
The Rheingau
104
What is a traditional vessel for bottling riesling in the Rheingau?
A traditional flute-shaped brown bottle, the Rheingauer Flöte
Green glass is typically used in the Mosel
105
What village is the Rheingau's center for red wine production?
Assmannshausen
| Primary red is spatburgunder
106
In the Assmannshausen commune, which vineyard produces the best Spatburgnuder?
Höllenberg vineyard
| August Kesseler is amongst its finest growers
107
Why was Charta formed?
To advance the classic, dry style of Rheingau Riesling, 1984
It represented the first major attempt by producers to validate dry wines within a system that only rewards sugar.
108
What icon denotes Charta wines?
three Roman arches—styled from the balcony of Graue Haus
109
In the late 18th century what was successfully discovered in the vineyards among Geisenheim and Johannisberg? By who?
Schloss Johannisberg successfully used botrytis to create Spätlese and Auslese wines for the first time.
This is in the Rheingau
110
The historic ortsteil Schloss Vollrads and the lauded Jesuitengarten and Hasensprung vineyards are in which Rheingau village?
Winkel
111
Who are the principal growers based in Hattenheim?
Schloss Schönborn and Langwerth von Simmern
The Pfaffenberg vineyard is a monopole of Schloss Schönborn and the Mannberg vineyard is almost entirely owned by von Simmern.
112
What are considered the premier vineyards in the commune of Hallgarten?
Jungfer and Schönhell, and the monastery Kloster Eberbach
Kloster Eberbach was used as a Prussian insane asylum and then a women's prison before it was turned into a functioning winery and museum
113
Kiedrich is a hill village due north of Erbach that is singularly famous for the wines of which producer?
Robert Weil
| Robert has holdings in the Gräfenberg vineyard and produces exemplary sweet wines at the Auslese level and above
114
Where is the village of Hochheim located?
On the Main river, a tributary of the Rhein of the Rheingau
115
What is considered Hochheim's greatest vineyard?
Kirchenstück is the village’s finest vineyard
| However a newer vineyard, Künstler estate ( established 1956) is producing very noteworthy wines
116
Where did the name Hock come from?
Hochheim
117
Where is the German Wine Institute located?
Mainz, Rheinhessen
118
Which anbaugebiet has the most hectare under vine?
Rheinhessen, 26,500 hectares
| In 2013, Riesling finally surpassed Muller Thrugau to become the Rheinhessen's most planted varietal
119
Where is the rheinterrasse located?
In the Rheinhessen. It stretches from Bodenheim southward through the winemaking towns of Nierstein and Oppenheim, terminating near Mettenheim
The most prestigious sector of the Rheinhessen is ROTER HANG. A slope of red clay and slate spanning 180 ha between Nierstein and Nackenheim.
120
Who is a marquee producer within the Roter Hang? This estate owns over three-quarters of Rothenberg, one of the Rheinhessen's premier sites
Gunderloch
121
What grape is considered a regional specialty in the Rheinhessen?
Silvaner
The Rheinhessen has a more acreage devoted to Silvaner than any other winegrowing region in the world, including Franken.
In the Rheinhessen, Silvaner is produced as a dry wine
122
What is "Message in a Bottle,"?
An association in the Rheinhessen dedicated to raising quality throughout the region
123
What is G-Max and where is it from?
One of Germany's most elusive and expensive dry rieslings. It comes from an undisclosed vineyard of Weingut Keller's in Westhofen
124
Where are the Haardt hills located?
In the Pfalz. They are an extension of Alsace's Vosges Mountains
125
What is a synonym for the Palatinate?
The Pfalz
| The Palatinate is what English speakers often call the Pfalz
126
From north to south, name the premier wine villages of the Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstrasse
```
Kallstadt
Ungstein
Bad Dürkheim
Wachenheim
Forst
Deidesheim
Ruppertsberg
```
127
What is the soil make-up of the Pfalz?
It is vastly varied and includes: layers of red sandstone, calcium-based limestone, loess, red slate, basalt, igneous granite and alluvial gravel
128
What varietal does Schweigen’s Friedrich Becker produce with esteem?
Spatburgunder
| He has to cross the border into France his to work his holdings in the Kammerberg Grosse Lage vineyard
129
Winemakers, Becker and Hansjörg Rebholz produce from which region of the Pfalz?
The Südliche Weinstrasse (Southern Pfalz)
Historically, the vineyards of the Northern Pfalz on the east facing slopes of the Haardt mountains (Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstrasse) are considered the most important but these winemakers, Becker and Hansjorg Rebholz, are propelling the Souther Pfalz into the spotlight
130
What village is the Grosse Lage Kirchenstück located in?
Forst
131
Jesuitengarten, Pechstein, and Ungeheuer are located in which Pfalz village?
Forst
132
How would you describe a riesling from the Pfalz?
Almost always dry and more full-bodied than it's counterparts in other German wine regions
133
What are the most recognizable estates in the Mittelhaardt?
the "3 Bs"
Bassermann-Jordan
von Buhl
Bürklin-Wolf
Müller-Catoir
134
What is Scheurebe?
A white grape
Silvaner X Riesling
It does well in the Pfalz and is often produced as a late harvest sweet wine
135
What is the producer Dönnhoff in the Nahe known for?
It's rich, sweet, pradikat wines
Especially those sourced from his monopole vineyard Oberhauser Brücke and Hermannshöhle in Niederhausen, the Nahe’s finest site
136
What is the primary grape of the Nahe?
Riesling
137
What type of wine consists of the majority of Ahr wine?
Spatburguner
| ~88% of production is dedicated to the grape even though this region sits at the 50th parallel
138
What is the singular bereich of the Ahr?
Walporzheim-Ahrtal
139
What mountains protect the Ahr's vineyards from cold winds and other climactic detriments?
Eifel Mountains
140
Name a spatburgunder producer in the Ahr
Meyer-Näkel
| Kreuzberg
141
What river is Franken centered on?
The Main
142
What grape thrives in Franken?
Silvaner
143
Name two Franken producers of Silvaner
```
Hans Wirsching (Iphofen)
Horst Sauer (Escherndorf)
```
144
What is the best known vineyard site in Franken?
Würzberg
145
What is Frühburgunder?
An early ripening strain of Pinot Noir
146
What is a bocksbeutel?
The traditional squat, flask-shaped vessel used to bottle Franken wines
147
The Hahn Grosse Lage vineyard in Bacharach in the Mittelrhein is a monople of?
Toni Jost it is one of the Mittelrhein's best sites.
148
The estate of Matthias Müller is located in what village of the Mittelrhein?
Spay, near Koblenz
149
What is schillerwein?
A rose wine common in Württemberg that is made by fermenting red and white grapes together
150
Which two anbaugebiete are located in former eastern Germany?
Sachsen and Saale-Unstrut
151
What valley is Sachsen located in?
The Elbe river valley
152
Goldriesling, a crossing created in Alsace, is a local speciality in which region?
Sachsen
Müller-Thurgau is also a common varietal in Sachsen.
153
What are common varieties found in Saale-Unstrut
Müller-Thurgau and Weißburgunder
154
What is the German equivalent of a recoltant manipulant?
Winzersekt
