Germany

Question 1

German Vineyard Designation

Answer 1

Village name comes first, followed by the vineyard

Most labelled like this will be from small lots

Lower quality wines can be similarly labelled, if they come from neighboring vineyards

Question 2

German Wine Styles - Qualitatsweine vs Pradikat

Answer 2

Dry styles (red and white) often as Qualitatsweine

From light and fruity to concentrated and intense

Best are labelled as Grosses Gewachs (GG)

Pradikatsweine will most often have RS

But up to Auslese level, can be made dry

It’s an indication of style

Question 3

Franken

Answer 3

White wines dominate, but Riesling is not highly regarded

Silvaner is planted in the warmest sites

Best wines from south slopes near Wurzburg

Can make GG wines from a wide variety here

Question 4

Pfalz

Answer 4

Second largest growing region, near Alsace

Driest German region, in very warm years vines can have water stress

Riesling (mostly), Dornfelder (RED), Muller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder, and Weisburgunder

GG from Riesling, Weisburgunder, or Dornfelder

Mittelhaardt region set on steep slopes = ripe, full-bodied Riesling

Question 5

German Climate

Answer 5

Cool continental climate in general

Summers can be wet, but dry autumns. Long, cool growing season allows ripening while retaining acidity

All regions are capable of making botrytized sweet wines

Annual variation is significant – quality highly variable by vintage

Vineyards in far south (Baden) noticeably warmer

Question 6

German Premium Vineyards

Answer 6

Steep stony slopes with south aspects maximize sun/heat

Have to be worked by hand, and on the steepest slopes the machines must be moved by winches

Head-pruned, individually staked, canes tied at the stake top - maximizes exposure and air flow

Where near rivers, reflected sunlight and air flow help vs frost

Question 7

Region - Nahe

Answer 7

Best area is on the Nahe banks between villages of Schlossbockelheim and Bad Krueznach

These vineyards are on steep south-facing slopes

The best are from Riesling, made into styles between Mosel and fuller bodied wines

Pronounced acidity of the Mosel, but richer fruit

Question 8

Silvaner

Answer 8

Third most widely planted white grape

Found where it’s been long planted – Franken & Rheinhessen

Both dry and sweet styles

Less acidic and less fruity than Riesling, sometimes earthy

On the right sites it produces high-quality wines

Question 9

Eiswein

Answer 9

“Ice Wine”

Focus is varietal purity, not Botrytis

Best achieve fine balance in sweetness and acidity

Carefully selected yeast and gentle handling of juice

No processes that mask the grape’s character

No MLF or new oak

Question 10

Muller-Thurgau (Rivaner)

Answer 10

Riesling and Madelaine Royale cross made in 1880s

Second most widely planted grape in Germany

Ripens before Riesling, but less acid and flavor

Attractive floral and fruity wine, rarely high quality

Question 11

Beerenauslese (BA) and

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

Answer 11

Trocken = dry and Botrytis is essential to reach this sugar level

Not essential for BA wines, possible to reach that sugar level without noble rot (Bot)

Some sites well suited, but will not make BA or TBA every vintage – volumes vary considerably

Sweet, low alcohol, flavors of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel, and flowers

Question 12

Riesling Sweetness Levels

Answer 12

Kabinett – dry to med sweet

Spatlese – dry to med sweet “late harvest”

Auslese – dry to sweet “selected harvest”

Beerenauslese (BA)

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) Trocken = dry

Eiswein – “ice wine”

Question 14

Kabinett Riesling

Answer 14

The most delicate, light in body, high acid, green apple or citrus fruits, balanced with sweetness

Sweetest have 8-9% alc

Drier have up to 12%

Can sweeten w/ unferm juice (Sussreserve) but not used for making higher-quality products

Best sweet kabinett made by arresting ferments

Question 15

Wine Laws - PDO, PGI

Answer 15

Majority of wine is PDO, but some PGI wines – labelled as ‘Landwein’

Wines w/out GI are labelled as ‘Deutscher Wein’

13 identified PDO regions

1. Many do not follow the French restrictions
2. Wines are typically varietally labelled and classified by ripeness at harvest
3. Label as Qualitatswein or Pradikatswein – following sweetness levels

Question 16

Grapes classified by sugar levels

Answer 16

Harvesting a single block can stretch over weeks and months

A range of qualities can come from a single block, many passes

Can be sorted and characterized after picking

Question 17

German Wine Labels

Answer 17

All PDO wines must come from 1 region and appear on the label

Pradikatswein – ‘Pradikat’ must appear on the label

Sweetness labelling is optional

Dry wines can be labelled ‘Trocken’

Off-dry wines can be labelled ‘Halbtrocken’ or ‘feinherb’ (some believe indicates low quality)

Many don’t indicate sweetness level, but expect ‘deduction’

Question 18

Spatlese Riesling

Answer 18

Dry to med sweet, means “late harvest”

Made like Kabinett, but riper & more body, alcohol and possibly sweetness

Citrus and stone fruit (peach and apricot) are common

Question 19

Rheinhessen

Answer 19

Largest wine growing region

Muller-Thurgau, Riesling, 30% red production

Reputation based on steep sloping vineyards along the west Rhine bank around Nierstein – Rheinterrasse region

Produces some of the fullest-bodied Rieslings in Germany

Worms area has reputation for innovation / excellence

Question 20

Baden

Answer 20

Warmest and most south region w/ vineyards concentrated in the south, close to Colmar (Fr)

Fullest-bodied wines with the highest alcohols

The best are on the south slopes of Kaiserstuhl (extinct volcano)

Spatburgunder (most), Muller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder, Weisburgunder, Riesling

GG wines can be made by a wide variety

Question 21

Verband Deutscher Pradikat (VDP)

Answer 21

Members classify their vineyards by consensus

Includes most of the best German vineyards

Usually seen on labels when members make dry Qualitatsweine from the best vineyard sites

These dry wines are called Grosses Gewachs (GG)

GG is trademarked by VDP and these are the best dry wines, with varied varieties permitted by region

Question 22

Rheingau

Answer 22

Small but prestigious region, most vineyards on slopes looking for protection

Riesling dominates, mostly made into a dry style w/ medium-to-full body and a distinct ripe peach character

Humidity can lead to BA and TBA wines

GG wines can be made from Riesling & Spatburgunder

Question 23

German Red Varietals

Answer 23

Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir)

Third most planted grape

Thrives in warm sites – Pfalz and Baden

Wines are dry and either relatively light & fruity, or more concentrated

Dornfelder

Particularly deeply colored wines

Question 24

Auslese Riesling

Answer 24

Dry to sweet, means “selected harvest”

Made from individual extra-ripe grape bunches

Richer and riper than Spatlese in any given region whether dry or sweet, or affected by botrytis

Botrytis often plays an important part in flavor profile

Question 25

Region - Mosel

Answer 25

Riesling dominates – required for GG. Often comparably light body, low alc, high acid

Concentrated in central region – Middle Mosel

Villages are most important: Piesport, Bernkastel, Wehlen

Best on steep slopes, slate soils, next to the river

In cool vintages, even best sites made into sparkling