Germany Flashcards
What is the climate of Germany?
Cool continental
What factors do the best vineyard sites in Germany have in common, and why?
Usually planted on steep, stony slopes with a southerly aspect, maximising the heat and sunlight available to vines in an otherwise marginal climate.
What effect does the German wine classification system have on the timing of harvests?
Because the classification system is based on must weight, the harvest can be spread out over a number of weeks and months, so that growers can pick the correct grapes for each style of wine.
From lowest to highest, list the six levels of German Pradikatswein
- Kabinett
- Spatlese
- Auslese
- Beerenauslese
- Eiswein
- Trockenbeerenauslese
What are the two methods used to sweeten Kabinett wines?
- Addition of sussreserve
- Stopping fermentation early
What are two possible labeling terms German producers might use to indicate an off-dry wine?
- Halbtrocken
- Feinherb
What is Muller-Thurgau a crossing of?
Riesling and Madeleine Royale
What are the three most important white grapes in Germany?
- Riesling
- Muller-Thurgau
- Sylvaner
What are the two important red grapes grown in Germany?
- Pinot Noir
- Dornfelder
What are the Saar and Ruwer?
Tributaries of the Mosel River
What are the three most important villages in the Mosel region?
Piesport, Bernkastel, and Wehlen
How do the Riesling of the Mosel compare to those grown in the Rheingau, Rheinhessen, or Pfalz?
- Lighter in body
- Lower in alcohol
- Higher in acidity
- More green fruit and floral flavors
Where do the best vineyards of the Nahe region lie?
On the banks of the River Nahe, in the short section between Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach
What is the name of the hills to the north of the Rheingau that protect the vineyards there?
Taunus Hills
Where do the majority of vineyards in the Rheingau lie?
On the slopes to the west of the region, surrounding the villages of Johannisberg and Rudesheim
Describe a Rheingau Riesling
Medium to full bodied, with a distinct ripe peach flavor
What is the Rheinterrase?
A collection of steeply-sloping vineyards around the village of Nierstein that produced some of the fullest-bodied Rieslings in Germany, and gave the Rheinhessen its good reputation.
What are the climactic features of the Pfalz?
- Vineyards can be seen as a continuation of Alsace
- Haardt Mountains (continuation of the Vosges) provide rain shadow and decrease cloud cover
- Driest of the German wine regions
- Vines can suffer from water stress in warm years
The most established quality vineyards in the Pfalz region lie in an area known as the Mittelhaadt. What are the names of the two villages in this area?
Forst and Deidesheim
What makes Baden distinct from other German wine regions?
It is the warmest and produces wines with the highest levels of alcohol.
Where are the best vineyards in Baden located?
On the south-facing slope of the Kaiserstuhl, an extinct volcano.
What is the most widely planted grape in Franken?
Silvaner
Where are the best Silvaners produced in the Franken region, and what is unique about their packaging?
- Wurzburg
- Distinctive flask-shaped bottles
