Germany Flashcards
what is Germany known for producing the highest concentration of world class variety?
Riesling
What is Spatburgunder?
Germany’s word for Pinot Noir
Describe climate in Germany
in general they have the cool continental climate although some southern vineyards in Baden are warmer. Summers are wet, however rain typically declines in autumn during the final stage of ripening. the long cool ripening period give the grapes time to reach sugar ripeness and retain acidity - developing noble rot when conditions are right.
describe weather conditions in Germany
annual conditions vary considerably - which lead to variation in quantity and quality and style
in nearly all the regions where are the best vineyard sites located in Germany?
steep and often stony slopes with a southerly aspect which maximizes the available heat and sunlight.
how are the grapes harvested in Germany
by hand due to the extreme slopes.
how are grapes cared for in Germany
head pruned on slopes, individually staked, and canes tied at the top of the stakes to maximize exposure to light and circulation of air.
what helps vineyards near a river in germany?
the reflection of sunlight and air movement created by flowing water can protect against frost
how are the wines classified in Germany?
by must weight (level of sugar in the juice)
how long is harvest in Germany
can be spread out over a number of weeks or months
what is the ongoing trend for German winemaking
dry styles of wine both red and white
What are the two styles sold in Germany?
Pradikatsweine and Qualitatsweine
Describe the what causes Riesling to express itself differently from vineyard to vineyard in Germany
due to climate and soil variations
what is the sweetness range of German Rieslings?
bone dry to lusciously sweet
what are dry German Rieslings labeled?
Qualitatsweine
describe a dry Riesling from Germany?
can range from light and fruity to very concentrated and intense in flavors
what are the very best dry wines labelled in Germany
Grosses Gewachs (GG)
Describe a Pradikatsweine style
nearly all will have risdidual sugar but up to the category Auslese it is possible for the wines to be made in a dry style.
what is kabinett Riesling wine in Germany?
the most delicate of the Pradikatsweine style. light in body with high acidity and flavors of green apple or citrus fruit often balance the residual sugar
how much alcohol will the sweet styles of wine in Germany have?
8-9%
how much alcohol will the drier styles of wine in germany have
up to 12%
what is Sussreserve
unsweetened grape juice that is added to the wine after fermentation to sweeten the wine. not used for high quality wines.
what technique is used to make the best Kabinett sweet styles
stopping the fermentation early before the yeast has converted all the sugar in the juice to alcohol.
Describe a Spatlese Riesling wine
made the same way as Kabinett but are more concentrated , riper, and have a little more body, alcohol, and where relevant sweetness. Citrus or stone fruit aromas are present (apricot and peach)
Describe Auslese wine?
made from individually selected extra ripe grapes, richer and riper compared to Spatlese. noble rot can play a role.
What is the vast majority of wine production from in Germany? PDO or PGI
PDO
what are PGI wines labelled in Germany
Landwein
what are wines without a GI labelled in Germany?
Deutscher Wein
how many regions are delimited for PDO wines?
13
how are wines labelled in Germany
by varietal and must weight at harvest
how many subtitles does Pradikatswein have?
6
what are the subtitles of Pradikatswein
Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese (BA), Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
what is the rule around PDOs in Germany
the one must come from only one region and
what will appear on the label of a wine in Germany
the name of the region will appear on the label. For Pradikatswein the Pradikat level must also appear. three other things that might appear are vineyard location, sweetness and indication of quality.
what can dry wines be labeled
trocken
what can off dry to medium sweet wines be labeled
halbtrocken - although some producers see this as a reflection of lower quality wines and therefore use the term feinherb instead, but this term is not legally defined.
what is the best way to determine sweetness of wine in Germany
wine category or alcohol level.
How is the label presented with vineyard location in Germany
the name of the village is first and then the name of the vineyard.
how do you determine from a label if the wine in Germany is from a single vineyard or not?
not on the label but the cost is a true indicator
what are a good indication of style in German wines?
no legally defined terms but the Pradikat levels are a good indication
what is Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter (VDP)?
independent group of wine producers in germany that have classified their vineyards by consensus which include the vast majority of the best Germany sites.
what is the classification that VDP puts on the labels for wines in Germany when members make a dry Qualitatswein from the best vineyard sites
Gross Gewachs (GG) with a bunch of grapes that are embossed on the neck of the bottle - this is NOT part of German wine law.
What is necessary to achieve the must weights for TBA?
noble rot
is noble rot necessary to achieve the must weights for BA?
no - it can reach maximum must weight without it.
Are TBA and BA made every year
no and volumes vary considerably when they are made.
describe a TBA or BA wine
very sweet low in alcohol, with flavors of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel and flowers. rank among best sweet wines in world.
describe Eiswein
a true rarity, made infrequently focus is placed on purity of varietal. noble rot not used. achieve a fine balance between acidity and sweetness. producers attempt to keep natural fruit flavors (by carefully selecting yeast, handling juice with care, and avoiding processes that mask flavor of grape like MLF or new oak.
what is Muller Thurgau in germany?
a crossing made in 1880s between Riesling and Madeleine Royale.
when does Muller Thurgau ripen
earlier than Riesling but it does not have the same level of high acidity or flavor intensity
describe Muller Thurgau characteristics
attractive floral and fruity wine but in germany produces wines of high quality rarely. inexpensive, medium dry - medium sweet Qualitatsweine
what is the second most widely planted white variety in germany?
Muller Thurgau - but is on steady decline.
what is the third most planted white varietal in Germany?
Silvaner
where is Silvaner mostly found in Germany?
Rheinhessen and Franken
what style is Silvaner made?
both dry and sweet
What kind of quality can Silvaner sometimes have to it?
earthy
what is Grauburgunder
Pinot Gris
what is Weifburgunder?
pinot Blanc
what are teh two main black grape varieties in Germany?
Spatburgunder (pinot noir) and Dornfelder
what is the third most planted varietal in Germany
Pinot Noir
Where is PInot Noir important in Germany
Pfalz and Baden
Describe the characteristics of PInot Noir in Germany
dry and either relatively light and fruity or made in a more concentrated style that often includes oak aromas.
describe characteristics of Dornfelder in Germany
deep colored wines.
what is included in the Mosel region
the river mosel from where it joins the River Rhine to the German border and its two tributaries (Saar and Ruwer)
what dominates production in Mosel?
white grapes and Riesling in particular
what is only permitted variety for GG wines?
Rielsling
where is prodcution conentrated in Mosel?
the center of the region known as Middle Mosel - where there are a lot of villages that produce top quality wines.
what are the three best known villages in Mosel for producing quality wines?
Piesport, Bernkastel and Wehlen
where are the best vineyards found in Mosel
very steep slopes with slate soils right next to the river
describe a riesling from Mosel
lighter body, lower alcohol, higher in acidity compared to the wines of Rheingau, Rheinhessen, and Pfalz. floral and green fruits predominate
what vineyards are used for sparkling wines in Mosel?
Saar and Ruwer - much cooler climate
where is Nahe?
spread over a wide area that lies between Mosel and Rheinhessen
where are the best vineyards found in Nahe?
on the bank of River Nahe itself in the short section between the villages of Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach. both on south facing steep slopes
what varietal are the best wines of Nahe made from
Riesling - also the most widely planted variety in Nahe
describe a riesling from Nahe
pronounced acidity of Mosel, but have slightly riper fruit character flavors due to warmer climate
what is Rheingau
its a small but prestigious region in Germany
where are most vineyards placed in Rheingau?
on steep slopes of the North bank of the Rhine river (in the west of the region) and the River Main in the east of the region. they have a southerly aspect
what protects the vineyards in Rheingau?
Taunus hills to the north
where do the majority of the vineyards lie in Rheingau?
slopes to the west of the region and surrounded by the villages of Johannisberg and Rudesheim
what variety dominates plantings in Rheingau?
Riesling
describe riesling from Rheingau?
normally done in dry style. medium to full body, and distinct ripe peach character.
what attributes to some of Germany’s best TBA and BA wines being made in Rheingau?
humid conditions from the Rhine
What can GG wines be made from in Rheingau?
Riesling or Spatburgunder (pinot noir)
What is the largest vine growing region in Germany?
Rheinhessen - with a broad range of white and black varietals
what are the two most planted varietals in Rheinhessen of eitehr color?
riesling and Muller-Thurgau (cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royale)
which black varietals make up about 30 % of the planting in Rheinhessen?
Dornfelder, portugieser, and Spatburgunder
what are GG wines made from in Rheinhessen?
Riesling and Spatburgunder
what is the reputation of Rheinhessen based on?
the steep sloped vineyards on the west bank of the Rhine centered around the villages of Nierstein - often referred to as “Rheinterrasse”
what type of riesling does Rheinterrasse produce
some of the fullest bodied Rieslings in Germany
what is the second largest wine growing region in Germany?
Pfalz
What are the vineyards of Pfalz a continuation of?
the vineyards of Alsace -running a narrow 80 km strip north from the french border and lie to the east of the Haardt Mountains which are a continuation of the Vosges.
Describe the Pflaz region
one of the driest regions in Germany and can suffer from water stress.
what is the most widely planted variety in Pflaz ?
Riesling - longest reputation for high quality winemaking
how much % do black grapes account for in Pflaz?
just under 40 %
what is the second most widely planted grape in either color in Pflaz?
Dornfelder
what can GG wines be made from in Pflaz?
Riesling, Weibburgunder or Spatburgunder
what areas do the two most established quality vineyards surround in Pflaz?
Forst and Deideshiem - also referred to as Mittelhaardt
describe wines from Mittelhaardt
ripe fuller body style of Riesling, majority of wines made in drier style now
Describe Baden
warmest and most southerly wine region which produces Germany’s fullest bodied wines with the highest alcohol. most vineyards are spaced out over a narrow strip of land that follows Rhine to teh Swiss border.
what is the third largest growing region in Germany?
Baden - spread over a large geographical area.
Where are a third of teh plantings in Baden concentrated?
in the area of Kaiserstuhl and Tuniberg which are opposite of ALsace and Colmar
where are the best vineyards in Baden
on south facing slopes on Kaisertuhl (a extinct volcano)
what is the most widely planted variety in Baden
Spatburgunder (pinot noir)
what else is planted in Baden besides Pinot Noir
Muller Thurgau, Grauburgunder, Welssburgunder and then Riesling
what can GG wines be made from in Bade
a wide variety of grapes
what is the most widely planted and prestigious variety in Franken.
Silvaner
why is Silvaner planted in the warmest sites of Franken
it is susceptible to frost damage
where are the best wines planted in Franken
south facing slopes around Wurzberg
describe Franken wines
dry with richness on the palate and often an earthy quality- bottle has a distinct flask shape
what can GG wines be made from in Franken?
Silvaner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, or Spatburgunder
