Germany: Climate And Viticulture

Question 1

Where will you find pockets of calcareous soils in Germany as opposed to slate? What grapes are planted here?

Answer 1

Baden, Pfalz, Rheinhessen (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay)

Franken (Silvaner)

Question 2

What is the max yield for Qualitätswein in Germany?

Answer 2

105 hl/ha

Question 3

What is Flurbereinigung?

Answer 3

Restructuring of most of Germany’s vineyards to help consolidate fragmented parcel holdings, replant vines, and improve accessibility (1950s until today)

Question 4

What is the most common training system in Germany?

Answer 4

Single/double replacement cane pruning with VSP trellising, except for steepest vyds (stake tied vines)

Question 5

Why is it hard for vineyards in the Mosel to be certified organic?

Answer 5

Those who do choose to spray can usually only do so by helicopter, likely spraying into neighboring vyds

Question 6

How have the plantings of white and black varieties in Germany changed between 1980 and today?

Answer 6

Black grape plantings rose from 10% to 39%

Question 7

Which German cross is allegedly the most successful cross attempt and now the second most planted black grape variety?

Answer 7

Dornfelder

Question 8

What was the most widely used grape in Liebfraumilch?

Answer 8

Müller-Thurgau

Question 9

What is the law for enrichment in Germany?

Answer 9

None for Prädikatswein, up to 3% for everything else (increasingly uncommon)

Question 10

Where will you find a Stück and a Fuder, and what are they?

Answer 10

Germany
1200L barrel
1000L barrel

Question 11

What is Süssreserve?

Answer 11

Unfermented or partially fermented grape must added to dry wine prior to bottling; must be produced from grapes from the same region as wine (usually only used for cheaper wines)

Question 12

What can RCGM be used for in Germany?

Answer 12

Only Deutscher Wein

Question 13

What are the four quality levels of German wine?

Answer 13

Deutscher Wein
Landwein
Qualitätswein
Prädikatswein

Question 14

Where must grapes come from for Qualitätswein?

Answer 14

Exclusively from one of the 13 Anbaugebeite (names on the label)

Question 15

What level of quality are most German wines?

Answer 15

Qualitätswein

Question 16

Where must wines labeled Prädikatswein come from?

Answer 16

Exclusively from a bereich (40 total; smaller than anbaugebeite)

Question 17

What is the last category of German Prädikatswein that can technically be dry?

Answer 17

Auslese

Question 18

What does the Goldkapsel mean in Germany?

Answer 18

The wine is characterized by botrytis; the length of the capsule also indicates sweetness level

Question 19

What is the difference between Einzellagen and Grosslagen?

Answer 19

Einzellagen are individual vineyard sites; grosslagen are collective vineyard sites

Question 20

How many grosslagen are there in Germany?

Answer 20

167

Question 21

Why was the VDP in Germany originally founded?

Answer 21

To promote wines without enrichment

Question 22

What are the four categories of VDP wine?

Answer 22

Gutswein (generic)
Ortswein (village level)
Erste Lage (premier cru level)
Grosse Lage (grand cru level)

Question 23

What is the difference between Grosse Lage and Grosses Gewächs?

Answer 23

Dry wines made from grapes from Grosse Lage vineyards are designated GG on the label

Question 24

What is the Rheingau Charta?

Answer 24

A group used to promote dry wines from the best vyd sites of the Rheingau (also a part of the VDP)