Germany - General

Question 1

Who brought vinifera to Germany?

Answer 1

The Roman legionnaires

Question 2

Which sect of Christianity was responsible for much German vine growing during the 16th and 17th C, and then, after a lull, resurged in the 18th C?

Answer 2

The Cistercians (and then the nobility)

Question 3

When did most vineyards in Germany become privately owned (not church or nobility)?

Answer 3

In the years following the French Revolution

Question 4

What is “Hock?”

Answer 4

already in regular English usage by the 1800s to indicate wines from the Middle Rhine, expanded to become a generic term for German wines

Question 5

What is Flurbereinigung?

Answer 5

The post-war restructuring of Germany’s vineyards, parcels were consolidated with the aim of increased mechanization and production. Many vineyard were physically altered to become easier to manage (less steep)

Question 6

What is Deutsches Weingesetz?

Answer 6

The comprehensive German wine laws, most recent of which is from 1971 - the 5th. Was a response to external pressures as a member of the newly formed EEC

Question 7

What technological invention came to prominence during the 50s and allowed easier production of sweet wines?

Answer 7

Sterile filtration

Question 8

How did regulations shift for sweet wines with the 1971 laws?

Answer 8

shifting the obligation from sugar remaining to sugar occurring naturally in the grape (rs minimums to must weight minimums)

Question 9

What is one major flaw of the 1971 laws?

Answer 9

The law set a minimum five-hectare size for single vineyards, enlarging some sites to include lesser surrounding plots while eliminating others - many of the country’s Einzellagen were thusly annihilated

Question 10

When was the notion of Grosslagen created? What is a Grosslagen?

Answer 10

1971. It is a “collective” vineyard site.

Question 11

Abfüller

Answer 11

bottler or shipper who assumes the responsibility for the origin and quality of a wine

Question 12

Absetzen -

Answer 12

Absetzen - The process settling of solids (dead yeast cells, leftover grape skin fragments, etc.) to the bottom of a vat of wine or must

Question 13

Alleinbesitz -

Answer 13

Alleinbesitz - A vineyard which is owned by only one owner (similar to a monopole in France)

Question 14

Alte Reben-

Answer 14

Alte Reben- Old vines

Question 15

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer -

Answer 15

commonly referred to as the AP#; a quality control number on all QbA and QmP wines. The number contains the Exam Board number, commune number, producers registered number, an application number and the year of the application. Some producers use the application number as a sequential indication of sweetness

Question 16

Anreicherung -

Answer 16

Broad term for sweetening must before or during fermentation. Whereas chaptalization means the addition of sugar only, enrichment also includes the addition of grape must, concentrated grape must, and RCGM.

Question 17

Badisch Rotgold -

Answer 17

A rotling from the Baden region. Made from Grauburgunder (min. 51%) and Spatburgunder grapes. Composition must be declared on label

Question 18

Biologische Sãureabbau -

Answer 18

Malolactic fermentation

Question 19

Deutscher Sekt

Answer 19

sparkling wine made by any method from grapes grown in Germany

Question 20

Edelfäule -

Answer 20

noble rot

Question 21

Einzellage -

Answer 21

single vineyard

Question 22

Einzelpfahlerziehung -

Answer 22

Einzelpfahlerziehung - A vine individually trained to a single stake . Used on very steep slopes such as the Mosel

Question 23

In which Germany region will you see vines trained to a single stake?

Answer 23

in the Mosel

Question 24

Erste Gewächs -

Answer 24

legal term used for dry wines in the Rheingau from the best vineyards

Question 25

Erzeugerabfüllung

Answer 25

grown and produced by the same grower or cooperative

Question 26

Federweisser -

Answer 26

Unfiltered must containing CO2 and yeast that is still in the process of fermenting. An autumn specialty served with onion quiche or roasted chestnuts

Question 27

Feinherb -

Answer 27

half-dry, no legal definition

Question 28

Flaschengärung -

Answer 28

bottle-fermented sekt

Question 29

Füder -

Answer 29

1000-liter cask common in the Mosel

Question 30

Gemeinde -

Answer 30

local community or village, Peisport for example

Question 31

Gerbstoff -

Answer 31

Tannin

Question 32

Grosses Gewächs -

Answer 32

VDP classification of dry wines from the best vineyards, must be Spätlese ripeness

Question 33

Grosslage -

Answer 33

a collection of vineyards; misleading term for inexpensive wines

Question 34

Grosser Ring -

Answer 34

Mosel growers association

Question 35

Gutsabfüllung -

Answer 35

grown, produced and bottled by the same person/estate

Question 36

Halbtrocken -

Answer 36

half-dry, generally less than 18 g/L residual sugar

Question 37

Handgerüttelt -

Answer 37

Hand Riddled

Question 38

Hauptlese -

Answer 38

The main Harvest

Question 39

Kellerei

Answer 39

- wine cellar (or wholesaler)

Question 40

Kelter -

Answer 40

Wine press.

Question 41

Keuper -

Answer 41

Clay and slate soil.

Question 42

Lehm -

Answer 42

Loam soil.

Question 43

Lieblich -

Answer 43

medium-sweet

Question 44

Mergel -

Answer 44

Heavy Loam

Question 45

Mostgewicht -

Answer 45

Must weight which is the weight of sugar in the grapes at the time of the harvest

Question 46

Reinzuchthefen

Answer 46

Pure culture yeasts. Used by growers afraid of risk, hence stuck fermentations

Question 47

Restzucker

Answer 47

residual sugar

Question 48

Rotling

Answer 48

Rosé wine that is produced from a mixture of red and white varieties. A Rotling must have pale red or clear red color

Question 49

Rotliegendes -

Answer 49

Reddish slate.

Question 50

Stück -

Answer 50

1200 liter cask commonly used in the Rheingau

Question 51

Schneewein -

Answer 51

Snow wine; a term used to describe an ice wine made from grapes gathered when snow covered the vineyards.

Question 52

Schielerwein

Answer 52

A rotling from Sachsen

Question 53

Schillerwein -

Answer 53

A rotling from Württemburg

Question 54

Schloss -

Answer 54

German word for castle; on a wine label it is equivalent to the French word "Chateau."

Question 55

Schotter

Answer 55

Gravel

Question 56

Sonnenuhr

Answer 56

A sundial often very large on steep vineyard sites.

Question 57

Spontangärung -

Answer 57

German tasting term for wines made by spontaneous fermentation versus wines inoculated by cultured yeasts. The former has an earthiness versus the cleaner fruit-forward smells of selected yeasts.

Question 58

Steillage -

Answer 58

Literally: steep site. A vineyard with an inclination of more than 30%

Question 59

Spritzig -

Answer 59

German term for the taste sensation of a wine which contains just enough CO2 to be apparent on the tongue as a prickly sensation (but not enough to be obviously sparkling).

Question 60

Ton -

Answer 60

Clay

Question 61

Trocken -

Answer 61

dry; generally 4 g/L or less but residual sugar but can be up to 9 g/l if total acidity is within 2 g/l of total residual sugar

Question 62

Vorlese -

Answer 62

A pre-harvest before the main harvest to eliminate rotten or defective bunches.

Question 63

Weinkellerei

Answer 63

Wine cellar or winery.

Question 64

Weinberg

Answer 64

German for vineyard.

Question 65

Weinsäure

Answer 65

Tartaric acid

Question 66

Weissherbst

Answer 66

rosé from a single variety of red grape

Question 67

Winzer

Answer 67

A wine Grower.

Question 68

Winzergenossenschaft

Answer 68

co-op

Question 69

Zentralkellerei

Answer 69

A central cooperative that gets its wine or must from smaller cellars in the area and blends, produces and bottles the wines.

Question 70

What is Rulander?

Answer 70

synonym for Pinot Gris - Grauburgunder

Question 71

What is Gutedel?

Answer 71

Chasselas