Germany Overview: GIs, Wine Law, Prädikats

Question 1

Germany has some of the ____most and ____est vineyards in the northern hemisphere.

Answer 1

Northernmost and coolest vineyards in the northern hemisphere

Question 2

What is the principal white grape of Germany?

Answer 2

Riesling

Question 3

What are the 2 main rivers in Germany and in what regions are they?

Answer 3

Mosel River = runs through the Mosel region

Rhine River = runs through the Rheingau region

Question 4

German wine regions are called ______.

Answer 4

Anbaugebiete (ahn-BAU-guh-beet)

Question 5

Germany has 13 anbaugebiete (wine regions).

Which 4 do you need to know for the exam?

Answer 5

1. Mosel
2. Rheingau
3. Rheinhessen
4. Pfalz

Question 6

In which quadrant of Germany are the bulk of Germany’s wine regions located?

Answer 6

Southwestern quadrant, near France and Switzerland.

Question 7

What is the general climate of Germany?

Answer 7

Cool Continental

Question 8

What are some features that help moderate the climate of Germany?

Answer 8

• Rivers (e.g. the Mosel and Rhine)
• Mountains (e.g. Tanus, Haardt)

Question 9

Besides moderating climate, what other benefit do rivers provide?

Answer 9

Reflect sunlight, which is vital to ripening grapes in cool growing regions like Germany.

Question 10

Generally, where are grapes planted in Germany?:

• valley floors facing any direction
• hillsides facing south

Answer 10

Hillsides facing south

Remember, Germany is very far north so vineyards are planted on south-facing hillsides as they need to soak up as much sunshine as possible to ripen.

Question 11

What are the soils of Germany?

Answer 11

They vary depending on the region, but the top vineyards are planted on:

• Blue slate (Mosel)
• Red slate (Rheingau)
• Basalt (Baden, but you don’t have to know Baden for this exam - just know Basalt soil)

Question 12

What are the advantages of German vineyards being planted on slate and basalt?

Answer 12

• Absorb heat during the day
• Release that heat overnight in this very cool climate

Question 13

What are the white grapes of Germany?

Answer 13

• Riesling
• Müller-Thurgau
• Silvaner

Question 14

What is Germany’s red grape?

Answer 14

Pinot Noir, aka Spätburgunder

Question 15

What percent of production in Germany is white wine?

Answer 15

70%

Question 16

What fermentation vessels are typically used in Germany?

Answer 16

• Stainless steel
• Large, old, neutral barrels

Question 17

What is chaptalization?

Answer 17

The addition of sugar to the must (grape juice) – not to make a sweeter wine, but a stronger one.

Chaptalization is mostly used in cool regions where grapes struggle to ripen (and have insufficient sugar).

Question 18

Is chaptalization allowed in Germany?

Answer 18

Yes, but it’s really only used for low-quality level wines (not Prädikat wines).

Question 19

In Germany, wines can be fermented to:

• fully dry
• off-dry
• sweet
• all levels from dry to sweet

Answer 19

All levels from dry to sweet

Question 20

What does the term ‘Trocken’ mean in English?

Answer 20

Dry

Question 21

In Germany, wines WITHOUT geographic indication are called ____.

Answer 21

Wein

Question 22

In Germany, wines WITH geographic indication have three levels:

Answer 22

1. Landwein (PGI)
2. Qualitätswein (PDO)
3. Prädikatswein (PDO)

Question 23

Landwein (PGI) wines are:

• Regional, acceptable quality, rarely exported
• Single site, high quality, always exported

Answer 23

Regional, acceptable quality, rarely exported

Question 24

What is a Qualitätswein?

Answer 24

A wine from one of the 13 anbaugebiete.

Wines of this level can be dry to sweet.

Question 25

Prädikatswein is a subset of \_\_\_\_\_ wines. How many prädikat levels are there?

Answer 25

Subset of **Qualitätswein** **6** prädikat levels

Question 26

What are the 6 prädikat levels from lowest price/ripeness to highest price/ripeness?

Answer 26

1. **K**abinett 2. **S**pätlese 3. **A**uslese 4. **B**eerenauslese 5. **E**iswein 6. **T**rockenbeerenauslese

Question 27

Which 3 of the prädikat levels are most used as table wines?

Answer 27

1. Kabinett 2. Spätlese 3. Auslese

Question 28

What does Spätlese translate to in English? What does Auslese translate to in English?

Answer 28

Spätlese = late harvest Auslese = selected harvest

Question 29

What kind of grapes are Eisweins made from?

Answer 29

**Frozen** grapes

Question 30

Of the 3 highest price/ripeness prädikat levels, which 2 will always be affected by botrytis?

Answer 30

1. Beerenauslese (BA) 2. Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

Question 31

When someone says, "All German wines are always sweet," what do you know to be true?

Answer 31

**Not all German wines are sweet!** The prädikat levels do not measure or indicate sweetness, or the residual sugar, in wine -- **the prädikat levels indicate the RIPENESS at which the grapes were picked**. **How the wines are vinified -- to complete dryness or medium-sweetness -- is up to the winemaker.**

Question 32

Which 3 prädikat levels can be fermented dry and have Trocken on the label?

Answer 32

1. Kabinett 2. Spätlese 3. Auslese

Question 33

What does VDP stand for (what is it spelled out)?

Answer 33

**V**erband **D**eutscher **P**rädikatsweingüter ## Footnote Read more about the VDP [here](https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-the-vdp-51673/).

Question 34

Who is in the VDP and what do they set out to do?

Answer 34

The VDP is **an organization of \>200 of Germany's best winemakers committed to excellence** who set out to **make and promoted top-tier, top-quality wines from the highest-quality terroir and vineyards based on traditional German winemaking.** ## Footnote *You do _not_ need to know the VDP classification levels for this exam.*

Question 35

What region outside of Germany does the VDP emulate and model their classification after?

Answer 35

Burgundy

Question 36

What are the typical wines made under the VDP classifications?

Answer 36

Dry Rieslings

Question 37

In what year was the VDP founded?

Answer 37

1910

Question 38

Grosses Gewächs: * what does it translate to in English? * these wines are always \_\_\_\_. * grapes come from \_\_\_\_\_\_.

Answer 38

* Translates to **Great Growth** * Wines are **always DRY** * Grapes from **top vineyards**

Question 39

Is Grosses Gewächs a legal term?

Answer 39

No; it's a term used by the VDP classifying a dry wine from a top site.

Question 40

What does the German term Gemeinde mean in English?

Answer 40

**Village** ## Footnote *For example, if you see Ürziger Würzgarten on a wine label, it means the grapes came from the village of Ürzig and the Würzgarten vineyard.* *Try this one: Piesporter Goldtröpfchen. Which is the village and which is the vineyard?*

Question 41

On a German wine label, the first word (of the two words together) that ends in -er is the \_\_\_\_\_.

Answer 41

Village, or gemeinde.

Question 42

What is an einzellage?

Answer 42

Single vineyard