History, VDP Flashcards
When was VDP founded
1910
What was original purpose of VDP?
Promote Natur wine (unchapitalized)
What does VDP stand for
Verband Deutcher Prädikatsweingüter
Who now owns Kloster Eberbach
- state-run Hessische Staatsweingüter
- since after WWII
What was the difference in number of named vineyard sites before and after Wine Law of 1971
~30,000 => ~2,600
Name a few notable exceptions to mandated minimum size of 5ha established with German Wine Law of 1971
Docter - in Bernkastel
Kirchenstück and Freundstück - in Forst
Schloss Vollrads ortsteil - in Rheingau
When do records show the first documentation of “rüssling” vines?
1402
“discovery” of Spätlese: When and who?
1775 Schloss Johannisberg (Rheingau)
1st Auslese?
1st Eiswein?
1st Auslese - 1787
1st Eiswein - 1858
What was German wine called in the English markets in the 19th C?
Hock
What is the name of the most prominent research center in Rheingau? When was it founded?
Geisenheim wine Institute
Founded 1872
What was Müller-Thurgau created at Geisenheim? What are the parents?
1882
Riesling x Madeleine Royale
Riesling x Madeleine Royale = ?
Müller-Thurgau
Parentage of Scheurebe
riesling x bukettrebe
- developed in Rheinhessen
- one of few crossings to show real quality potential
What is the most prominent red grape crossing and 2nd most planted red grape in Germany?
Dornfelder
Helfensteiner x heroldrebe
When did phylloxera strike Germany?
late 19th C
late 1800s
In the 1980s what percentage of German exports had Liebfraumilch on the label?
over 60%
Reqs for Liebfraumilch?
- cannot state grape ( most was M-T_
- Can be blended from Rheinhessen, Nahe, Rheingau, Pfalz
Main White grapes of Germany
-Riesling (20%)
- Müller-Thurgau
- Silvaner
- Graubugunder
- Weissburgunder
- Kerner
- Bacchus
Main Red grapes of Germany
-Spätburgunder (10%)
- Dornfelder
- Blauer Portugieser
- Trollinger (Schiava)
- Schwarzriesling
% for varietal wines?
85%
Where does Germany currently rank in terms of global wine production?
10th
What is QbA? What is it now known as?
Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete
now known just as Qualitätswein
What was Prädikatswein formerly known as?
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat
What are the top two tiers of German wine production and how much of total production do they account for each vintage?
Prädikatswein (best)
Qualitätswein (QbA)
95% of each vintage
Minimum alcohol for Prädikatswein
7%
5.5% for BA, TBA, Eiswein
Is chaptalization allowed for Prädikatswein?
NO!!!!!!!
What is the Amtliche Prüfungsnummer
AP Number
-5 sets of 2 numbers indicating wine has been approved by tasting panel
What do each of the 5 sets of numbers refer to in AP number?
1st set - region 2nd set - commune 3rd set - bottler's code 4th set - unique code for bottling 5th set - year in which application filed
What quality level is most Grosses Gewächs wine released as?
dry wines mainly released as QbA, without mention of prädikat level
What are the categories below quality wines in Germany?
- Landwein (PGI)
- Wein/Deutscher Wein
Landwein reqs
- from one of 26 broad regions
- must be trocken or halbtrocken
Wein and Deutscher Wein reqs
Wein - may include grapes from other countries, must state countries, may state varietal
Deutscher Wein - 100% German grapes, may state varietal
What quality level is most Sekt released as? What production method is typical?
- Deutscher Wein
- Charmat
Min. Öchsle Range for Kabinett
70-85
Min. Öchsle Range for Spätlese
80-95
Min. Öchsle Range for Auslese
88-105
Min. Öchsle Range for BA/Eiswein
110-128
Min. Öchsle Range for TBA
150-154
When did the VDP change its mission the first time? Why?
1971
- 1971 German Wine Law abolished the use of the term natur, created QbA which allowed chaptalization
- rewrote mission to promote superior standards
Why did the VDP change its mission the second time?
- To merge principles with Charta beliefs after Charta was losing steam
- merged promotion of dry Riesling with renewed emphasis on terroir and vineyard site as measure of quality
When was the major accord that spelled out the classified vineyards for the VDP
2002
When was Charta founded? What was the main mission? What was the symbol on the label?
1984
Mission - to advance the classic dry style of Rheingau riesling
symbol - 2 arches
When did the VDP restructure their quality tiers? What happened?
2012
- Created Grosse Lage, which trumped previous top ranking of Erste Lage
- Erste Lage became like 1er cru to Grosse Lage’s Grand Cru
What was the top tier of quality for VDP before 2012?
Erste Lage
What are the 4 tiers of Quality for VDP sites and corresponding max yields?
- Grosse Lage: “Grand Cru” Wines (max. 50 hl/ha)
- Erste Lage: “Premier Cru” Wines (max. 60 hl/ha)
- Ortswein: Village Wines (max. 75 hl/ha)
- Gutswein: Regional Wines (max. 75 hl/ha)
What is the symbol for Grosse Lage wine? (Formerly for Erste Lage)
The number 1 then a grape cluster
Requirements for Grosse Lage (Erste Lage wines originally)?
- Harvested by hand
- max yield 50 hl/ha
- min. must weight equivalent of Spätlese
- dry labeled GG, sweet labeled by prädikat
- estate bottling mandatory
- VDP logo (eagle clasping grape cluster) on label
Max RS for GG wines?
- 9 g/L
- legally considered trocken
What is Erstes Gewächs? How is it different than Grosses Gewächs?
- Alternative to Grosses Gewächs (GG) in the Rheingau
- instituted by and trademarked by Charta
- Grosses Gewächs is illegal on labels, so has to be GG, Erstes Gewächs can be written out
When may Grosse Lage white wine, red wine, and prädikat wine be released?
- GG white: Sept 1st, yr after harvest
- GG red: Sept 1st, 2nd yr after harvest
- Prädikat: May 1, yr after harvest
Can a sweet wine producer made an auslese bottling and a spätlese bottling from the same Grosse Lage vineyard site in the same year?
Yes!
-but only one dry wine from each vineyard
Post 2012, can Erste Lage dry wines be labeled Grosses Gewächs (GG)?
NO!
- GG is only for Grosse Lage
- Erste Lage dry wine must be labeled trocken
Do all anbaugebiete have Erste Lage sites post 2012?
No,
- member organizations in each anbaugebiete can decide if they want to develop Erste Lage designations
- Ex - Pfalz has it, Rheinhessen doesnt
What is Ortswein?
Village wine - 2nd to lowest tier of VDP site
-max yield 75 hl/ha
What is Gutswein?
Regional wine - lowest tier of VDP site
-max yield 75 hl/ha
Name some VDP producers
Robert Weil, Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt, Dr. Loosen, Egon Müller, Joh. Jos. Prüm, Dönnhoff, Keller, Bürklin-Wolf, Toni Jost
Is VDP sanctioned by German Law?
No!
- classification essentially voluntary
- room for interpretation or exemptions
- ex - Burkin Wolf labels with GC (grand cru) instead of GG
- ex - Mosel can make Kabinett Grosse Lage, Pfalz cant
Where is the German Wine Institute
Mainz
When did the terms Classic and Selection debut? Are they legally recognized?
- 2000 vintage
- yes they are legally recognized
- may be used by any producer in any ambaugebiete that meets requriements
Requirements for “Classic” wines
- “harmoniously dry”
- max 15 g/L RS
- single varietal
- may not label vineyard
Requirements for “Selection” wines
- “superior dry”
- max 9 g/L RS (12 g/L for Riesling)
- min alcohol 12% (11.5 in Mosel)
- single vineyard, single varietal
- max yields 60 hl/ha
- must weight must be equivalent to Auslese
- hand harvested
- released sept 1 year after harvest
What is lieblich?
- “mild” or medium sweet
- max 45 g/L RS
Max RS for Trocken, Halbtrocken, and Lieblich?
Trocken - 9 g/L RS
Halbtrocken - 18 g/L RS
Lieblich - 45 g/L RS
What is süssreserve?
juice from harvested grapes, held back and clarified, left unfermented to add back into wine
What is the Oechsle scale?
hydrometer scale
- measures density of grape must
- indicates ripeness and sugar content
- one degree Oechsle = 1 gram difference between mass of 1 L must and 1 L water
Which 2 anbaugebiete allow only Riesling for VDP Grosse Lage?
Mosel and Nahe
Which 3 anbaugebiete allow only Riesling and Spätburgunder for VDP Grosse Lage?
Rheingau
Rheinhessen
Mittelrhein
What grapes are allowed for Pfalz VDP Grosse Lage sites?
Riesling
Spätburgunder
Weissburgunder
Sekt producer?
- (mostly large companies - Henkell, Rotkäpchen)
- Volker Raumland - 1st winery founded for sekt
- Reichsrat Von Buhl
- ->Matthieu Kaufmann (former cellar master Bollinger)
Grapes for sekt?
Premion sekt:
- 1/2 from Riesling
- 1/3 from Pinot varieties (esp blanc)
- 1/5 aromatic (scheurebe/gewurtz)
Larger companies - often base wines from other places in Europe
