Riesling

Question 1

Characteristics of Riesling

Answer 1

• Aromatic grape, fruity floral aromas and high acidity
• prefers cool to moderate climate
• susceptibility to nobel rot/botrytis
• can be used for sweet wines because of botrytis and high acidity
• just ripe grapes: green fruit (apple, pear) and citrus (lemon, lime)
• extra ripe grapes: tropical fruit (mango, pineapple), stone fruit (peach, apricot), dried fruit (dried apricots, raisins)
• style can be dry to sweet, light to full body
• suitable for late harvest because it ripens slowly and high in acidity, builds up sugar slowly

Question 2

Winemaking and maturation of Riesling

Answer 2

• off dry wines/medium style: interrupting the fermentation by removing the yeast –> lower in alcohol + residential sugars of by adding sterile grape juice (Süssreserve)
• sweet wines: using extra ripe grapes –> higher sugar, fermentation stops automatically
• stainless steel tanks to preserve the floral aromas
• because of the high acidity a good Riesling can age in the bottle for years –> honey and petrol (gasoline)

Question 3

Important regions for Riesling

Answer 3

Germany: cool climate, some vineyards above 50°, widely planted throughout the country

• Mosel: Because of the N latitude, lighter in body, commonly a medium sweetness to balance the acidity. best vineyards are planted on south/south-east slopes on the banks of the Mosel river –> stoney soils and reflection of sunlight
• Rheingau: steep, south facing slopes north bank of the Rhine. Drier + more body
• Pfalz: French border, mountains in the west, dry sunny climate with long growing season. Dry and medium body

France / Alsace AOC

• East of the Vosges Mountains –> protects from rain bearing western winds. One of the driest and sunniest wine producing reasons in France. Best vineyards on the east/southeast mountain foothills to benefit the morning sun. extended growing season
• dry with pronounced aroma and flavor. ripe citrus + stonefruit / blossom aromas. medium body with high acidity.
• sweeter styles from late harvest = vend ages tardives.

Australia Eden Valley & Clare Valley
- higher altitude, moderate climate. refreshing riesling, dry style with aromas of lime, peach, blossom and petrol.

Question 4

Labeling in Germany

Answer 4

Landwein: PGI in Germany - light body and off-dry

Qualitatswein: PDO in Germany - one of the 13 wine regions, higher level of ripeness, more intense in flavor and fuller in body

Pradikatswein: PDO in Germany - higher level in sugar, from one single region. Six Pradikat categories classified in order of sugar levels required at the time of harvest.

• Kabinett: lightest and most delicate: light body, delicate green fruit and citrus ruit + blossom
• Spatlese (late harvest): concentrated flavors + fuller body, riper citrus and stone fruit flavors
• Auslese (selected harvest): carefully selected extra ripe bunches. stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit. can be made trocken (dry) and sweet. !if the wine made dry than higher in alcohol!
• Eiswein: frozen on the vine. vibrant fresh stone fruit and tropical fruit. high in price because of the small yields and intensive production. Not every year possible due to the weather.
• Beerenauslese/BA (selected berry harvest): bunches or berries that have been concentrated by botrytis. stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit, honey.
• Trockenbeerenauslese/TBA (selected dried berry harvest) : individual berries that are dried due to botrytis. rare and concentrated wines, more intens than BA.

Question 5

Six tipes of pradikatswines

Answer 5

Kabinett
Spatlese
Auslese
Eiswein
Beerenauslese (BA)
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

Question 6

What is Kabinett

Answer 6

lightest and most delicate tipe of Pradikatswein (PDO): light body, delicate green fruit and citrus ruit + blossom

Question 7

What is Spatlese

Answer 7

(late harvest): concentrated flavors + fuller body, riper citrus and stone fruit flavors

Question 8

What is Auslese

Answer 8

Auslese (selected harvest): carefully selected extra ripe bunches. stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit. can be made trocken (dry) and sweet. !if the wine made dry than higher in alcohol!

Question 9

What is Eiswein

Answer 9

Eiswein: frozen on the vine. vibrant fresh stone fruit and tropical fruit. high in price because of the small yields and intensive production. Not every year possible due to the weather.

Question 10

What is Beerenauslese BA

Answer 10

Beerenauslese/BA (selected berry harvest): bunches or berries that have been concentrated by botrytis. stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit, honey.

Question 11

What is Trockenbeerenauslese TBA

Answer 11

Trockenbeerenauslese/TBA (selected dried berry harvest) : individual berries that are dried due to botrytis. rare and concentrated wines, more intens than BA.