Wine Laws + Classifications

Question 1

Wine Class

1. Deut Wein - 2% of P - Lowest class; must state R of Prod on label
2. Land + Fr VdP; 17 areas spec, must be display on label, Trock or HalbT
3. QbA = Quali Best Anb = 75% of Prod
   
   1. From 1 of 13 Anb allowed, AP no on bottle
   2. Region + Style on label; Chap allowed
4. Prad / Q mit Prad - 23% of Prod
   
   1. From 1 Bere (commune) within the 13 Anb w/special att; has AP no on bottle
   2. Min M weight level vary by region, eg, R Kab min 70 Πin Bad, Chap not allowed, Suss ok
   3. Diff styles dep on level of S in Must
      
      1. Kab - from G just ripe enough, no need enrich; dry- to M-S
      2. Spat - Late H, ie picked 2w after main H = more conc + fl vs Kab Dry to M-S
      3. Aus - Select H, ie Hand S of Extra R G at main or late H; off-d to Sw
      4. Beer - from Inv selected G affect by N Rot; Sw wines, Rare + Exp
      5. Tba - Grapes dried on V w/hi prob of N Rot; Min 21.5% Pot A, NR does not split G
      6. Eiswin 8C for 8h min on V before pick; G pressed whilst F (hi S Conc); same S level as Beer.

Answer 1

Wine classifications:

1. Deutscher Wein – 2% of production
   * Lowest classification; must state region of production on label
2. Landwein
   * Equivalent to French VdP; 17 areas specified that must be displayed on the label; trocken or halbtrocken.
3. Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) – 75% of production
4. From 1 of the 13 Anbaugebiete allowed; adorns an AP number on bottle
5. Region & style must be on the label; Chaptalisation allowed
6. Pradikatswein / Qualitatswein mit Pradikat – 23% of production
7. From 1 Bereich within the 13 Anbaugebiete w special attributes; has AP number on the bottle
8. Min must weights level vary by region e.g. Riesling Kabinett min 70 Oe Mosel vs. 76 Oe in Baden - Chaptalisation not allowed but sweetening w Sussreserve ok.
9. Different styles according to level of sugar in the Must (≠final wine):
   
   1. Kabinett - Made from grapes just ripe enough for wines with no need for enrichment; dry to medium sweet
   2. Spatlese - ‘Late Harvest’ i.e. picked +2 weeks after main harvest -> more concentration & flavours vs. Kabinett Dry to Medium sweet
   3. Auslese - Select harvest i.e. hand selected of extra ripe grapes either at main or late harvest; off dry to sweet
   4. Beerenauslese - Made from individually selected grapes affect by noble rot; sweet wines; rare & expensive
   5. Trockenbeerenauslese - Made from grapes that have dried on the vines and with high proportion of noble rot; min 21.5% potential alcohol; noble rot does not split the grapes
   6. Eiswein - -8C for 8h minimum on the vine before picking; grapes pressed while still frozen (higher sugar concentration); same sugar level as Beerenauslese.

Question 2

1. T: max 4g/L of RS + Ac up to 9g/L if RS +2g/L vs Ac
2. H: 10-19g/L RS
3. L
   
   1. Only made in Rhein, Pf, Rh, N; cross-reg bl not permitted
   2. Min 18g/l RS, QbA Q level; 70% Rie, M-T, S & K.
   3. Only region of Prod req on label, Rep 60% of GER exp in 80s.
4. Rie Hoch = R w/higher Must W vs QbA level
5. Classic
   
   1. From specific R w/M weight +1% abv vs min for grape + category
   2. Min 12% abv w max 15g/L RS; Region, V + V + ‘Classic’ on label;
   3. T & H not allowed on label
6. Selection
   
   1. From Einz only
   2. Min Aus ripesness w/max 12g/L RS, region, V + V + ‘Selection’ on label
   3. T + H not allowed on label.

Answer 2

Other labelling terms

1. Trocken: max 4g/l of residual sugar and total acidity up to 9g/l as long as residual sugar +2g/l vs. acidity
2. Halbtrocken: between 10 and 18g/l residual sugar
3. Liebfraumlich
   
   1. Can only be made in Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Rheingau, Nahe; cross-regions blending not permitted
   2. Min 18g/l residual sugar; QbA quality level; 70% from Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner & Kerner.
   3. Only region of production required on the label; Represented 60% of German exports in the 80s.
4. Riesling Hochgewachs

Riesling with higher must weight vs. QbA level

5. Classic
6. From specific region w must weight +1% abv vs. minimum for grape & category;
7. Min 12% abv w max 15g/l residual sugar; region, variety & vintage + ‘Classic’ on the label;
8. Trocken & halbtrocken not allowed on label
9. Selection
10. From an Einzellage only;
11. Min Auslese ripeness w max 12g/l residual sugar; region, variety & vintage + ‘Selection’ on the label;
12. Trocken & halbtrocken not allowed on label

Question 3

Large to Small

A.Anb (13) designated Q region; 85% of W must come from specified R (if any)

B. Bere: Group of C within an An

C. Grosslage: Group of vy, names after top v/y in group

D Einz: Ind v/y site (sim to 1er Cru/GC in FR). V Hi Q.

NB: Town can add name to B, Gross, Einz, eg, Piesporter Michelsberg.

Answer 3

Geographical levels (large to small):

A. Anbaugebiet (13): designated quality region; 85% of wine must come from specified region if any region

B. Bereich: group of several communes within a Anbaugebiet.
C. Grosslage: group of vineyards; often named after top vineyard/village in the group.
D. Einzellage: individual vineyard site (similar to 1er Cru / GC in France). Very high quality.

NB: a town can give its name to a Bereich, Grosslage or Einzellage e.g. Piesporter Michelsberg.

Question 4

VDP

1. Growers Ass w/200 largest + most prest GER wine estates.
2. Initated by Mayor of Trier in 1910s, Rep <3% of v/y are but Top Q Prod
3. Dev’d self-reg Classification sys based on Chart movements:
   
   1. V to be planted in Opt soils + climate cond w/only Rie + PN allowed
   2. Low Y (max 50hl/ha); H Harvest only, Min 83 for R and 90 Πfor P Noir
   3. Lable states site, Vint, Var, VDP logo

Erstes G (Rheingau only) for W from Einz

Erste Lage / Grosses Gewaches: W from Einz in M and other wine Anb.

Answer 4

The Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter (VDP)

1. Growers’ association w 200 largest and most prestigious German wine estates;
2. Initiated by the Mayor of Trier in 1910s; represents <3% of vineyard area but top quality producers
3. Has developed parallel self-regulated classification system based on the Chart movements:
   
   1. Vines to be planted in optimal soils and climatic conditions w only Riesling and Pinot Noir allowed
   2. Low yields (max 50hl/ha); hand harvesting only; min 83 for Riesling and 90 Oechsle for Pinot Noir
   3. Label states site, vintage, variety, VDP logo
   4. 2 specific labelling terms:

Erstes Gewachs (Rheingau only) for wines from Einzellagen
**_Erste Lage / Grosses Gewachs:_** wines from Einzellagen in Mosel and other wine Anbaugebieten.