WSET D3 - Germany Flashcards
Summarise the history of German wine.
Some most famous and influential vineyards date back to Middle Ages, including Schloss Johannisberg and Kloster Eberbach in Rheingau, planted in 12th century. During this period, rapid expansion and by beginning of 16th century, widely exported, helped by proximity to River Rhine.
Rapid decline in early 17th century due to Thirty Years War. Flatter valley plains where vines originally planted taken over for more lucrative grain production, for bread and beer. Vineyards pushed onto steeper slopes, remain distinctive feature of German viticulture today.
1830s introduction of new wine laws, based on must weight, a principle dominates German wine law to this day.
Became a unified country in 1871: until then it had been a collection of states often at war with each other, not free to trade.
Late 19th and early 20th century saw foundation of some of Germany’s now- famous wine institutes, played a vital role in modernising industry, making it one of most technologically advanced.
By end of 19th century, established reputation for some world’s finest whites. Then underwent a major decline (phylloxera, mildew, two World Wars). Area under vine halved in 50 years to 1945.
Both wars had a devastating effect on Germany’s economy and its exports. High volume inexpensive branded wines produced.
Same time, a program of vineyard restructuring known as Flurbereinigung involved consolidation of many small, fragmented vineyards and building of access roads, both aimed at increasing efficiency, making mechanisation easier and reducing costs of viticulture. Without this, many vineyards would have become economically unviable – sadly, some areas, particularly in Mosel, consolidation not always practicable, abandoned vineyards still be seen, although some well-established producers or highly motivated younger winemakers now re-cultivated such sites.
5th German wine law in 1971 laid foundation for modern wine production, establishing protected geographical labelling and classification of wine styles based on must weights.
Whilst bulk wines still dominate, an increased focus on quality German wines.
What’s the general climate and grape growing environment in Germany?
Except Baden, 49–50°N（most northerly in world）.
Overall cool continental climate.
Site selection essential. Most situated along river Rhine and its tributaries. Rivers radiating heat; moderating temperature and extending growing season. Best vineyards on steep, south-facing slopes to maximum sun exposure. Some slopes extremely steep, reaching gradients 70% overlooking Mosel.
Winters very cold, usually cold enough for Eiswein. In spring, frosts are major risk, although mitigated by rivers and planting on slopes. Summers warm but wet; rainfall 500-800 mm, much falls in summer, increases risk of fungal disease, dilution of grapes and, in heavy storms, hail.
Autumns long and dry, allowing for long ripening periods during grapes can develop high natural sugar required for Prädikatswein and morning mists along rivers ideal for botrytis.
Also important are mountain ranges, such as Taunus and Haardt, shelter vineyards from cold winds and worst of rain. However, at such high latitudes, vineyards planted at relatively low altitudes, mainly below 200 metres.
Baden is further south, stretching towards Swiss border. Drier, warmer and sunnier than others, although in cooler areas, spring frosts still be a concern.
What are the main soil types found in Germany wine regions?
Wide variety soils, plays important role in fruit ripening in coolest regions.
In Mosel and Ahr, eg: dark-coloured slate retains heat during the day and radiates at night.
Significant pockets calcareous soils in Baden, Pfalz and Rheinhessen, planted with Spätburgunder, Weissburgunder and Chardonnay, whilst in Franken, it produces some best Silvaner.
Grauburgunder prefers heavy, more clayey soils.
On steep slopes, eg: Mosel and Rheingau, erosion is major problem and owners regularly forced to winch soil and rocks back up slopes add cost of vineyard maintenance.
What’s vintages like and what has making change to it?
High yields achieved despite challenging climate. Many at northernmost limit for ripening grapes. Considerable vintage variation, coolest years and sites, grapes can fail to ripen fully. However, reducing recent years (climate change), also seen significant advances in vineyard management techniques, led by various research institutes. Fruit ripeness improved by better clonal selection (especially black varieties), summer pruning, green harvesting and selective hand harvesting.
What are the training methods used here?
Good canopy management essential to maximise sun exposure, improve air circulation (reduce risk of disease by wet summers). On slopes, traditionally staked individually with canes tied at top, labour-intensive and requires skills which gradually being lost and as a result of Flurbereinigung, all but steepest vineyards now use single and double replacement-cane pruning with VSP trellising and Pendelbogen. (replacement-cane pruning with canes arched in trellis, thought to improve flow of sap in vine and increase viable buds, in turn increasing yields.)
Is Germany widely suited to organic and biodynamic viticulture ?
No. Because risk of disease, growers still have to spray their crops regularly. In Mosel, often only practicable way is by helicopter and likely sprays would drift onto neighbouring vineyards, risking an organic producers’ accreditation. Despite this, 9% vineyards certified organic.
Considerable support for sustainable viticulture and many estates employ some elements where they can.
What is the topography like?
Also challenging. On steeper slopes, vineyards terraced or planted up slopes. Mechanisation difficult or impossible and, some are so steep equipment and workers have to be winched up and down. Although new technology introduced (eg: small caterpillar tractors), and Flurbereinigung improved accessibility and efficiency, steeply sloped vineyards require substantially more labour. Increases costs and often only Riesling can command appropriate, sustainable prices.
Even on flatter sites, labour costs often higher than other regions. Whilst mechanisation now widespread, Beerenauslese and above must hand-harvested and many still hand harvest for other Prädikatsweine to ensure healthy, fully ripe fruit. Large-scale commercial operations producing high-volume, inexpensive wines highly mechanised.
What grape varieties are mainly used in Germany?
1980, 90% were white. Since then, reds increased significantly, in 2017, 39% were black.
Much reds used to be light and fruity, often with residual sugar but quality improved greatly (better clones), particularly Spätburgunder and Dornfelder, better vineyard management, winemaking techniques, and increasing temperatures in vineyard.
Since 1990s, Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder and, to a lesser extent, Chardonnay also risen considerably. Small plantings other international varieties, eg: Merlot, CS and SB.
Varieties need not stated on labels but usually are.
What are the top 7 varieties planted in Germany ?
1.Riesling
2.Müller - Thrugau
3.Spätburgunder
4.Dornfelder
5.Grauburgunder
6.Weissburgunder
7.Silvaner
Describe Riesling.
23% planting.
Late budding, thick wood, relatively frost resistant.
Late-ripening, needs good sun exposure and dry autumns; in cooler years and sites, may not ripen fully. Improved vineyard management and rising temperatures led to greater consistency ripening. plantings recovered and grow.
Produces high-quality wines in full range styles, dry to sweet. Retains high acidity even when fully ripe, providing balance in sweet wines and giving significant potential for ageing. In right conditions, can produce high natural sugar and susceptible to botrytis, ideal for sweet wines.
Capable of pronounced intensity and great aromatic complexity. Depending on ripeness, flavours range from green fruit to tropical. Can also show floral aromas, such as white flowers or honeysuckle. With age, develop toast, honeyed and petrol-like aromas.
Describe Müller - Thurgau.
AKA Rivaner, one of earliest German crosses.
Earlier ripening than Riesling.
Can produce high yields in almost any conditions.
Was Germany’s most planted variety 1970s &1980s and was widely used for inexpensive blends such as Liebfraumilch. However, popularity has fallen, plantings more than halved.
Much lower acidity than Riesling (generally M acidity) gives wines less structure and character but can produce wines with attractive but relatively simple floral and fruity aromas for early drinking.
Describe Spätburgunder.
Most planted black grape (11.5% plantings) rapid rise in popularity, domestically and export. Plantings almost trebled and thrives particularly in warmer areas such as Baden.
Germany increasingly being recognised as high-quality, complex dry Spätburgunder, often with oak ageing. Vineyard management improving with higher quality clones, canopy management & selecting harvesting dates to balance alcohol, acidity and ripeness of fruit and tannins.
Some use whole bunch fermentation; tannins from stems contributing to tannins without needing oak. In general, less new oak and some use larger oak 10–20 years ago.
Describe Dornfelder.
Most significant black German crosses.
Deep colour, high acidity with fruity and floral notes. 2 quite distinct styles:
1. fruity, easy-drinking, occasionally with little residual sugar, sour cherry and blackberry.
2. more complex with ageing potential from lower yields showing greater focus on tannin, structure, fermented or aged in oak.
Particularly successful in Rheinhessen and Pfalz where is most planted black variety.
Describe Silvaner.
Silvaner (Sylvaner in Alsace) also nearly halved since 1980.
Lower acidity and less aromatic than Riesling, produces large amounts simple, inexpensive wines with subtle fruit from green to tropical.
However, where yields controlled, Franken in particular, can produce high-quality, dry, M- bodied wines with M to M (+) acidity and distinctive earthy characteristic.
What are some other varieties planted in Germany?
Grauburgunder & Weissburgunder grown considerably in popularity since 1990s. Now sizeable plantings in Rheinhessen, Pfalz and particularly in Baden. Both can produce very good quality, some aged in oak. Grauburgunder likes heavier soils and can produce wines with M acidity, stone fruit and tropical (sometimes dried) fruit and honey. dry and M-bodied to fuller-bodied, sweeter wines (often labelled as Ruländer).
Weissburgunder - well-balanced wines with M (+) acid and delicate citrus and stone fruit.
Chardonnay allowed in Germany since 1990 plantings very low. High-quality examples being produced, often with oak ageing, warmer areas such as southern Pfalz and Kaiserstuhl in Baden.
Portugieser, Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier), Trollinger (Schiava) and Lemberger (Blaufränkisch) produce mainly simple, fruity wines for drinking young, especially in Württemberg. However, some higher-quality examples being produced from lower- yielding sites, particularly from Lemberger.
Describe Scheurebe.
Capable of good-quality wines. But reliance and interest in crosses fallen considerably as techniques develop to allow better ripening for other varieties, in particular Riesling.
Can produce full-bodied, intense ripe grapefruit and peach. Although acidity lower than Riesling, still high enough to make ageworthy wines & some high-quality sweet wines.
Describe Kerner.
Good quality wines up to high Prädikat levels with high acidity and some fruity, floral characteristics of Riesling.
What is the most successful black crossings ?
Dornfelder.
How’s winemaking like in Germany ?
Bulk wine still large proportion but many small estates producing low-volume, high-quality wines. Significant advances in knowhow and technology. However, an increasing returning to more traditional and less interventionist winemaking, such as natural fermentation and reduced filtration and fining, helped by better harvests healthy, ripe grapes. There is also much experimentation, such as lees contact and oak, particularly with Grauburgunder and Weissburgunder and some Riesling.
Due to cool temperatures, enrichment is common. Most regions within EU Zone A, allowing up to 3% abv; Baden is in Zone B, max enrichment 2%. However increasingly rare outside bulk wine due to consistently riper fruit.
De-acidification permitted, as is acidification in hottest years, only tend for inexpensive wines.
Traditionally, fermented matured in large old oak casks allow some oxygenation, some premium Riesling still do so. Range of traditional casks used, eg: 1,000L Fuder of Mosel and oval-shaped 1,200 L Stück along Rhine. German oak, especially from Pfalz, popular for large vessels, sourced from Central Europe. French oak common for smaller vessels (barriques). However fermentation in stainless steel become norm.
New oak rarely used for Riesling. However, proportion new oak (often barriques) may used for reds as well as Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder and Chardonnay.
1960s - 1970s, all but finest wines with residual sugar fermented to dryness then sweetened post- fermentation, even Prädikatswein. Was done by Süssreserve (unfermented or partially-fermented must from grapes of same region and same quality). Common for Süssreserve and wine from same must; Süssreserve added to dry wine just prior to bottling, contains minimal or no alcohol, depending on volume added, may slightly reduce alcohol level.
Süssreserve thought to give less balanced wines, quality-conscious producers follow traditional method by stopping fermentation (adding SO2, racking or filtering).
RCGM can only used for Deutscher Wein.
Grapes destined for Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese have very high must weights and fermentation usually proceed very slowly: TBA can take several months. Usually stop naturally due to high sugar, leaving high sugar and low l alcohol (5.5 - 8% abv). Since late 1980s dramatic shift in domestic market towards drier wines and majority now produced in a trocken or halbtrocken style. Even in Mosel, more wines fermented to dryness. Top producers remain producing high-quality wines with some sweetness.
For reds, Inexpensive for early consumption often undergo thermovinification for quick extraction of colour and flavour, then fermented off skins to produce fruity red with low tannins. These typically not oak matured. For higher-quality reds, particularly PN, techniques as cold maceration, whole bunch fermentation and maturation in oak are common.
Rosé relatively small production, tend to sold domestically and inexpensive .Most youthful fruity, cool temperatures, stainless steel bottled soon after. Small number higher-priced rosés may aged in oak.
