WINES OF THE WORLD 🇩🇪 Germany Flashcards
Climate of Germany
Cool continental climate. Very cold winters. Warm and wet summers. 500-800 mm rainfall range. Baden is drier, warmer, and sunnier being further south. Very cold winters allow the production of Eiswein. Long and dry autumns allow high sugar accumulation while the morning mists are perfect for botrytis.
Type of soils inGermany
Dark-coloured slate soils (Ahr and Mosel) retain heat and radiate. Pockets of calcareous soils (Baden, Pfalz and Rheinhessen with Spätburgunder, Weissburgunder and Chardonnay - Franken with Silvaner).
Where the vineyards in Germany are located
Most of the vineyards are located along the river Rhine (radiating heat, moderating temperature, and extending growing season). Low altitude (below 200 m) due to the high latitude. Mountains range (Taunus and Haardt) protect vineyards from cold winds and rain.
Hazards inGermany
Spring frost. Fungal disease, grapes dilution and hail during summer rainfall.
Key viticulture operations in Germany
Canopy management is essential for max sun exposure and improved air circulation (reducing fungal disease risk). Better fruit ripeness due to better clonal selection, summer pruning, green harvesting, and selective hand harvesting.
Main training systems inGermany
On the steep slopes: traditionally, vines were staked individually with canes tied at the top. Now, single and double replacement-cane pruning with VSP and Pendelboge (replacement-cane pruning with the canes arched in the trellis - the arch improves the sap flow and increases the buds number).
Key winemaking operations forwines inGermany
More traditional and less interventionist winemaking methods (natural fermentation, reduced filtration and fining) and some experimentation (lees contact and oak).
Enrichment is common for bulk wines (not allowed for Prädikatswein), up to 3% abv most while 2% abv Baden.
Deacidification/acidification are permitted (mainly for inexpensive and high-volume wines).
Traditionally, fermentation in old oak cask (also premium Riesling). Great range of traditional casks (oak from Pfalz): 1,000 L Fuder of Mosel, oval-shaped 1,200 L Stück used along the Rhine.
Today, stainless steel (mainly inexpensive wines, but also for mid-priced and premium Riesling). New oak is rare for Riesling but is used for Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder and Chardonnay.
Long fermentation for Beerenauselese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauselese due to very high must weights. It stops naturally leaving high sugar and low alcohol.
Key maturation practices forwines inGermany
Traditionally, old oak cask.
Süssreserve
Unfermented or partially-fermented grapes must from grapes of the same region and the same quality as wine. It comes from a small proportion of must pre-fermentation, clarified, chilled, and protected with SO2. It was added to the wine before bottling to give a degree of sweetness although the wine was initially fermented to dryness (not for the finest wines with residual sugar). It contains minimal or no alcohol, so it can reduce the final alcohol level. Very common in past, today used by many large commercial wineries (wines with residual sugar are obtained by stopping the fermentation by adding SO2, racking or filtering).
Main sub-regions ofGermany
- Ahr
- Mosel
- Nahe
- Rheingau
- Rheinhessen
- Pfalz
- Baden
- Württemberg
- Franken
Classification system for German wines
Grapes are classified according to their must weight at harvest (1971). Four quality levels:
1. Deutscher Wein (Tafelwein);
2. Landwein;
3. Qualitätswein (QbA);
4. Prädikatswein (QmP).
Deutscher Wein
Also called Tafelwein. Wine without geographical indication made from grapes grown in Germany, alcohol range of 8.5-15 % abv, any style, enrichment is permitted, inexpensive wines, early-drinking.
Landwein
1982, PGI wine, 85+% from grapes of the Landwein region named in the label, alcohol range of 8.5-15 % abv, mainly trocken or halbtrocken style (some sweeter), enrichment is permitted.
Qualitätswein
QbA, PDO category, grapes from one of 13 designated quality wine regions (Anbaugebiete), name of the region on the label, alcohol of 7+% abv (no max), all styles, enrichment is permitted, mainly for everyday drinking and high volumes (some producers make dry wines as Qualitätswein trocken and the sweets as Prädikatswein), laboratory analysis and blind tasting prior to release (AP number on the label - 10-12 digit number for where and when the tasting, the vineyard location, and the lot number).
Prädikatswein
QmP, PDO category, any grape variety from a Bereich, name of the district is not needed on the label but region, grapes with the highest must weight, no enrichment, six levels defined by minimum must weight (
Levels of Prädikatswein
- Kabinett
- Spätlese
- Auslese
- Beerenauslese (BA)
- Eiswein
- Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Kabinett
Level of Prädikatswein. The lowest must weights, the lightest body and highest acidity, dry to medium-sweet, alcohol 7+% abv.
Spätlese
Level of Prädikatswein. From fully ripened grapes (two weeks later than Kabinett), greater concentration of riper fruit, slightly higher alcohol and fuller body, dry to med-sweet, alcohol 7+% abv.
Auslese
Level of Prädikatswein. From extra-ripe grapes, even riper and concentrated flavours (honey), possibility of botrytis, hand harvest is not compulsory, dry to sweet (some producers indicate the sweetness on the label), alcohol 7+% abv.
Beerenauslese
Level of Prädikatswein. Also called BA, from individually selected berries (hand harvest), sweet, botrytis not needed but typical, alcohol 5.5+% abv, only in years with suitable conditions, very low yields, rare wines and very expensive.
Eiswein
Level of Prädikatswein. German ice wine, Prädikat category in 1982, same min must weights as for BA, frozen grapes (pressed frozen) at < -7°C, harvest from December to February, concentrated juicy with very high sugar and acidity, risk of diseases or predators before harvest (plastic sheeting), rare wine and premium price.
Trockenbeerenauslese
Level of Prädikatswein. Also called TBA, from botrytis-affected grapes, tiny amounts of extremely concentrated juice, extremely sweet, very low fermentation (stopped naturally at max 8% abv), only in suitable years, the most expensive German wines.
What happened in 2021 to the classification system for German wines
Revision in 2021:
1. Deutscher Wein, wine without a geographic designation, ‘wine’ category in EU legislation, vintage and grape variety can be on the label.
2. Landwein, PGI wine from one of 26 Landwein areas, Landwein can be on the label but not village and vineyard.
3. Qualitätswein, PDO from a defined origin, must weight 50°-72° Oechsle, enrichment possibility, geographic hierarchy (Anbaugebiet, Region, Ortwein, Einzellage).
4. Prädikatswein, within Qualitätswein, 70°-154° Oechsle, no enrichment, six levels (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, Trockenbeerenauslese).
Anbaugebiet
Wine growing area, 13.
Region (Germany)
Replaces both Bereich and Grosslage, ‘region’ on the label.
Ortwein
Village wine, name of the village on the label.
Einzellage
Single vineyard, dry to sweet, from one or more recommended grape varieties, Kabinett quality, two further categories: Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs.
Erstes Gewächs
Category within Einzellage. Grapes from single vineyard or smaller parcel, wine from recommended and single grape variety 85+%, grapes picked selectively, 60 hL/ha or 70 hL/ha on steep slopes with natural alcohol 11+% abv, dry, sensory test by a tasting commission if ordered by the regional bodies, on the market 1 March of the following year, possibility to indicate a smaller parcel known as Gewann.
Grosses Gewächs
Category within Einzellage. Grapes from single vineyard or smaller parcel, wine from recommended and single grape variety 85+%, hand harvest, 50 hL/ha with natural alcohol 12+% abv, dry, sensory test by a tasting commission, on the market 1 September of the following year for whites and 1 March of the next year for reds, possibility to indicate a smaller parcel known as Gewann.
German terms to indicate sweetness
- trocken (dry)
- halbtrocken (off-dry)
- lieblich (medium/medium-sweet)
- süss (sweet)
Trocken
German term to indicate sweetness. Also dry, sugar < 4 g/L (or < 9 g/L if sugar-acidity = 2 g/L max).
Halbtrocken
German term to indicate sweetness. Also off-dry, sugar 4-12 g/L (or < 18 g/L if sugar-acidity = 10 g/L max).
Lieblich
German term to indicate sweetness. Also medium/medium-sweet, sugar 12-45 g/L.
Süss
German term to indicate sweetness. Also sweet, sugar 45+ g/L.
Terms for geographical labelling in Germany
- Bereiche
- Grosslagen
- Einzellagen
Bereiche
Term for geographical labelling in Germany. Wine-producing district, 40.
Grosslagen
Term for geographical labelling in Germany. Collective vineyard sites, 167 registered, size of 600-1,800 ha, group of more Einzellagen, name used only on Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein labels before the village name (not needed if the property name is well known).
Einzellagen
Term for geographical labelling in Germany. Individual vineyard sites, 2,658 registered, size of 1-200 ha (avg 38 ha), different owners of the same, name used only on Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein labels before the village name (not needed if the property name is well known).
Liebfraumilch
Medium-dry white wine of Qualitätswein, sugar 18+ g/L, 70+% Riesling, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau and Kerner from one of the four regions (mainly Rheinhessen and Pfalz, then Rheingau and Nahe).
Types of businesses that operate inGermany
Wine estates (100-5 ha, some were established by the Church, aristocratic families, and charitable organisations) for the best wines. 30% co-operatives (especially in Baden and Württemberg). Many growers sell their grapes to merchant houses or co-operatives.
Types of wines made inGermany
Bulk wines dominate the production. After the 1980s, more wines are made in a dry (trocken) or off-dry (halbtrocken) style. A big proportion of trocken from warmer regions (ripeness of fruit can balance acidity). Very small volumes of rosé.
Tiny production as Deutscher Wein, Landwein (4% together). Prädikatswein is usually half production of Qualitätswein, but in the best vintages can be the same.
VDP
Also called Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter. Founded in 1910 by a group of producers from Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Mosel who wanted to promote wines without must enrichment. High standard rules for 200 members (5% Germany’s total vineyard, higher % on the value than volume), VDP logo on the wine capsules. Riesling is the main variety (50% of the vineyards) and 25% export. Regulations (lower max yield, higher min must weights, etc) are audited every five years. Sustainable agriculture is encouraged. Mainly dry wines (labelled as Qualitätswein trocken), white and red. Sweeter (Prädikat levels) come mainly from Mosel. Emphatisation of the wine provenance with a four-tier vineyard classification system: VDP Gutswein, VDP Ortswein, VDP Erste Lage, VDP Grosse Lage.
The four-tier vineyard classification system of VDP
- VDP Gutswein
- VDP Ortswein
- VDP Erste Lage
- VDP Grosse Lage
VDP Gutswein
Tier of the vineyard classification system of VDP. Regional wines, must meet the general standards prescribed by VDP, max yield of 75 hL/ha.
