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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) > Germany Overview: GIs, Wine Law, Prädikats > Flashcards

Germany Overview: GIs, Wine Law, Prädikats Flashcards

Learn the major regions, Prädikat system, climate, and topography of Germany.

1
Q

Germany has some of the ____most and ____est vineyards in the northern hemisphere.

A

Northernmost and coolest vineyards in the northern hemisphere

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2
Q

What is the principal white grape of Germany?

A

Riesling

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3
Q

What are the 2 main rivers in Germany and in what regions are they?

A

Mosel River = runs through the Mosel region

Rhine River = runs through the Rheingau region

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4
Q

German wine regions are called ______.

A

Anbaugebiete (ahn-BAU-guh-beet)

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5
Q

Germany has 13 anbaugebiete (wine regions).

Which 4 do you need to know for the exam?

A
  1. Mosel
  2. Rheingau
  3. Rheinhessen
  4. Pfalz
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6
Q

In which quadrant of Germany are the bulk of Germany’s wine regions located?

A

Southwestern quadrant, near France and Switzerland.

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7
Q

What is the general climate of Germany?

A

Cool Continental

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8
Q

What are some features that help moderate the climate of Germany?

A
  • Rivers (e.g. the Mosel and Rhine)
  • Mountains (e.g. Tanus, Haardt)
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9
Q

Besides moderating climate, what other benefit do rivers provide?

A

Reflect sunlight, which is vital to ripening grapes in cool growing regions like Germany.

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10
Q

Generally, where are grapes planted in Germany?:

  • valley floors facing any direction
  • hillsides facing south
A

Hillsides facing south

Remember, Germany is very far north so vineyards are planted on south-facing hillsides as they need to soak up as much sunshine as possible to ripen.

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11
Q

What are the soils of Germany?

A

They vary depending on the region, but the top vineyards are planted on:

  • Blue slate (Mosel)
  • Red slate (Rheingau)
  • Basalt (Baden, but you don’t have to know Baden for this exam - just know Basalt soil)
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12
Q

What are the advantages of German vineyards being planted on slate and basalt?

A
  • Absorb heat during the day
  • Release that heat overnight in this very cool climate
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13
Q

What are the white grapes of Germany?

A
  • Riesling
  • Müller-Thurgau
  • Silvaner
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14
Q

What is Germany’s red grape?

A

Pinot Noir, aka Spätburgunder

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15
Q

What percent of production in Germany is white wine?

A

70%

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16
Q

What fermentation vessels are typically used in Germany?

A
  • Stainless steel
  • Large, old, neutral barrels
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17
Q

What is chaptalization?

A

The addition of sugar to the must (grape juice) – not to make a sweeter wine, but a stronger one.

Chaptalization is mostly used in cool regions where grapes struggle to ripen (and have insufficient sugar).

18
Q

Is chaptalization allowed in Germany?

A

Yes, but it’s really only used for low-quality level wines (not Prädikat wines).

19
Q

In Germany, wines can be fermented to:

  • fully dry
  • off-dry
  • sweet
  • all levels from dry to sweet
A

All levels from dry to sweet

20
Q

What does the term ‘Trocken’ mean in English?

A

Dry

21
Q

In Germany, wines WITHOUT geographic indication are called ____.

A

Wein

22
Q

In Germany, wines WITH geographic indication have three levels:

A
  1. Landwein (PGI)
  2. Qualitätswein (PDO)
  3. Prädikastwein (PDO)
23
Q

Landwein (PGI) wines are:

  • Regional, acceptable quality, rarely exported
  • Single site, high quality, always exported
A

Regional, acceptable quality, rarely exported

24
Q

What is a Qualitätswein?

A

A wine from one of the 13 anbaugebiete.

Wines of this level can be dry to sweet.

25
Q

Prädikatswein is a subset of _____ wines.

How many prädikat levels are there?

A

Subset of Qualitätswein

6 prädikat levels

26
Q

What are the 6 prädikat levels from loweset price/ripeness to highest price/ripeness?

A
  1. Kabinett
  2. Spätlese
  3. Auslese
  4. Beerenauslese
  5. Eiswein
  6. Trockenbeerenauslese
27
Q

Which 3 of the prädikat levels are most used as table wines?

A
  1. Kabinett
  2. Spätlese
  3. Auslese
28
Q

What does Spätlese translate to in English?

What does Auslese translate to in English?

A

Spätlese = late harvest

Auslese = selected harvest

29
Q

What kind of grapes are Eisweins made from?

A

Frozen grapes

30
Q

Of the 3 highest price/ripeness prädikat levels, which 2 will always be affected by botrytis?

A
  1. Beerenauslese (BA)
  2. Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
31
Q

When someone says, “All German wines are always sweet,” what do you know to be true?

A

Not all German wines are sweet!

The prädikat levels do not measure or indicate sweetness, or the residual sugar, in wine – the prädikat levels indicate the RIPENESS at which the grapes were picked.

How the wines are vinified – to complete dryness or medium-sweetness – is up to the winemaker.

32
Q

Which 3 prädikat levels can be fermented dry and have Trocken on the label?

A
  1. Kabinett
  2. Spätlese
  3. Auslese
33
Q

What does VDP stand for (what is it spelled out)?

A

Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter

Read more about the VDP here.

34
Q

Who is in the VDP and what do they set out to do?

A

The VDP is an organization of >200 of Germany’s best winemakers committed to excellence who set out to make and promoted top-tier, top-quality wines from the highest-quality terroir and vineyards based on traditional German winemaking.

You do not need to know the VDP classification levels for this exam.

35
Q

What region outside of Germany does the VDP emulate and model their classification after?

A

Burgundy

36
Q

What are the typical wines made under the VDP classifications?

A

Dry Rieslings

37
Q

In what year was the VDP founded?

A

1910

38
Q

Grosses Gewächs:

  • what does it translate to in English?
  • these wines are always ____.
  • grapes come from ______.
A
  • Translates to Great Growth
  • Wines are always DRY
  • Grapes from top vineyards
39
Q

Is Grosses Gewächs a legal term?

A

No; it’s a term used by the VDP classifying a dry wine from a top site.

40
Q

What does the German term Gemeinde mean in English?

A

Village

For example, if you see Ürziger Würzgarten on a wine label, it means the grapes came from the village of Ürzig and the Würzgarten vineyard.

Try this one: Piesporter Goldtröpfchen. Which is the village and which is the vineyard?

41
Q

On a German wine label, the first word (of the two words together) that ends in -er is the _____.

A

Village, or gemeinde.

42
Q

What is an einzellage?

A

Single vineyard

Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) (40 decks)

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