German Wine law

Question 1

When was the German wine law established?

Answer 1

1971

Question 2

What is Wein ?

Answer 2

Wines without any Geographic indications are called Wein

Question 3

What is Deutscher Wein?

Answer 3

1. Deutscher Wein is the lowest category of German wine and carries no other geographical identification.
2. The grapes for Deutscher Wein must be a minimum of 44° — 50° Oechsle (the minimum sugar content of the grapes at harvest) and can have the vintage and/or grape variety stated on the label

Question 4

What is Landwein ?

Answer 4

( GGA ) Wein mit geschutzter geographischer Angabe, 47 - 55° Oechsle is the basic wine with geographical identification. It must be produced from grapes grown in one of the 26 Landweingebiete (regions) and must state this region on the label.

In most of these regions, Landwein must be sold as either trocken (dry), or halbtrocken (medium dry )

Question 5

What does Troken mean?

Answer 5

In the context of German wine, “trocken” translates to “dry” and signifies a wine with a low level of residual sugar, typically less than 9 grams per liter. This designation means the wine doesn’t taste sweet or have any noticeable sweetness.

Question 6

What is Halbtrocken ?

Answer 6

Halbtrocken,” which translates to “off-dry “ in German, is a style of German wine.

Halbtrocken wines must not
contain more than 12 grams per litre (g/l ) of residual sugar

Question 7

What is Qualitatswein?

Answer 7

1. Denomination of German quality wines from one of the designated 13 Anbaugebiete
2. Official controls include measuring the amount of sugar in the must at harvest time, chemical analysis of the wine and a taste test.

Question 8

What is Sussreserve ?

Answer 8

Unfermented Grape Juice - added to increase the sweetness and fruitiness of the wine

Question 9

What is a Anbaugebiet?

Answer 9

13 Wine Growing regions ( areas )

Question 10

What is a Bereich ?

Answer 10

Meaning “ District “. There are around 40 of them and each Anbaugebiet has atleast one Bereich

Question 11

What is a Grosslagen ?

Answer 11

Meaning “ Collection of Vineyard Sites “

Grouping of smaller vineyard sites into administrative units.

Question 12

What is an Einzellagen ?

Answer 12

Meaning “ Vineyard “.

Not smaller than 5 hectors ( 12.4 Acres )

Question 13

What is AP number?

Answer 13

The Amtliche Priifungsnummer (control number) which each label carries is in five sets

1. The first set identifies the
   examining panel
2. The second identifies where the wine was bottled
3. The third is the official number of the bottler
4. the fourth identifies this as the
   ( eg 07 seventh ) bottling
   of the year
5. the final number is the year the wine was tested.

Question 14

What is a Pradikatswein?

Answer 14

Pradikatswein is of a superior quality. The six Pradikats refer to distinctions or degrees of ripeness which indicate details of the harvesting of the grapes and the sugar content of the grapes.

Each Pradikat has a laid down
minimum must weight (sugar in the harvested grapes) which is measured by degrees Oechsle and varies according to the region (Anbaugebiet) and grape
varietal.

Chaptalization is not permitted for Pridikatswein.

Question 15

What are the Six Pradikats?

Answer 15

Kabinett
Spatlese
Auslese
Beerenauslese
Eiswein (ice wine)
Trockenbeerenauslese

Question 16

What is Kabinett?

Answer 16

Kabinett (70°-85° Oechsle) Fine, light and elegant, usually with a low
alcohol content. Before 1971, this name was used by vineyard owners to indicate wines specially selected for their own use, but was spelt Cabinet.

Question 17

What is Spatlese?

Answer 17

Spatlese (80°-95° Oechsle) wines are made from late-gathered grapes which have been left on the vine to ripen. The grapes are fully ripened such that the wines are a little sweeter but can be made dry, and they are more expensive.

Question 18

What is Auslese?

Answer 18

Auslese (88 - 105° Oechsle) wine is made from selected bunches of grapes which have been left on the vine and allowed to become over ripe. Some of the grapes may have been attacked by botrytis cinerea to give Edelfaule (noble rot).

These wines are sweeter and often produce a faint honeyed nose (bouquet) and should be used as dessert wines.

Auslese grapes can be made into dry wine, in which case the wine will usually bear the word Trocken (dry) on the label.

Question 19

What is Beerenauslese?

Answer 19

Beerenauslese (BA) (110°-128° Oechsle)

This Pradikat means that
specially selected berries (grapes) which have been affected by Edelfaule and chosen from the ripest bunches, have been used to make the wine.

It’s made only in outstanding years and the quantity produced is very small and extremely expensive. It must be a minimum of 5.5 percent abv

Question 20

What is Eiswein?

Answer 20

Eiswein (ice wine) (110°-128° Oechsle) is made from over ripe grapes unaffected by Edelfaule which have been left on the vine until caught by frost, then picked at a minimum of (-7 °C ) or colder and pressed to separate the frozen water from the very sweet juice.

Question 21

What is Trockenbeerenauslese?

Answer 21

Trockenbeerenauslese (150°-154° Oechsle) literally means dried up selected berries (grapes).

Wine with this Pradikat is made only in exceptional years when Edelfaule has affected the grapes and they have been left to shrivel up on the vine. Min 5.5 Abv

Question 22

What Does Classic mean?

Answer 22

Classic is a category introduced in 2000. It must be dry or off-dry in taste (maximum 15 g/l of residual sugar)

It must be made from a traditional grape variety, and originate from one Angaugebiet, which must be noted on the label along with the name of the producer.

The Minimum alcohol content is 12° abv (Mosel 11.5° abv) Classic
is meant to be a regional wine typical for the respective Anbaugebiet.

Question 23

What does Selection mean?

Answer 23

Selection was also introduced in 2000. In addition to the criteria for
Classic wine, the grapes must be hand-picked and from one vineyard
site, which must be noted on the label.

It must reach at least 12.2 percent natural abv. and contain a maximum of 9 g/l (12g/l for Riesling) of residual sugar.

Yield is restricted to 60 hl/ha and the wine may not be released until
1st September of the year following the harvest

Question 24

What is Erstes Gewitchs?

Answer 24

Erstes Gewitchs is a legal definition and part of the wine law in the Rheingau.

It is a designation for dry wines (max. 13 g/l of residual sugar) from the best vineyard sites.

Erstes Gewachs wines must be made from Riesling or Spatburgunder grapes
which have achieved at least Spatlese level, although the Pradikat will not be shown on the label.

There are restrictions on yield and the wine may not be released until 1st September of the year following the harvest.

Question 25

What is VDP?

Answer 25

The Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweingiiter (VDP) was founded in 1910 as the Association of German Pradikats ( and quality ) wine estates. promotes the country’s top wines and estates. It unites 197 of Germany’s finest wineries under one banner; offering customers guarantees on quality and yield. the VDP’s goal at the time was to bring together producers under a ‘quality standard’ umbrella that made it easier and more fruitful for them to sell their wines on the auction market. They Promote 4 tier classification system for members based on the system in Burgundy, France

Question 26

What are the 4 tier classification in VDP

Answer 26

Grosse Lage Erste Lage Ortsweine Gutswein

Question 27

What is a Gutsweine?

Answer 27

“ Estate Level/ Regional Wines” These are for high-quality basic wines which have a regional character. A minimum of 80 percent of the estate must be planted with traditional grape varietals of the region. Gutsweine are estate wines bearing a proprietary name and the Anbaugebiet on the label, but no other geographic designation

Question 28

What is a Ortswein

Answer 28

“Place wine / Village “ Ortswein is applied to wines of superior quality from a village's best vineyards which are planted with typical grape varieties of the region. The dry wines will be labelled Qualitatswein trocken, while the natural sweet wines will carry one of the Pradikats

Question 29

What is Erste Lage?

Answer 29

Erste Lage are designated first-class vineyards (the equivalent of 1er Crus) with distinctive characteristic and are planted with traditional varieties as determined by each region.

Question 30

What is Grosse Lage

Answer 30

Grosse Lage means a great vineyard site and is the equivalent of Grand Cru. These wines will have very good ageing potential. The vineyard site will be planted with traditional varieties as determined by each region.

Question 31

What is Grosses Gewachs?

Answer 31

A dry wine with a maximum 9 g/l residual sugar from a Grosse Lage is designated as Grosses Gewachs. The Grosses Gewachs must be of Spatlese must weight but will be labelled Qualitatswein trocken and carry the logo of a bunch of grapes with GG