German Wine Terms

Question 1

Abfuller

Answer 1

bottler or shipper who assumes responsibility for the origin and quality of the wine

Question 2

Absetzen

Answer 2

Settling solids to the bottom of a vat of wine or must

Question 3

Alleinbesitz

Answer 3

monopole

Question 4

Alte Reben

Answer 4

Old Vines

Question 5

Amlitsche Prufungsnummer

Answer 5

AP#, quality control number appearing on all QbA and QmP wines.

Question 6

Anreicherung

Answer 6

Broad term to describe sweetening must before fermentation. Chaptalization refers only to sugar, this term can include concentrated must, etc

Question 7

Badisch Rotgold

Answer 7

Rotling from Baden; made from Grauburgunder and Spatburgunder, min. 51% Grauburgunder, must be labeled on bottle

Question 8

Biologische Saureabbau

Answer 8

Malolactic Fermentation

Question 9

Deutscher Sekt

Answer 9

sparkling wine made in any method only from German grapes

Question 10

Edelfaule

Answer 10

Noble Rot

Question 11

Einzellage

Answer 11

Single Vineyard

Question 12

Einzelpfahlerziehung

Answer 12

a vine trained to a single stake, used in steep vineyards such as Mosel

Question 13

Erste Gewachs

Answer 13

legal term used for dry Rheingau wines sourced from the best vineyards

Question 14

Erzeugerabfullung

Answer 14

Grown and produced by the same producer or co-op

Question 15

Federweisser

Answer 15

Unfiltered must containing CO2 and yeast that’s still in the process of fermenting, an autumn speciality served with onion quiche or roasted chestnuts

Question 16

Feinherb

Answer 16

Half-dry, no legal definition

Question 17

Flaschengarung

Answer 17

bottle-fermented sekt

Question 18

Flubereinigung

Answer 18

restructuring of German vineyards

Question 19

Fuder

Answer 19

1,000L cask common in the Mosel

Question 20

Gerbstoff

Answer 20

Tannin

Question 21

Grosses Gewachs

Answer 21

VDP classification of dry wines from the best vineyards, min. Spatlese ripeness

Question 22

Grosslage

Answer 22

a collection of vineyards; misleading term for inexpensive wines

Question 23

Grosser Ring

Answer 23

Mosel Growers Association

Question 24

Gutsabfullung

Answer 24

grown, produced, and bottled by same person/estate

Question 25

Halbtrocken

Answer 25

Half-dry; generally less than 18g/l RS

Question 26

Handgeruttelt

Answer 26

Hand-Riddled

Question 27

Hauptlese

Answer 27

The main harvest

Question 28

Kellerei

Answer 28

wine cellar (or wholesaler)

Question 29

Kelter

Answer 29

Wine press

Question 30

Keuper

Answer 30

clay & slate soil

Question 31

Lehm

Answer 31

Loam soil

Question 32

Lieblich

Answer 32

Medium-sweet

Question 33

Mergel

Answer 33

Heavy Loam

Question 34

Mostgewicht

Answer 34

Must weight which is the weight of sugar in grapes at the time of harvest

Question 35

Reinzuchthefen

Answer 35

Pure culture yeasts

Question 36

Restzucker

Answer 36

Residual Sugar

Question 37

Rotling

Answer 37

Rose made from red and white grapes, must have pale red or clear red color

Question 38

Rotliegendes

Answer 38

Reddish slate

Question 39

Stuck

Answer 39

1,200L cask used in the Rheingau

Question 40

Schneewein

Answer 40

Snow wine; made from grapes harvested from snow-covered vineyards

Question 41

Schloss

Answer 41

German word for castle; equivalent to Chateau

Question 42

Schotter

Answer 42

Gravel

Question 43

Sonnenuhr

Answer 43

Sundial, often very large on steep vineyard sites

Question 44

Spontangarung

Answer 44

Tasting term for wines made via spontaneous fermentation rather than cultured yeasts; former has an earthiness, latter has cleaner, fruit-forward smells

Question 45

Steillage

Answer 45

Literally- steep site. Vineyard with incline of at least 30%

Question 46

Spritzig

Answer 46

Frizzante

Question 47

Ton

Answer 47

Clay

Question 48

Trocken

Answer 48

dry, generally 4g/l or less but can also be up to 9g/l if TA is within 2g/l of total RS

Question 49

Vorlese

Answer 49

A pre-harvest to eliminate rotten or defective bunches

Question 50

Weinkellerei/Weinberg

Answer 50

wine cellar or winery/vineyard

Question 51

Weinsaure

Answer 51

Tartaric Acid

Question 52

Weissherbst

Answer 52

Rose from a single variety

Question 53

Winzer

Answer 53

Wine Grower

Question 54

Winzergenossenschaft

Answer 54

Co-op

Question 55

Zentralkellerei

Answer 55

Central co-op that gets wine/musts from smaller cellars and blends, produces and bottles the wines.