Germany Flashcards
Describe the climate of Germany.
Cool continental, steep slopes with stony, slate soil, rivers which retain heat and reflect light, summer rainfall, long, cool ripening season that allows grapes to retain acidity.
How are vines generally trained in Germany?
head-pruned; individually staked; canes tied at the top to maximize exposure to light and air circulation
What varietals are permitted in Germany?
Riesling is the most important and widely planted;
also, Weissburgunder, Graubburgunder, Spatburgunder, Muller-Thurgau, Kerner, Sylvaner, Dornfelder, Gewurztraminer
What is sussreserve?
Sterile, unfermented grape juice used to sweeten wines after fermentation, but this method is not typically used for high quality wines.
What is the classification hierarchy in Germany?
Deutscher Wine (no GI) Landwein (PGI) Qualitatswein and Pradikatswein (PDO-must be from one of 13 delimited regions)
What terms may appear on a label to indicate the wine is dry or off-dry
Dry - trocken
Off-dry - halbtrocken or feinherb (not legally defined)
Grosses Gewachs - part of the VBP system, not German wine law, used for some of the highest quality dry wines
What are the six Pradikat levels, in ascending order of ripeness?
Kabinett - light bodied, sweet or dry
Spatlese - late harvest, sweet or dry
Auslese - select late harvest, sweet or dry
Beerenauslese - usually some Bot, always sweet
Trockenbeerenauslese - most be Botrytized, always sweet
Eiswein - grapes must be frozen at harvest
What are the important regions of Germany?
There are 13 wine regions; the most important are Mosel, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Nahe, Pfalz, Baden and Franken.
What are 3 key facts about the Mosel?
It’s situated along the River Mosel, where it join the River Rhein and its two major tributaries, the Saar and Ruwer.
Top quality villages include Piesport, Bernkastel and Wehlen.
Steep slopes with slate soil produce lighter bodied, lower alcohol wines, and higher acidity wines with floral and green fruit flavors.
Describe the wines of the Nahe.
Situated between Schlossbockelheim and Bad Kreuznach, the best vineyards produce high acidity wines with riper fruit flavors.
What is the Rheingau known for?
South/East facing slopes around Johannisberg and Rudesheim;
Medium to full-bodied Riesling with ripe peach and humid conditions conducive to the production of BA and TBA
GG wines made from either Riesling or Spatburgunder.
Describe the Rheinhessen.
Germany’s largest winegrowing region.
Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Dornfelder, Portugieser, and Spatburgunder grown.
Known for innovation and excellence, the best wines are centered around the village of Niersten (or Rheinterrasse) and are some of most full-bodied Rieslings of Germany.
What sets the Pfalz apart from other German wine regions?
It’s essentially an extension of the region of Alsace, and with the influence of the Vosges Mountains, constitutes one of the warmest, sunniest regions in Germany.
What can GG wines be made from in the Pfalz?
Riesling, Weissburgunder, Spatburgunder.
Where are the quality vineyards located in the Pfalz?
Forst and Deidesheim, known as the Mittelhaardt.
