Chapter 22 - Germany

Question 1

Climate and grapegrowing

Answer 1

• Most regions have cool continental climate, Baden warmer
• Summers can be wet, but less rain during final stage of ripening
• Long period give grapes time to reach sugar ripeness while retaining their acidity
• noble rot can develop if conditions are good
• Weather conditions vary considerable and with them the wines
• Best vineyards steep, stony slopes, southern-facing
• Classification by weight, hence harvest can be spread out to pick the right grapes for the respective quality level

Question 2

Grape varieties and style

Answer 2

• Riesling: Delicate/flora to richer peachy fruit character. Bone dry to lusciously sweet. Dry style - Qualitätswein. Prädikatswein have at least some residual sweetness.
• Kabinett: light body, high acidity, flavours of green apple and citrus fruit, 8-9% abv, up to 12%. Can be sweetened after fermentation
• Spätlese: more concentrated wines, more body, alcohol and sweetness. Citrus and stone fruit
• Auslese: made from individual extra-ripe bunches. Richer and riper than Spätlese, noble rot can play a role
• Beerenauslese/Trockenbeerenauslese: noble rot typical, not made every year. Sweet, low alcohol wines with flavours of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel and flowers
• Eiswein: genuine rarities, fine balance between acidity and sweetness, maintain varietal flavours
• Müller-Thurgau: crossing of Riesling and Madeleine-Royale. Ripens earlier than Riesling, floral and fruity wine, but rarely of high quality. Medium-dry, medium-sweet Qualitätswein demand in decline
• Silvaner: Rheinhessen, Franken, both dry and sweet styles. Less acidic and overtly fruity than Riesling
• Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc also planted

Question 3

Black grape varieties

Answer 3

• Pinot Noir: thrives in warmer vineyards such as Pfalz and Baden. Dry, light, fruity, more concentrated style
• Dornfelder: deeply coloured wines. Portugieser, Trollinger, Schwarzriesling as varieties. Light-bodied fruity wines, sometimes intensely coloured with oak flavour

Question 4

German wine laws and labels

Answer 4

• PGI: Landwein. Without GI “Deutscher Wein”. PDO focus of the chapter
• PDO 13 delimited regions
• Grosses Gewächs as indicator of best dry wines

Question 5

Main wine-growing regions:

Answer 5

• Mosel: White grapes and Riesling. Middle Mosel most important areas. Piesport, Bernkastel, Wehlen. Lighter body, lower alcohol than other regions. Floral and greet fruit aromas. Saar and Ruwer even colder
• Nahe: between Mosel and Rheinhessen. Schlossböckelheim. Slightly riper fruit aromas. Riesling
• Rheingau: small but prestigious. Optimal ripening conditions. Johannisberg, Rüdesheim important, Rieling medium to full body
• Rheinhessen: largest wine-growing region. Müller-Thurgau and Riesling. Nierheim with fullest-body Riesling from Germany. Reputation is increasing
• Pfalz: second largest wine-growing region. Continuation of Alsace. Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder. 40% black grapes. Dornfelder. GG can be made from Riesling, Weißburgunder or Spätburgunder. Most established vineyards surround Forst and Deidesheim (Mittelhaardt) with full-bodied Riesling
• Baden: warmest region, fullest-bodied wines. Close to Rhine river. Best vineyards in Kaiserstuhl. Top-quality Spätburgunder followed by Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder and Riesling
• Franken: Silvaner with high concentration. Riesling less important