Wines of Germany

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GERMANY

 Not much wine – about 10% of France or Italy.

 National beverage is beer.

 Long history of wines – probably started by the Romans – great fame since Charlemagne’s time (800
AD).

 Best vineyards near the 50º line – chances of good wines look slim but when they are good, the style
is inimitable.

 In good years the sugar-acid balance is artistic – perfect combination of soil & fruit, of character &
interest.

 The finest wines are even enjoyed alone, lest any food should distract them.

 Vineyards are primarily in the valleys of Rhein and Mosel – most northerly in Europe.

 Steep riverbanks → good sunshine and warmth released by river during the night.

 Short summers – early winters – often frost → early picking = chaptalisation is allowed in the poorer
years.

 Some best and rare wines are made from over-ripened grapes.

 Degree of ripening, therefore, is a major criterion for grading the wines.

 Labels often name grapes.

 Best wines from the great German grape Riesling.

 Price of quality is quantity – yield of Riesling is half of that of commoner Sylvaner.

 Sylvaner is popular in some areas (e.g. Franconia) but lacks the balance and breed of Riesling.

 Müller-Thurgau is a hybrid of Riesling and Sylvaner.

 Spätburgunder & Portugieser – red wine source – the valley of Ahr is the only specialist area foe red
wines (of course not comparable to the whites).
WINE LAWS OF GERMANY

 Controlled by a series of laws since 1879 – codified in 1930.

 Govt. published new laws on July 19, 1969 – made effective on July 19, 1971 – aligned old laws with
prevailing ones, also promulgamated laws of other E.E.C. countries.

 Controls and defines very specifically all better wines by different picking times.

 Previously 50,000 named wines – now less than 3,000.

 1971 laws fixed the minimum area as 5 hectares (13 acres) for a vineyard. Neighbouring smaller ones
had to come under one name – only a few of extraordinary fame allowed to retain individual
identity.

 1971 laws – three basic grades of quality.

Deutscher Tafelwein

 Most ordinary – consumed locally – almost no export – only broad regional names (Rhein, Mosel,
etc.)

 If only Tafelwein – most likely to be blended with cheaper wines from abroad.

Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA)

 Usually referred to just as Qualitätswein (a quality wine from a controlled growing district).

 Good quality but natural sugar-content is low (must-weight 65).

 Chaptalisation (for 10% al v/v, minimum must-weight required is 75).

 QbA wines carry a test-number.

 Best had young.

Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP)

 The best wines (a quality wine with special attributes/distinction).

 Chaptalisation not allowed – grapes have to ripe properly – not possible in bad years.

 Minimum must-weight is 75.

 Carries a test-number.

 QmP wines carry degrees of sweetness – previously traditional meanings – now determined by
must-weight.
Gradation of QmP wines

 Kabinett: minimum m-w 75 – picked generally in October (later than rest in Europe).

 Spätlese: minimum m-w 80 – 2 to 3 weeks later – sweeter and richer than Kabinett.

 Auslese: minimum m-w 90 – fully ripened grapes handpicked from ripened branches – fuller-bodied
and sweeter than Spätlese.

 Beerenauslese: minimum m-w 120 – only in very good years.

 Trockenbeerenauslese: minimum m-w 150 – highest quality – raisin-like grapes with edelfäule – in
exceptionally good years only.

 In exceptionally good, sunny years – several pickings from the same vineyard.

 Subsequent pickings are better – each picking costs more = extra labour and higher risks.

 An unusual QmP wine is Eiswein – ripened to fullest extent – partially frozen. Typical German wine
speciality – once or twice in a decade – very expensive – highly flavoured, sugary, also high in acid –
normally consumed at the end of a meal (like liqueurs).

WINE REGIONS OF GERMANY

 11 regions fall under Qualitätswein.

 Each region has 2 or more districts (total 34).

 Each district has several villages.

 Each village has several vineyards.

 About 1400 wine-villages (gemiende).

 About 2600 vineyards (einzellagen).

 Each of these may appear on the label.

Rhein wines (Hock wines)

 5 of the 11 wine regions: Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Rheinpfaltz, Mittelhein and Nahe – the first three
are important.

 Elegantly light & dry – some slightly sweet.

 Liebfraumilch used to be a wine from Rheinhessen, now a generic term for all Rhein wines.

 The English refer to Rhein wines as Hock wines – from Hockheimer, a popular wine.
 Rhein bottles are made of brown glass.

 The better-known wines are:

 Rheingau – Winkeler, Johannesberger, Eltviller

 Rheinhessen – Bingener, Oppenheimer, Nackenheimer

 Rheinpfalz – Wackenheimer, Ungsteiner, Forster

Mosel wines

 Another major region: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

 The valleys of the Mosel river and its two tributaries.

 Slightly less sweet than Rhein wines – lower strength.

 High natural acidity but with good balance.

 Mosel bottles are made of green glass.

 The better-known wines are:

 Mosel – Bernkastler Doktor, Piesporter, Zeltingener

 Saar – Ockfeler, Wiltengener, Ayler

 Ruwer – Grunhausener, Kaseler, Eitelsbacher

Franken (Franconia) wines

 Much drier – less intense bouquet.

 Referred to as Steinwein.

 Marketed in flagon-shaped bottles – bocksbeutel.

 Some better-known wines: Winterhausener, Kitzingener, Stettener, Randersacker, Eschendorfer

Baden-Württemberg wines

 States of Baden and Württemberg have been merged.

 Baden – rich, fruity & full-bodied whites.

 Württemberg – more reds & rosés but better-known for whites.

 Some better-known wines: Kaiserstuhler, Buehler, Ortenauer


 Other regions (not much important)

 Ahr – main region for reds.

 Bergstrasse – the smallest region.

GERMAN SPARKLING WINES

 Generic term is Schaumwein. Most likely to be made from French/Italian grapes/wines. German
grapes are too expensive for making Schaumwein.

 If made from 100% German grapes, its termed as Qualitätsschaumwein.

 If secondary fermentation in bottle, its termed as Sekt.

 German sparkling wines have a stronger bouquet & flavour compared to nthe French ones.

 More schaumwein is produced than champagne.

Some well-known brands: Rüttgers Club, Deinhard Kabinett, Faber Krünung, Kurpferberg Gold

 Crackling wine: Perlwein

GERMAN WINE LABELS

 Seems to be confusing – actually gives very specific and detailed information.

Label Info

 Wine category: QmP, QbA, Tafelwein, etc.

 QmP wines: degree of ripeness.

 Region: Rheingau, Ruwer, etc.

 Village and/or Vineyard: Bernkastler Doktor (village followed by vineyard), Bereich Bernkastler
(collective vineyard), etc.

 Amtliche Prüfungsnummer (AP No.) – indicates year of examination, community number,


examination board number, bottler number, etc.

 Vintage year: 85% grapes from the declared vintage year.

 Alcohol-content

 Content

 Bottler: Abfuller
 Bottled by producer/grower: Erzengerabfüllung

 From the producer’s own harvest: Aus eigenem Lesegut

 Grape name mentioned on most. If not, either an easily recognisable wine from Riesling or the
maker does not want attention.

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