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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