Wines of Germany• The German vineyard is located in the southwest and owes

their origin to the Roman

• In the 12th century the religious orders took over and nurtured the vines.

• While the former was more concerned with the quantity the latter was more concerned with the quality.

• In 1803 Napoleon III secularized the vineyard but the influence of the church is still seen in the name of many vineyards.

Cont..• The vineyards are located on the hillside and the steeper and are south

facing to trap the sunshine. • 6 million hectares of vineyards in Europe but only 0.8% of it is

present in Germany.• France has around 35 times more than it • Italy has around 34 times more than it. • Lacking in quantity Germany is famous for its quality white wines. • Two rivers affectionately called as father Rhine and mother

Moselle dominate German vineyards. • Germany is bordered in south west by France in the west by Belgium,

in the North West by Holland in the north by south sea Denmark and the Baltic sea in the north east by Poland east by the ex Czechoslovakia, south east and south by Austria and south west and south by Switzerland.

Climate

• Winter is longer

• Summer is short

• Plenty of rainfall

• Very little sunshine

• Vines susceptible to a lot of frost and hail.

Soil

• Very poor nothing but vine survives in the entire area

• The soil is made up of decomposed granite, slate, sand, clay and lime stone or a combination of them .

Vintage

• Vintage is towards late October to early November.

• Mosllen vines are trained high; around 2 meters where as the Rhine vines are trained low on wire stands.

Grape Variety

• For making White wines

• Riesling• Sylvaner• Gewürztraminer

• Muller Thureau ( For white wines)

• For making red wines

• Pinot noir also called as Spatburgunder

Chaptalization• The addition of cane sugar to the must

has been legalized in Germany since 25th July1930.

• Chaptalization has to take place between 1st of October and the 31st of January.

• The sugar may be added to the must or the wine. These wines are called as “verbessert” or improved wines.

• The opposite of Verbessert is Naturwein or natural wine.

Classification• Tafelwein: A term that literally means table wine, may

be chaptalized

• Landwein: one step above the Tafelwein in quality and may be chaptalized.

• Qualitatswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiete:(Q.b.A)- (must come from one of the 13 specified regions), grape variety, examination by authorities. may be chaptalized.

Cont..

• Qualitatswein Mit Pradikat (Q.m.P):

• This designation is reserved for wines of the highest quality with special attributes and they are not chaptalization.

• The Q.m.P German is equivalent of the French AOC wine laws.

• Pradikat means degree of ripeness.

PradikatsThere are 6 Pradikats or grapes of different ripeness.

• Kabinett: must weight of 65 to 85degree Oeschsle

• Spatlese: must weight of 76 to 95degree Oeschsle.

• Auslese: must weight of 83 to 105degree Oeschsle.

• Beerenaulese: (BA) must weight 110 to 128degree Oeschsle.

Cont..

• Trockerbeerenauslese: (TBA). In this case they are dried or shriveled by the action of “Botrytis Cinerea”. Noble rot in German language is called “Edelfaule”. The wine must attain minimum must weight of 150degree Oeschsle.

• Eiswein: The name is reserved for the wine made from the grapes of BA and TBA categories picked and harvested frozen. These frozen grapes produce a wine that is sweeter and more concentrated than the average Pradikat wines.

Wine Regions

• Rhine and its tributary Nahe.

• Moselle and its tributary Ruwer and Saar.

• Franconia or Steinwein

• Ahr valley

Rhine• German language the region is

called as Rhein.

• The Rhine wines are called as Hocks. The word Hocks originated from the name of the city “Hochheim”.

• These wines are marketed in tall amber coloured bottles. The Hocks are produced from three different regions:

Rheingau

• This is the classic area producing the best Hocks, full of body, bouquet and finesse. Examples are: (all white)

• .i) Marcobrunn

• ii) Schloss johannisberg- Schloss means castle

Rheinhessen• Most of the German wines that

are exported are made in this region. Examples are: (all white)

• i) Niersteiner Auflagen

• ii) Liebfraumilch: “Milk of the blessed mother” it is the semisweet white wine made from 51% of Riesling plus Sylvaner and Muller Thurgau grapes.

Rheinpflaz or Palatinate• Most of the good quality

wines are from Slvaner and Muller Thurgau grapes. Examples are: (all white)

• i)Forst Jesuitengurten (Garden of Jesus)

• ii) Durkheimer Speilberg

Moselle valley• Sold in green coloured bottles. They

include the wines Ruwer and Saar. They have a pleasant but slight bitterness and a strong bouquet. They normally have an alcoholic strength of 10degreeGL.

E.g. (All white)• Piesporter lay: Comes from the middle

Moselle and is a glorious, fruity and gentle white wine.

• Berkasteler Dokter: Best wine of Moselle.• Zaltinger Schlossberg: made from

Riesling and comes from middle Moselle.

Franconia or Steinwein• Popularly known as Steinwein. • The whites are dry to medium dry• Sold in flat-sided flagon shaped bottle called as

“Bocksbeutel”. • The wines are made from Riesling and Sylvaner

grapes.• Earthy taste. • They age well and are compared to Moselles

and sometimes Chablis. Examples are: (all white)• Wurzberger Stein• Wurzberger Heisten

Ahr Valley

• The northern most German wine producing area.

• Produces both red and white wines but the reds is superior to the white ones.

• The reds are made from spatburgunder or pinot noir grapes.

E.g. (all red)• Rosenthal• Walportheimer Honigberg• Ahrweiler Daubhaus

Bottle Label

• Grape's regional origin

• The year the wine was made

• Vintner's name

• Grape growing conditions

• Method used to make the wines.

• Classification/ Grades

Wine Terminology

• Sekt- Term used for sparkling wine in Germany• Troken- Dry• Halb-troken- Semi dry• Bereich- District• Grosslage- Collective site

• Gemeinde- Village• Einzellage- Individual Site• APNr- Amtliches Preifungs Nummer