German Wines in short:
- 13 wine-growing regions
- approx. 102.000 ha vineyard areas (64 % white grape varieties, 37 % red grape varieties)
- Riesling and Müller-Thurgau main white grape varieties
- Spätburgunder and Dornfelder main red grape varieties
- Different soils from volcan, schist, shell limestone, loess, loam etc.
Wine growing regions German wine differs
from wines of other countries — it's light, lively and fruity, thanks
to Germany's unique climatic and geological conditions.
With the exception of Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen in the east,
the wine-growing regions are concentrated in the south and southwestern
part of Germany. They are among the most northerly wine regions in the
world and straddle the border between the humid Gulf Stream climate of
the west and the dry Continental climate of the east. The long growing
season and moderate summer temperatures bring forth filigree wines that
are relatively low in alcohol. The diversity of German wine stems from
the many soil types and grape varieties — there is no "uniform" type or
style of German wine — and this diversity is reflected in Germany's 13
wine-growing regions.
The wide range of grape varieties cultivated in Germany is impressive, from "A," as in Albalonga, to "Z," as in Zweigeltrebe.
 Of these, about two dozen are of commercial importance,
above all, Riesling and Müller-Thurgau, which account for some 43% of
Germany's 105,000 hectares of vineyards. Nearly 7,5% of the vineyard
area is planted with Spätburgunder, or Pinot Noir, making it the most
important red wine grape in Germany.
Riesling
- Riesling produces elegant wines of rich character with a pronounced
acidity.
- Approx. 20.600 ha are grown throughout German wine country.
- Often reminiscent of peaches or when young, apples.
Grauburgunder
- These are synonyms for the grape known as
Pinot Gris in France and Pinot Grigio in Italy.
- Approx. 200 ha are grown throughout German wine country.
- Often reminiscent of honey with a relatively mild acidity.
- The wines are full-bodied with a mouth-filling flavour.
Müller-Thurgau / Rivaner
Approx. 14.300 ha are grown throughout German wine country.
The wines are best consumed while fresh and young.
- Its wines are generally light, with a flowery bouquet and less acidity than Riesling. Müller-Thurgau often carries a hint of Muscat in its flavour.
Silvaner
Approx. 5.400 ha are grown traditionally in Franken, Rheinhessen and Saale-Unstrut.
Silvaner makes a rather full-bodied, neutral wine with a mild acidity.
The wines are best consumed while fresh and young.
Weißburgunder
Approx. 3.300 ha are mostly grown in Baden and the Pfalz.
Pinot Blanc wines have a less pronounced, relatively neutral bouquet.
Medium- to full-bodied wines, characterized through a fine acidity.
Spätburgunder
Approx. 11.700 ha are mostly grown in Baden and the Ahr.
This grape produces elegant, velvety wines with a distinctive bouquet reminiscent of bitter almonds or blackberries.
Dornfelder
Approx. 8.300 ha are mostly grown in the Pfalz and Rheinhessen.
A fragrant, full-bodied, complex wine with a fairly tannic acidity.
Fruity bouquet reminiscent of black cherries, blackberries or raspberries.
Classification of German Wines:
The classification of German wines is not based on the vineyard site but on the ripeness and the condition of the grapes.
The degree of Oechsle determines for which quality level the grape-must qualifies on the basis of its ripeness and sugar content.
Three main groups of quality...
Tafelwein
Qualitätswein b.A. - Quality wine
Prädikatswein - Quality wine with special attributes
All wines which have qualified for ‚Qualitätswein‘ and ‚Prädikatswein‘ are subject to a strict quality control by the official authorities.
Quality wine with special attributes:
Kabinett - harvested at the normal picking time but with an advanced ripeness that is beyond Qualitätswein and below Spätlese.
Spätlese (late harvest) - Harvested later with a distinctly higher degree of Oechsle than the ‚Kabinett‘.
Auslese (selected harvest) - Very ripe, partly overripe grapes with all insufficiently developed grapes
deselected.
Beerenauslese (berry-selection) - Overripe grapes only. The grapes are attacked by botrytis cinerea. The berries begin to dry out and to shrivel.
Trockenbeerenauslese (dry-berry-selection)
Advanced noble rot has almost dried out the berries.
The wines achieve an immense amount of sweetness
and concentration.
As dessert wines they rank amongst Germany‘s
great specialities.
Eiswein (ice wine)
Means concentration by natural frost of at least –7°C.
The water freezes inside the berry and separates it
from the other ingredients which are thus
concentrated.
The grapes are harvested and pressed whilst frozen
to obtain a highly concentrated grape-must.
The new classifications - This is the basis for a new pyramid of German wine quality categories for dry wines.
Classic:
Harmoniously dry
One specified region, no other appellations of origin are permitted on the label
Supplementary terms to describe style are not permitted
Supplementary terms to describe style are not permitted
At least 12% alcohol by volume
Selection:
Only traditional grape varieties, typical of the region
Maximum yield 60 hl/ha
Harvesting by hand
At least 90° Oechsle
An additional sensory examination
First release is Sept. 1st of the year following the harvest
Erstes Gewächs:
Designated top-quality wines in dry style
Maximum yield 50 hl/ha
Choice of grape variety is restricted
Viticulture measures are subject to control
Origin is restricted to classified sites
Minimum must weight: equivalent to Spätlese
Selective harvesting, by hand
Wines are subject to a Rheingau-association’s sensorial exam
Source: “German Wine Institute ”
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