Introductory Turned Certified Sommelier - Matt & Ryan > Germany > Flashcards

Germany Flashcards

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1
Q

Where is Pfalz located?

A
  • Geographically contiguous with Alsace
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2
Q

Rheingau - grape varieties?

A
  1. Riesling

2. Spatburgunder (pinot noir)

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3
Q

Why are slate and basalt prized as such great soils in Germany?

A

They absorb the daytime heat and retain it at night

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4
Q

What should you look for on a German wine label? (8)

A
  1. Producer
  2. Vintage
  3. Alcohol Level
  4. Wine Region (Anbaugebiet)
  5. Village Name (Gemeinde)
  6. Vineyard Name (Einzellage)
  7. Grape Variety
  8. Ripeness at Harvest Level (Pradikat)
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5
Q

Rheingau - mountain range?

A

Taunus Mountains (provide protection)

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6
Q

Rheingau - soils?

A

Slate and others

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7
Q

What does the VDP classification of vineyards emulate?

A

Burgundy’s Grand Cru model

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8
Q

What type of latitude is Pfalz on relative to the rest of the Germany?

A

Relatively southerly latitude

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9
Q

Rheinhessen - grape varieties?

A

WHITE

  1. Riesling (best but not most planted in Rheinhessen)
  2. Muller-Thurgau
  3. Silvaner
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10
Q

What is the topography like in Germany?

A
  • Rolling hills w/ rivers

- Steep hillside vineyards on river banks

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11
Q

What style of wine does Pfalz focus on?

A

Dry wine

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12
Q

Rheingau - location?

A

Sout of Mosel on Rhine River

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13
Q

Is chaptalization allowed in Germany?

A
  • It is controversial and against the law for most quality levels
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14
Q

The Haardt Mountain are the northerly extension of the __________ Mountains.

A

Vosges

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15
Q

Name 5 of the 13 regions in Germany.

A
  1. Mosel
  2. Nahe
  3. Rhienhessen
  4. Pfalz
  5. Baden
  6. Wurttemberg
  7. Franken
  8. Hessiche Bergstrasse
  9. Rheingau
  10. Mittelrhein
  11. Ahr
  12. Saale-Unstrut
  13. Sachsen
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16
Q

What type of grape variety is Grauburgunder?

A

Pinot Gris

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17
Q

Describe the range of quality in Rheinhessen.

A
  • Liebfraumilch to top vineyards for dry Riesling

- Specificity of village and vineyard is key

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18
Q

Mosel - viticulture? (5 points)

A
  1. Long growing season to achieve ripeness
  2. South-facing slopes very close to Mosel River
  3. Ripening a challenge
  4. High in acidity
  5. Low in sugar
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19
Q

What overall effect do rivers have on viticulture in Germany?

A

They reflect sunlight up the steep slopes to warm the vineyards and a very difficult ripening environment.

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20
Q

Name three primary aspects of viticulture in Germany.

A
  1. Steep, south-facing hillsides
  2. Long, cool growing season making it difficult to ripen grapes
  3. Planted along river valleys of Rhine, Mosel, and their tributaries
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21
Q

What are the soils in Germany?

A
  • Varies BUT…

- Best vineyards are planted on heat-retaining soils and rocks such as slate and basalt

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22
Q

What is Liebfraumilch?

A
  • Cheap, sweet wine

- Mainly made from Muller-Thurgau

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23
Q

__________ is Germany’s oldest winemaking region and one of the greatest locations for the pure expression of Riesling.

A

Mosel

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24
Q

Pfalz - climate?

A
  • Sunny and dry

- One of the warmest growing areas in Germany

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25
Rheinhessen - topography - what kind of land does it have?
Flat, fertile farmland
26
The Rheinhessen has the __________ area under vine and is the __________ wine region in germany.
Most; largest
27
Mosel - vinification? (3 points)
1. Stainless steel fermentation 2. Residual sugar left in wine to counter acidity 3. Alcohol in finished wine generally low topping out at 8%
28
Rheinhessen - location and geography?
- South of Rheingau | - Large sprawling wine area
29
What are Grosses Gewachs?
Dry or trocken wines from the top vineyard sits in VDP classification
30
What does the word "einzellage" mean in English?
vineyard
31
What are the designations for wines with geographic indication in Germany?
1. Landwein (PGI) | 2. Qualitatswein (PDO)
32
Define Qualitatswein (PDO).
1. Quality wine from 1 of 13 major regions (called Anbaugebiete) 2. Includes top trocken wines
33
Why are vineyard sites placed along river valleys in Germany?
The rivers act as a climate moderator by providing warmth and reflecting sunlight
34
Mosel - grape varieties?
Riesling
35
What are the primary climate moderators in Germany?
Rivers and Mountains
36
What latitude are most wine regions on in Germany?
49 or above
37
Where are the best vineyards found in Rheinhessen?
Small strip along steep west bank of Rhine River
38
What levels of sweetness are wines fermented in Germany?
1. Trocken (dry) 2. Off-dry 3. Lusciously sweet
39
Where is Mosel located?
- Northern Limit of viticulture (49 parallel); some of most northernly vineyards in the world - Along Mosel River - Western Germany - Close to borders of Belgium and France
40
What grape varieties are produced in Germany?
``` WHITE (70% of production) 1. Riesling 2. Muller-Thurgau 3. Silvaner RED 1. Spatburgunder (pinot noir) ```
41
Mosel - climate?
Cold continental
42
Germany produces the purest expression of what variety?
Riesling
43
In the 1980's, over 60% of all German wine exports were of _________. What did this do to the image of quality German wine and how long was its impact?
- Liebfraumilch | - Damaged it for decades
44
Define Landwein (PGI).
Regional wines; rarely exported
45
How many pradikate levels of quality are there?
6
46
Name the four most important regions in Germany.
1. Mosel 2. Rheingau 3. Rheinhessen 4. Pfalz
47
Collectively, what is the group of 13 major wine regions in Germany called?
Anbaugebiete
48
In Germany, the vast majority of wines are fermented in __________.
Stainless steel and large oak casks
49
Germany contains three extremes that lead to the production of the world's purest expression of Riesling. What are they?
1. World's coolest vineyards 2. Northernmost extreme latitude (49th degree) 3. Best vineyards among world's steepest grade
50
What is the VDP?
German association of over 200 top producers
51
How do the Haardt Mountain impact the Pfalz region?
Protects and provides warm, sunny, dry environment
52
What is the VDP committed to?
Quality; making dry riesling from the best terroir and vineyard sites
53
Pfalz - grape varieties?
``` WHITE 1. Riesling 2. Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) 3. Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) RED 1. Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) ```
54
What is the important cause and effect relationship in Germany?
Climate > Ripeness > Wine Style
55
What is wine without geographic indication called in Germany?
Wein
56
Pfalz - soils?
Limestone
57
What are the primary climate moderators in Rheingau and what do they do?
1. Taunus Mountains provide protection | 2. Rhine River reflects sunlight
58
Does the pradikate level dictate sweetness of the final wine?
No. Pradikate levels are determined when the grapes are picked in the vineyard. How the wine is fermented is a different story.
59
What is the term for the subset of Qualitatswein categorized by ripeness at harvest?
Pradikatswein (PDO)
60
What are the main rivers of important wine regions in Germany?
1. Rhine River | 2. Mosel River
61
What type of grape variety is Weissburgunder?
Pinot Blanc
62
When was the VDP founded?
1910
63
Mosel - topography?
- Steep vineyards (among steepest in world) | - South-facing (to capture sun's warmth)
64
How is ripening in Pfalz impacted by its southerly latitude?
Significantly less challenging that in most other German regions
65
Rheinhessen - soils?
Red sandstone w/ slate
66
What river separates Alsace from Pfalz?
Rhine River
67
Rheingau - topography?
One long, south-facing slope on the north bank of the Rhine River
68
What is the primary grape variety in Germany?
Riesling
69
Why are vineyard sites place on steep, south-facing hillsides in Germany?
To maximize sunlight and warmth to achieve ripeness in grapes
70
What does the German acronym GG stand for?
Grosses Gewachs
71
What does the German acronym VDP stand for?
Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter
72
What is the climate in Germany?
Cool continental
73
What does the suffix "-er" mean when appended to a village name on a German wine label?
"from that place" such as Urziger, meaning "from Urzig"
74
Mosel - soil?
Heat-retaining slate
75
What is the dominate geographic influence in Pfalz?
Haardt Mountains
76
Rheingau - climate?
1. Continental, slightly warmer (more southerly latitude)
77
Mosel - climate moderators?
Mosel River
78
List the Pradikate levels of quality in order of ascending quality.
1. Kabinett 2. Spatlese 3. Auslese 4. Beerenauslese(BA) 5. Eswein 6. Trockenbeerenauslese(TBA)
79
Where are the majority of vineyards in Germany clustered?
- Southwestern corner | - Near borders of Belgium, France, Switzerland
80
Rheinhessen - climate?
continental
81
How does the ripeness (viticulture) in Rheingau compare to that of Mosel?
Ripeness is more reliable in Rheingau
82
What fermentation vessels are used in Mosel?
Stainless steel
Introductory Turned Certified Sommelier - Matt & Ryan
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