Germany - Intro Sommelier Level 1
Here’s a beginner-friendly breakdown of what you should know about Germany for your Introductory Sommelier Course. Germany is a key wine-producing country, and understanding its wine laws, regions, grape varieties, and labeling terms is essential.
Key Topics to Study for Germany
1. Climatic Influences and Effects on Wines
Cool Climate: Germany has a cool continental climate, which greatly influences the style of its wines.
Wines are typically high in acidity and low in alcohol.
The best vineyards are located on south-facing slopes to maximize sunlight exposure.
Rivers: The Rhine and its tributaries (e.g., Mosel, Nahe) moderate temperatures and reflect sunlight onto the vines.
Soil Types: Slate soils in regions like Mosel retain heat, helping grapes ripen in the cool climate.
2. German Quality Structure
Germany has a unique wine classification system based on ripeness levels at harvest. The two main categories are:
Qualitätswein (QbA):
Basic quality wine from one of Germany’s 13 wine regions (Anbaugebiete).
Chaptalization (adding sugar to increase alcohol) is allowed.
Prädikatswein:
Higher quality wine with no chaptalization allowed.
Subdivided into ripeness levels:
Kabinett: Light, delicate wines with low alcohol.
Spätlese: Late-harvest wines, richer and more concentrated.
Auslese: Selectively harvested, often sweeter wines.
Beerenauslese (BA): Made from individually selected, overripe berries, often affected by Botrytis (noble rot).
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA): Extremely sweet, made from shriveled, botrytized grapes.
Eiswein: Made from grapes frozen on the vine, resulting in concentrated sweetness and acidity.
3. Anbaugebiete (Wine Regions)
Germany has 13 wine regions (Anbaugebiete). The most important ones to focus on are:
Mosel:
Known for Riesling.
Steep, slate-covered vineyards.
Wines are light-bodied, high in acidity, and often have a slight sweetness.
Rheingau:
Famous for Riesling and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).
Fuller-bodied wines compared to Mosel.
Rheinhessen:
Largest wine region.
Produces a variety of styles, including dry Rieslings.
Pfalz:
Warmer climate, producing fuller-bodied Rieslings and Pinot varieties.
Nahe:
Known for Riesling with a balance of Mosel’s lightness and Rheingau’s richness.
4. Principal Grape Varieties
White Grapes (70% of production):
Riesling: Germany’s most important grape, known for its versatility (dry to sweet styles).
Müller-Thurgau: A crossing of Riesling and Madeleine Royale, producing simple, fruity wines.
Silvaner: Found in Franken, producing earthy, food-friendly wines.
Red Grapes (30% of production):
Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir): Germany’s most planted red grape, producing elegant, light-bodied wines.
Dornfelder: A modern crossing, producing deeply colored, fruity wines.
5. Soil Structures
Mosel: Slate soils retain heat and help ripen grapes in the cool climate.
Rheingau: Mix of slate, loess, and clay soils.
Pfalz: Sandstone and limestone soils contribute to fuller-bodied wines.
6. Labelling Terms
Trocken: Dry wine.
Halbtrocken: Off-dry wine.
Feinherb: Slightly sweeter than halbtrocken.
Sekt: German sparkling wine.
Gutswein: Estate wine (entry-level in the VDP classification).
Ortswein: Village-level wine.
Erste Lage: Premier Cru (first-class vineyard).
Grosse Lage: Grand Cru (top vineyard site).
7. Introduction to VDP Structure
The VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) is an association of top producers with its own classification system:
Grosse Lage: Best vineyard sites (Grand Cru).
Erste Lage: High-quality sites (Premier Cru).
Ortswein: Village-level wines.
Gutswein: Estate-level wines.
8. Notable Wine Villages
Mosel: Bernkastel, Piesport, Wehlen.
Rheingau: Rüdesheim, Johannisberg.
Pfalz: Forst, Deidesheim.
9. Production Terms
Einzellage: Single vineyard.
Grosslage: Group of vineyards.
Bereich: District within a wine region.
Ortswein: Village wine.
Sekt: Sparkling wine.
10. Deductive Tasting for German Wines
Sight: Pale lemon color, often with green hues.
Nose: Aromas of citrus (lime, lemon), green apple, stone fruits (peach, apricot), and floral notes. Botrytis wines may have honey and marmalade aromas.
Palate: High acidity, light to medium body, and a range of sweetness levels (dry to lusciously sweet).
Tips for Studying Germany
Focus on Riesling: Understand its versatility and how it expresses terroir.
Memorize the Prädikatswein levels: Know the ripeness levels and their characteristics.
Map Practice: Be able to locate the key regions (Mosel, Rheingau, Pfalz, etc.).
Taste German Wines: Try examples of dry, off-dry, and sweet Rieslings to understand the spectrum of styles.
