History
During the early part of the 19th century the Rhineland came under the control of Napoleon and lead to a similar pattern of fragmented vineyard ownership that exists in Burgundy. Two World Wars caused strain on German economy and reduced export markets.

Wine law of 1930
-Forbid blending of red and white and of foreign and domestic wines
-Forbid planting of hybrids and sale of wines made from hybrids

The general trend since World War II was going toward planting the flatter more fertile areas which resulted in massive increases in yields. By the mid 1980s the average yield was over 100 hl/ha. The historical perception of quality and distinction has been replaced by soft approachable fruity wines. Not to be taken seriously.

Climate
Continental with cold winters and moderately warm summers. It is generally considered to be marginal. Much rain falls throughout year with July and August being the wettest months
Autumns are normally long and warm. High yields are possible and slow ripening shapes the general style. There are significant variation from year to year. Humidity in autumn can assist onset of botrytis known as “edelfäule”.

White grape varieties
There are approximately 104,000 ha of vines in Germany. White grapes account for about 3/4 of total vine plantings. There has been lots of work done in the development of crosses and many of them were developed at the research station in Geisenheim.

German crossings
The difficult climate and the abilities of the new crosses to achieve higher must weights were the most important reasons for the vigorous development of crosses in the first half of the 1900s. Most crosses don’t produce very interesting or characterful wines for the exception of Kerner, Eherenfelser, Rieslaner and Scheurebe

-Riesling
The noble grape of Germany and most widely planted variety. It is planted in the most prestigious sites on the Mosel and the Rhein. It buds late and ripens late compared to other German varieties. It makes a cold hardy vine that is susceptible to botrytis. It needs careful site selection to achieve full ripeness because long, slow ripening is the key to the great flavor development of the best examples. Clean fresh, lemony and floral when young it develops petrol or kerosene aromas and flavors with age. This distinctive character comes from the high levels of monoterpenes (flavor compound). Riesling has a tremendous capacity for ageing.

-Müller-Thurgau
A cross developed in the 1880’s by Dr. Müller from the Swiss canton of Thurgau. It is the second most planted variety and for over 100 years was thought to be a cross of Riesling and Silvaner. Recent DNA fingerprinting suggests that it is a cross between Riesling and Chasselas de Courtillier (Gutedel). Reliable, early ripening and capable of very high yield without loss of quality… Because there isn’t much quality to start with. This grape forms the backbone of most Liebfraumilch and it is of economic importance to many growers.

-Silvaner
This is a disease resistant, productive variety but it is slowly losing viticultural acreage. Nowadays it is only found in sites where it has always been important. It tends to be low in acidity and fairly neutral in taste if yields are too high. Cropping at considerably less than 100 hl/ha may be the ticket because it can be delicious. The best examples have typically come from the Franken but there is also some good wine coming from the Rheinhessen and the Kaiserstuhl area of Baden.

-Elbling
An ancient variety cultivated in the Mosel since Roman times. It is a prolific variety that can attain yields of up to 200 hl/ha. Most of the plantings today are in the upper areas of the Mosel in chalk dominated soils where Riesling often has trouble ripening. Most of it is used for the Sekt (German sparling wine) production.

-Kerner
The great success story of German vine breeding. Kerner is a reliable crossing of Trollinger and Riesling. it was named after the local 19th century poet-physician Justinus Kerner. It is a late-budding but early ripening variety which produces similar wines to Riesling. It is grown mostly in Rheinhessen and used in Liebfraumilch.

-Ehrenfelser
This is another one of the better Riesling and Silvaner crosses. It ripens more easily than Riesling and is more productive. It is definitely not quite as versatile as Kerner as far as site selection goes. It is mostly planted in the Rheinhessen and the Pfalz.

-Scheurebe
This variety is a highly regarded Silvaner and Riesling cross. It needs to achieve full maturity to be interesting. It does particularly well in the Pfalz.

-Bacchus
A crossing of Silvaner, Riesling and Müller-Thurgau. Early ripening variety yielding fruity wines with a light Muscat tone.

-Rieslaner
Here’s another Riesling and Silvaner cross. It is not very widely planted but it can produce interesting wines. Mostly planted in Franken.

-Rulander
This is the german name for Pinot Gris. Also know as Grauburgunder. It grows best in the warmer vineyard zones. It is planted in many areas although more than half the total plantings are in Baden. There is also a fair bit planted in the Rheinhessen and Pfalz.

Red grape varieties

-Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir)
Introduced by the Burgundian monks when they established cloisters here in the Middle ages. The best examples are in Pfalz and Baden. Nearly 55% of total plantings are in Baden and plantings have been steadily increasing. It is the most important variety in the Ahr. It is also planted in the Rheingau, Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Württemberg.

-Portugieser (Blauer Portugieser)
This variety is mostly planted in the Pfalz where it is often made into a special rosé known as Weissherbst. It is a prolific variety made into easy drinking, straight-forward wines. Best consumed fresh and young.

-Dornfelder
A cross of Helfensteiner and Heroldrebe. Red fleshed variety – well regarded and prized for its color, tannin and appealing aromas. The best examples are from the Pfalz.

Other red grape varieties

-Trollinger
The Schiava of Italy also known as Vernatsch

-Schwarzriesling
Müllerebe or Pinot Meunier

-Lemberger
Blaufrankisch of Austria

These are red varieties of regional importance, primarily in Württemberg.

Viticulture
Germany has the highest yields of any European country, the average yield in 1997-98 was 82 hl/ha. The vineyards are generally in good health and 60% of them lie on slopes with gradients of 1:20. The best ones are often on gradients of 1:3. Different techniques are used depending upon topography.

The main danger is from frost so heaters are used as well as the spraying of the vines with water (aspersion). The best solution is to plant in a frost-free site. In recent years many growers have been leaving the area between individual or alternate rows covered with grasses, it aids in stressing the vines and lowering yields.

-Steep terraced vineyards – manual harvesting – single stake supporting the vine.
-On Flatter plains and river valleys, vines are trained on wires to facilitate mechanization.

The harvest
Picking can only commence after the official start date has been announced. After that, it is up to the individual grower as to when they wish to commence. Oëchsle is the scale used to measure the sugar content in the must.

Vinification
Chaptalization (Anreicherung) is allowed up to and including QbA but Ii is forbidden for QmP wines. De-acidification is common.

White wines
Cool fermentation temperatures that rarely exceeds 20 Celsius nowadays. Stainless steel is very common but traditional large old oak ovals of approximately 1000 litres are still used. The emphasis is on freshness, fruit and balance between acidity and sweetness. Small oak casks are creeping into the picture for both red and white wines.

Excessive acidity is dealt with in 2 ways:
-De-acidification with calcium carbonate or a proprietary product such as Acidex.
-Sussreserve. The use of sussreserve is not as common at top estates.

Fermentation to desired degree – SO2 – sterile filtration.

Labeling details
-Amtliche Prufungsnummer (AP#)
Number proving that the wine has passed official testing procedures

-Weingut
Wine estate

-Weinkellerei
Which buys grapes, must or wine

-Winzergenossenschaft
Cooperative wine cellar

-Erzeugerabfullung or Gutsabfullung
Estate bottled

-Trocken
Dry

-Halbtrocken
Off-dry (between 10 to 18 g/l residual sugar)

85% rule applies for vintage and variety

Wine laws
The original wine laws of 1971 was established to account for EC wine regulations They reduced the number from 30,000 Einzellagen (individual site) to 2,600 and formed Grosselagen (collection of individual sites). Basically, the original greatness of a specific vineyard site was effectively diluted after 1971,

The 1994 wine law failed to rectify much but brought some positive changes. The maximum yield is now calculated on actual area in production not on area owned and the minimum must weights have been increased for various Prädikats (wines of distinction) in some regions. Greater enforcement of compulsory distillation.

Classification of the wines is based on ripeness at harvest and the measurements are expressed in degrees Oëchsle. The riper the grapes, the higher the Oëchsle reading.

There are 2 classifications:

Table wines
There are two categories which only represent 10% of annual German production:

-Deutscher Tafelwein
The lowest classification. Must come from Germany. Must come from one of the 4 Tafelweingebiete. Minimum must weights apply.

-Landwein
The equivalent to the French Vin de Pays. Must come from one of the 17 designated Landweingebiete. The wines can only be trocken or halbtrocken.

Quality wines
There are two categories as well:

-Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete – QbA
It is produced from specified grape varieties from one of the 13 designated wine regions (Anbaugebiet). Minimum must weights apply and vary from region to region and variety to variety. Chaptalization is permitted and the name of the Anbaugebiet must be on the label.

-Qualitatswein mit Prädikat – QmP
Quality wine affirmed (predicated) by ripeness. It is the finest category. Wines must come from a specific Anbaugebiet and be sourced from a single Bereich (district). There are 6 Prädikat grades that are all determined by minimum must weights per variety and per region. Chaptalization is not permitted.

Prädikat grades

-Kabinett
Derived from the word cabinet which signified a place of storage for rarities and curiosities. The grapes are picked at normal harvest time but with higher minimum must weights than for QbA. 67 to 85 degrees Oëchsle. It is usually riper due to more favorable sites. It is the most delicate of German quality wines.

-Spätlese
Pronounced: shpayt-lay-zue. It literally means late harvest. 76 to 95 degrees Oëchsle. The grapes should be picked at least one week later than grapes from the preliminary harvest. Extra ripeness and extra flavor.

-Auslese
Pronounced: ows-lay-zue. Produced from selected extra ripe bunches of grapes. 83 to 105 degrees Oëchsle. Some of the grapes may have been affected by edelfäule (Botrytis).

-Beerenauslese (BA)
Pronounced: beer-in-ows-lay-zue. Beeren means berries in German. It is made from individually selected extra ripe grapes that have usually been affected by edelfäule. It has a very high sugar content. 110 to 128 degrees Oëchsle. Tastes like honey soaked raisins.

-Eiswein
Pronounced: ice-vine. Temperatures of -8 Celsius (18F) are required for harvesting. The grapes are harvested frozen and pressed immediately. Frozen water crystals are left in the press. The grapes must be of beerenauslese quality. Very sweet and concentrated.

-Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Pronounced: trock-in-beer-in-ows-lay-zue. This is only produced in the greatest vintages where an individual selection of fully botrytis affected grapes is made. 150 to 154 degrees Oëchsle. This is the ripest, rarest and most expensive.

Recent developments
Two new legal categories of wine quality were introduced in 2000:

-Classic
For “dry tasting” wines vinified from traditional grape varieties harvested with a minimum of 12% potential alcohol (11.5% in the Mosel). Maximum of 15 grams/litre of residual sugar.

-Selection
Hand harvested grapes cropped at no higher than 60 hl/ha. Minimum potential alcohol of 12.5% for a maximum of 12 grams/litre of residual sugar if made from Riesling. 9 grams/litre for other varieties. The area to be picked for Selection must be declared by the grower no later than May 1st of the growing season.

VDP – Verband Deutsches Prädikatsweinguter
The Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates

New official wine classification
To be a great wine, grapes must be ripe enough to qualify as Spätlese and the wine must be dry. This approach effectively deemed a huge proportion of the finest wines from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer unworthy of inclusion in this new system. They have recently seen the error of their ways.

New regional classification for the VDP growers on the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Wines labeled Erste Lage will comprise the whole spectrum from light subtle Kabinett, elegant, fruity Spätlese and complex, sweet Auslese.

Other terms

-Hochgewächs
A top quality QbA wine made from 100% Riesling with a must weight of at least 10 degrees Oëchsle. Higher than the minimum for Riesling QbA in that region.

-Grosses Gewächs
Know as Erstes Gewächs in the Rheingau. This is the top of the quality pyramid for wines within the VDP. Made from traditional grapes grown in sites classified by the VDP. It is hand harvested at a maximum yield of 50 hl/ha.

Geographical descriptions
Each Anbaugebiet is further sub-divided to form a geographical hierarchy e.g.

-Anbaugebiet – Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
-Bereich – Bereich Bernkastel
-Gemeind – Bernkastel
-Grosslage – Bernkastler Badstube
-Einzellage – Bernkastler Doctor

Quality Wine Regions

-Ahr
One of the most northerly vineyards in Europe. It is a very small, red wine producing region with only 525 ha under vine.
Spatburgunder accounts for 57% of plantings
Portugieser for 14%
Riesling for 8%
Most of the growers own less than ½ hectare plots and most of the wine is vinified and sold by co-ops. Rarely exported.

-Mittelrhein
A small and often overlooked area. The vineyard area has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s. It has approximately 550 ha under vine that produce mostly crisp whites made from Riesling. Some can be very good and very age-worthy, it is also the source of grapes for many Sekt houses.

-Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Probably one of the best known regions with 11,250 ha under vine. The main river, of course, is the Mosel but the Saar and Ruwer are also significant tributaries. Moderate rainfall and rapid warming of the steeper slopes. Slate has been used as a building material in the region for hundreds of years and the presence of slate in the vineyards is key to the success of the best sites.

Mosel
Mosel has, side by side, the best and worst aspects of German wine. The best wines are made from Riesling grown on the mineral-rich slate soils. The worst wines are made from other varieties which still represent 40% of the valley’s output. Müller-Thurgau is grown on the sandy soils of the valley floor and some Elbling is grown in the upper Mosel. Riesling is King and produces clean crisp wines with razor sharp acidity, lemony sherbet flavors and usually balanced with some residual sugar. The best vineyards are on the steep south-facing slopes. The best villages are Piesport, Brauneberg, Bernkastel, Graach, Wehlen, Zeltingen and Erden.

Bernkasteler Doctor Vineyard is considered by many to be the greatest vineyard on the Mosel. The restorative powers of the wine from this vineyard were proclaimed by the archbishop of Trier in the 14th century. There has been some legal battles as to the boundaries of the vineyard, which is 8 acres of steep south-facing vineyards above the town of Bernkastel

Ruwer
The Ruwer is actually little more than a stream. It is a very small area under vine. The total adds up to about half of one Côte d’Or commune. The village of Mertesdorf has the famous vineyard of Aptsber, while the village of Eitelsbach has the vineyard of Karthauserhofberg.

Saar
This is a cold area and here, getting grapes ripe is a constant battle. In great years the best vineyards produce astonishingly good wines. The key villages and their vineyards:
-Wiltingen: Scharzhofberg and Braune Kupp
-Ockfen: Bockstein
-Ayl: Kupp
-Kanzem: Altenberg

-Nahe
Flows north into the Rhein at Bingen. Variety of soils are found. The sandy loam in the north is best for Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner. The best vineyards are upstream. Good Riesling is grown on sandstone and quartz soils in the south.

-Rheingau
The Rhein flows west so the north bank is south facing. It provides ideal conditions for ripening. Riesling is the most planted grape at 80% and the region benefits from predominantly slate soils. Historical documents indicate the presence of Riesling here since 1435. History of dry wine production. The Rheingau always battles with the Mosel for the best Riesling in Germany. The famous villages are: Rudesheim, Winkel, Oestrich, Erbach and Eltville.

Vineyard Classification of 2000
Erstes Gewachs
The grapes must be hand-picked and the vines must be 15 years old. The maximum yield is set at 50 hl/ha. The wines are assessed by a tasting panel and only represents 1% of production at present.

The Association of Charta Estates
This association was launched in 1983. It comprises of 30 Rheingau producers making dry to off-dry Rieslings according to much stricter rules: higher must weights, etc… Their goal is to produce more concentrated, balanced wines to go with food.
-Maximum yield of 50 hl/ha (3 ton/acre)
-100 % Riesling
-Subjected to 3 blind tastings
-No Prädikat may be mentioned

Research station at Geisenheim
The station was originally set up by the king of Prussia in 1872 to improve fruit growing. This is where Professor Müller developed the grape Müller-Thurgau in 1882. It is the foremost institute for winemaking and viticulture studies in Germany.

-Rheinhessen
This is the largest area in Germany. The fairly sandy soils produce soft, easy drinking wines.
Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner are extensively planted in the region. Some of the dry Silvaner can be good. Most of the bland wine ends up as Liebfraumilch. Riesling only represents about 10% of vineyard plantings but is grown in the finest vineyards in the villages of Nierstein and Oppenheim. Traditionally known for high quality wines but expansion of the area into flatter, higher yielding areas changed the perception.

-Pfalz
Traditionally known as the Palatinate or Rheinpfalz. The area is known for quantity but some very high quality wines are produced. The soils are mainly sandstone with some limestone. It benefits from some protection from the Haardt Mountains, the German extension of the Vosges Mountains. This is where they produce some of Germany’s best red wines. The whites tend to be rounder and more full flavoured. The best wines come from the villages of: Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg.

Other quality regions

-Hessische Bergstrasse
This is the smallest region with only 456 ha under vine. Mostly Riesling, that is mostly consumed locally.

-Franken
Produces whites from Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner grown in the valley of the Main river. Traditionally dry wines bottled in “bocksbeutel”, a type of wine bottle with the form of a flattened ellipsoid.

-Wurttemberg
Light reds made from Trollinger and Müllerrebe. Whites from Riesling and Müller-Thurgau.

-Baden
Diverse region. Most of the wine is vinified in co-operatives. Excellent reds and whites from the Kaiserstuhl-Tunigberg region.

-Saale-Unstrut
Mostly Müller-Thurgau grown on sandstone and limestone soils. Mostly dry.

-Sachsen (Saxony)
On the Banks of the Elbe river. The vines have been cultivated here since 1161. Mostly Müller-Thurgau. The steeper slopes have some Riesling. Mostly dry.

Regional wines

-Liebfraumilch
This wine was originally produced from the vineyard of Liebfrauenstift in Worms. Now, it must come from one of the four Rhein regions exclusively. It is of QbA quality and must be medium sweet with 18 g/l residual sugar

-Moseltaler from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

-Nahesteiner from Nahe

-Rheinhess from Rheinhessen

Other relevant german information

-Red wines
Most commonly found reds are from Dornfelder, Limberger or Spatburgunder and are usually sold as Deutscher Tafelwein.

-Barrique wines
Always classified as Deutscher Tafelwein. There are some good barrique fermented Rieslings but most barrique wines are made from Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder and Spatburgunder.

-Sekt (German sparkling wine)
Most common method of production is by Cuvée Close. Some Sekt is bottle fermented
Most of the grapes for the industrial strength Sekt is sourced from outside Germany.

-Strausswirtshaft
A German vine growers custom of serving wine from their homes with simple cold food.