Wines of the World - Germany/Spain
OLLI Wine Class
October 25, 2013
Mosel / Germany
German Wines
Wine regions of Europe developed along rivers - ease of transport - river mitigates extremes in climate - water reflects sun into vines - gravely soil drains well
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Germany NAMES
Pre-1971: 30, 000 different names (villages and vineyards)
1971: Government required vineyards to have min. of 12.5 acres
Now: 1,400 wine villages 2,600 vineyards 4,000 different names
German Wines
- Produces 23% of world wines - Greatly influenced by weather - 50º latitude = Newfoundland, Canada - Grown on hilly sites - 20% of land - 10º slope - 15% of land - 10 to 15º slope - 65% of land - 46-60º slope
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Wine Regions of Germany
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Mittelrhein Rheingau Nahe Rheinhessen Pfalz
Grapes of Germany Riesling (23%) - most widely planted Silvaner (7%) - earthy fruit, good acidity, light, low sugar - in Franken since 1659 (came from East) Müller-Thurgau (21%) - cross between Reisling and Chasselas - grapy freshness, spice, flowery - used in Liebfraumilch - widely planted in cooler areas of Franken, Baden and Pfalz
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Style of German Wines
Balance of sweetness and acidity and low alcohol content
Good Year lots of sun + southerly slope = good wine Poor Year less sun = higher acidity and lower alcohol Chaptalization add sugar before fermentation (not permitted in higher-quality German wines)
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Types of German Wine
Trocken - dry Halbtrocken - medium-dry Fruity - semi-dry to very sweet
Quality of German Wine
Tafelwein - “table wine” - lowest designation - never carries vinyard name - not exported Qualitätswein - quality wine (2 types) Qualitätswein bestimmer Angebaugebiete “QbA” - comes from 1 of 13 specified regions Qualitätswein mit Prädikat “QmP” - quality wine with distinction - cannot be chaptalized
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Qualitätswein mit Prädikat Kabinett - light semi-dry; normally ripended grapes ($15-25) Spätlese - “late picking”, medium style, more body and more intense flavor ($20- 35) Auslese - “selective picked”, medium to fuller style wine, ($25-50) Beerenauslese - “individual picked grapes”, rich dessert wine, made 2-3/10 years (up to $250) Trockenbeerenauslese - “dried” beerenauslese, raisinated, richest, sweetest, honey-like wine, most expensive Eiswein - beerenauslese quality grapes pressed while still frozen, very rare
Important Villages Rheingau Rheinhessen Eltville Oppenheim Erbach Nackenheim Rüdesheim Nierstein Rauenthal Pfalz Hochheim Deidesheim Johannisberg Forst Wachenheim Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Ruppertsberg Durkheimer Erden Piersport Bernkasel Graach Ürzig Brauneberg Wehlen
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German Wine Label
German Wine Label
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German Wine Label
Mid-Mosel Region
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Mosel
Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler
German wines
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Fast Facts Germany
•13 Regions
•240.000 Acres
•Production: 90 Million cases
•Consumption: 200 Million Cases
• Export: 20 Million Cases
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LANDMARKS OF THE GERMAN WINE LAW
Wine label and Wine law
One of the strictest regulations in the world
Many controls to guarantee quality
Basic information on front label
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What does Oechsle mean?
The Oechsle Scale is a hydrometer scale measuring the density of grape must This term stands for the content of sugar and non-sugar-ingredients in the grape- must 1° Oe corresponds to one gram of the difference between the mass of one liter of must at 20°C and 1 kg.
Tafelwein / Landwein • Tablewein: • Basic Quality – irrelevant for Export • Landwein: • closer defined area of production, still basic - irrelevant for Export, too.
Tablewein / Landwein
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QbA (Quality wine of a special region)
Simple wines, basic quality level Comes from one growing area, e.g. Mosel Early harvest, sugar level in the grapes still low, acidity quite high – As a result you get young fresh, lively wines with low alcohol
Qualitätswein (QbA) Tafelwein / Landwein
Kabinett
Minimum sugar (Riesling 70° Oe, 17 brix) First Prädikatsstufe – grapes harvested about a week after the QbA Light and crisp, Riesling often with some CO2 Very universal (food and cocktail wine)
Kabinett Qualitätswein (QbA) Tafelwein / Landwein
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Spätlese (Late harvest) As the term late harvest indicates – grapes picked later than Kabinett grapes – 10 – 15 days more to build sugar and mineral deposit – Riesling requires 76° Oe (18.5 brix) to be called Spätlese Rich wines, decent length, fine acidity Mainly food wine
Spätlese Kabinett Qualitätswein (QbA) Tafelwein / Landwein
Auslese (Selection) Hand selected grapes – 8-15 days more hangtime more sugar and minerals, lower acidity – Riesling requires min. 83° Oe (20 brix) The sugar content is very high, so they have even more body than the Spätlese Perfect wine for dessert or cheese
Auslese Spätlese Kabinett Qualitätswein (QbA) Tafelwein / Landwein
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BA/TBA/Eiswein Beerenauslese & Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) can only be made with the help of the fungus Botrytis (it removes moisture from the grapes) Eiswein is made from naturally frozen grapes TBA Eiswein BA Auslese Spätlese Kabinett Qualitätswein (QbA) Tafelwein / Landwein
How to say the terms correctly:
Kabinett Beerenauslese [kah-bih-NEHT] [BEH-ruhn-OWS-lay-zeh]
Spätlese Trockenbeerenauslese [SHPAYT-lay-zeh] [TRAWK-ehn-beh-rehn-OWS- lay-zeh] Auslese [OWS-lay-zeh] Eiswein TBA [ICE-vine] Eiswein BA Auslese Spätlese Kabinett Qualitätswein (QbA) Tafelwein / Landwein
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Basic terms of the taste
DRY – OFFDRY – SWEET
What the wine law says:
The following terms are defined in the winelaw by the content of residual sugar – Dry • residual sugar in the wine: 4 – 9 gram per liter – Offdry • residual sugar in the wine: 9 – 18 gram per liter – Sweet • residual sugar in the wine: 18 – 45 gram per liter
– Anything beyond this sugar level is called noble sweet
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Don‘t mix it up
Sugar content in the grape Residual sugar after juice (must) fermentation in the wine
Auslese M Sweet Off dry Dry O Spätlese R Sweet Off dry Dry M TBA 150- E 154° O Eiswein Kabinett R 110-128° Sweet Off dry Dry A BA 110-128° E QbA L Auslese 83-100° Sweet Off dry Dry C O Spätlese 76-90° LESS ALCOHOL O E H Kabinett 67-82° C O H Qualitätswein (QbA) 51-72° L S
DR. HEIDEMANNS- BERGWEILER Premium wines from the Mosel
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Mosel About 9.100 ha (~23,000 acres) – Grape varieties: • Riesling 60%(5.300 ha), Rivaner 14%, Elbling 6% • Red <10% (Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Regent)
There are three distinct regions: – Lower Mosel (west of Trier), Middle Mosel and Upper Mosel
Terroir+Riesling: – vibrant, elegant wines /w fine acidity & minerals
The Mosel is the largest Riesling producing region in the world
Winery Landmarks
The ancestors names can be tracked back to the early 16th century of wine making history
Dr. Pauly started in 1959, he took over from his grandfather
Today it is one of the most renowned wine producers in the Middle Mosel area
The Estate has the reputation of making only the highest quality Riesling wines
Stefan started in 2006, after he got his degree in Heilbronn
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The Philosophy
The most important asset of the Dr. Heidemanns‐Bergweiler Wine Estate consists of its vineyards. Extensive care of these vineyards, combined with intentionally low yields and selective handpicking, serve as guarantors for our extraordinary wines and their individual and unique character.
Attention to Detail
Our quality orientation is continued in our work in the wine cellar. The Riesling grapes are processed in modern facilities just outside of Bernkastel. Our work flow is focused on gentle treatment of the grapes and the young wines. The wines are made carefully in order to insure that the typical tastes and aromas of a given vineyard are maintained.
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Wine Maker’s Passion
We use small stainless steel tanks where the grapes of each different vineyard can be fermented separately. Since we have 15 different vineyards by name, we need to blend some of them later and before we fill the wine into bottles to ensure that the number of wines stays manageable. The fermentation is temperature‐controlled and kept very slow and at low temperatures to retain the diversity of aromas and the vitality of the wines.
A Diverse Portfolio
Our collection of Riesling wines is very diverse. In most vintage years we have all the varieties found on a good wine menu, ranging from a juicy, hearty table wine to fine quality wine and further to a creamy, sweet dry berry selection.
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Winery Key Points
100 % Riesling quality level Seperate vinification 100 % handwork of every single lot – Individual taste of all wines – Steep slopes only – Mix of cultured and natural yeast Extensive vineyard care Fermentation in stainless steel Carefully selected – Temperature controlled grapes – Reductive – Separate harvest for every
THE MAGIC SLATE
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Bernkasteler alte Badstube am Doctorberg Dr. Pauly‘s pride and joy, this 4.6 acre vineyard is the neighboring vineyard of the Bernkastler Doctor. Planted with Riesling vines over 35 years old, it yields full-bodied, complex wines with rich depth and charm. The stony blue-grey clay slate is a residual soil having a very good heat-storing potential, which makes it possible to produce quality grapes for high-end wines. The high proportion of blue slate gives the wine a high content of minerals and finesse.
Graacher Himmelreich This vineyard lies above the town of Graach -- and is named “Kingdom of Heaven” due to its location above the town’s cemetery. This vineyard produces lively, crisp and full-bodied wines. The Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Estate holds many small parcels in Graacher Himmelreich, totaling 1.2 hectares. The terroir of the "Himmelreich" in Graach consists mainly of weathered medium-depth slate soil, combined with a low content of clay. The vineyard is located 110 to 260 meters above sea level and the slopes are steep throughout.
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Premium Vineyards
Bernkasteler Badstube Although not a single-vineyard like the others, the slopes within the Badstube (spa or bath) are the most prime vineyards in Bernkastel. These vineyards create Riesling wine of great elegance, minerality, and depth.
Graacher Himmelreich Vineyard Locations
Bernkasteler Bernkasteler alte Badstube Badstube am Doctorberg
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Wines
GRAACHER HIMMELREICH
Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese
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Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett
Style: Off-dry, minerally and fruit driven. Taste: Concentrated, lush and vibrant, showing apricot, mango and slate flavors. Elegant and juicy, with a lingering finish. Food: Goes well with veal or shellfish. Press: Black currant fills this to the brim, alongside integrated white fruit flavors of spiced apple and hints of apricot. Key lime notes linger on the structured finish. Drink now through 2023. 400 cases made.–KM 90 – WS - 2011
Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese Style: Off-dry, minerally and balanced. Taste: Ripe, fine wine with nuances of apricot, licorice and spice. Fantastic minerality and complexity underscored by lively acidity. Food: Sea food and American fusion. Try with a creamy lobster bisque or lobster chili. Press: Key lime and tangerine flavors are front and center, along with plenty of fresh savory notes. The light finish features notes of snow pea, with a crunchy acidity. Best from 2016 through 2030. 200 cases made.–KM 92 – WS - 2011
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Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Style: Sweet Taste : Avery rich and elegant Riesling wine. It comes with aromas of candied apricot and citrus fruit, along with lively acidity. It is very juicy, with fine integration of all its elements. The finish is nice and long. Foods: Big foods. Meats, funky cheeses or dessert Press: A flinty style, with flavors of honey cream, spice and apricot that are concentrated and, featuring chamomile notes. The grapefruit accents turn pillowy and toasty on the long finish, showing a crisp minerality. Drink now through 2032. 200 cases made. – KM 93 Pts – WS - 2011
BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE
Kabinett, Spätlese Auslese
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Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett
Style: main soil type in the Badstube is a medium-deep clay-slated residual soil having varying parts of loam and stone mineral content. Taste: fantastic bouquet of ripe apricot with spicy and exotic notes. Well-integrated acidity combined with nutmeg and white pepper Food: ideal partner for scalloped veal schnitzel with mushroom & Gruyere Press: Racy, with plenty of plushness. Spicy notes mingle with cream, baked peach and dried apricot flavors. Finishes pure, with ripe citrus notes that show hints of ginger snap. Drink now through 2023. 500 cases made. –KM
92 Pts – WS - 2011
Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese
Taste: shows lots of concentration of ripe fruit such as ripe apricot, combined with ripe peach aromas Food: Ideal with very spicy foods, such as Thai or Indian style curries Press: Ripe melon, jellied citrus and pineapple flavors mix well in this bright, juicy style. Crisp apple and mango notes mingle on the fresh finish. Drink now through 2026. 450 cases made.–KM
91 Pts – WS - 2011
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Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese
Taste: s complex array of ripe peaches, nectarines and tangerines – fantastic minerality and smooth acidity. Superb length Food: Enjoy it with a desert mix of sliced fruits and crème brulee. Or just cheese … Press: This effusively fruity white offers intense flavors of red peach, apricot, dried pear and candied mango that are broad, lush and creamy. Displays lots of honeyed notes as well, with a rich spiciness that lingers well into the long and luscious finish. Drink now through 2038. 200 cases made. –KM
93 pts – WS - 2011
Points to remember
Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler • Low alcohol wines • Clean, fresh, spritzy Rieslings • Modern winemaking • Best single-vineyards • Great food wine for spicy cuisine • The Family has been making wine for almost 1,000 years. • We’ve had the same Winemaker for the last 35 years and the same Vineyard Manager for the last 16 years
• To be continued …
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