f6S --~ UNIT -/! ~ CHAPTER ~~ of

LEARN.ING OBJECTIVES ... _ INTRODUCTION AAet reading this chapter, you _Qf all the -producing countries of the world, France is undoubtedly Viii! be able to the number one. It produces wines of remarkable quality and sets ~ ;nd~~nd the method of dassifying French wines · standards for others to follow. France is blessed with a suitable climate, , know important wine-producing different types of soil, and expertise in and vinification for regions of France and their wines the producers to produce wines par excellence. The urge for retaining , understand wine labels the reputation by the manufacturers and the strict control by the quality control board, make the stand out from the rest. !"'ine is an essential partofJife of the French ~Qle. It is commonly available in the cafes in France. Wine is used in a variety of culinary preparations, which make French dishes so unique and delicious. is the single most as~ t that makes the French wines very different from the wines of other countries. This is a very vague term which really cannot be translated into English. This term refers to the geology of the soil, micro and macroclimate ·of the place () in which the vines grow. Factors such as amount of rainfall; amount, intensit , and hours of sunshine; frost; wind; humidity; composition ot the soil; heat retention; drainage; topography; etc. are terme as errotr. The terroir of one vineyard is different from the other, within ttie large area of one region or different regions, which influence the character of wines. This is the most important factor that lays foundation for the quality of the wlne.---- Over 2000 years of experience in and by close observation, the French have found out what grapes do best m, which type of region. The wine regions of today are the survivors, the best of the best. With highest respect for the land, French attribute every character of _a wine to the soil. :tost of the French wines are named after the place instead of the grape, because the place is the most important as its terroir influences the character of the wine. However, is an exception as it is named after the grape. FRENCH WINE LAWS AND CLASSIFICATION OF FRENCH WINES French wine laws ure enforced very strictly. Wine laws of many wine-producing countries simply follow the system of French wine laws. The objectives of the laws are • To prevent fraud and malpractices • To help producers achieve and maintain the highest standards of quality. Freqch wine laws classify the French wines into four categories. , .--Vin de Table /- /, Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure (VDQS) A ppellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) or Appellation Controlee (AC) Vin de table This is the basic wine of France which amounts to approximately 40 per cent of the total wine production in France There are no restrictions on the grape varieties 'used, and on the yields. Labels ~of these wines are not allowed to name or an area of production. 'Produce of France' is printed without the name of grapes, region, etc. The wines are sold in carafe or in glass in cafes. This category of wine is also termed as carafe wine.

Vin de pays _Literally, it means country wine. This class was introduced in the year 1960. The wines of this caJegory are made from ap_Qrov~r.apes of a specific region. It also guarantees minimum alcohol­ i.:ontent, and the area of production. The official name of the appellation would appear after the phrase 'vins de pays de ...'.

Vins Delimite de Qualite Superieure (VDQS) This category of wines is a superior quality produced in delimited areas. It guarantees the area of production, grape variety used, minimum alcohol content, viticulture, and vinification methods. This group is slowly being phased out as the wines of this class are promoted to Appellation Controlee (AC) status.

Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) or Appellation Controlee (AC) This is the highest standard of quality. It guarantees the following: --• The area of product10n. • The grape varieties used • The viticulture methods such as pruning, density of planting, etc. • The maximum yield (number of hectolitres per hectare) • The minimum alcoholic content • The vinification methods-ageing, blending, etc. The wine laws are enforced by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO). The INAO is assisted by the control boards in each of the major region. The INAO authorizes a region to call its wines after their place of origin by granting it the status AC. It sets standards for each appellation of the regions. Some regions have many AC communes and AC which govern the quality of the wines produced under their control. In some regions, there are number of ACs which are applied to the wine. For example, Bordeaux has many ACs, which are explained below. , Appellation Margaux Controlee-It guarantees that the wine is from the commune Margaux and meets all the standards set by that commune. If a wine cannot be classified to this category, it may be covered under any of the following: • Appellation Haut-medoc Controlee-It guarantees that the wine originated from Haut-Medoc and meets the requirements of this AC. It is less specific than the previous one. The wine may be blended with wine from any communes in the Haut-Medoc. If a wine cannot be classified to this category, it may be covered under any of the following: • Appellation Medoc Controlee-This is the highest AC for wines from Bas Medoc. • Appellation Bordeaux Superieur Controlee-It implies that the wines come from Bordeaux and have one per cent abv above the legal minimum for that style of . • Appellation Bordeaux Controlee-It is the lowest AC available for the wines produced in Bordeaux. This guarantees that the wine originated in Bordeaux. It should be remembered that the more specific the wine's source described on the label, the more expensive and the better in quality is the wine.

WINE-PRODUCING REGIONS Wine is produced in most parts of France and this chapter deals with the most important wine­ producing regions that are globally well known. The following are the important wine-producing regions of France: . ~ ~ ordeaux ,A" Burgundy ( • Alsace •, 2 e Rhone Valley ~e ' Each wine-producing region ha! oifferent soil components, macro and micro climate, and grape varieties which influence the character of their wines. The region may produce wine, either entirely from one grape or mixture of grapes according to the norms of AC of that region.

Bordeaux Bordeaux is the capital of the ancient province of Aquitaine and lies on the bend of the river Garonne in south-west France (see Figure 24.1). The river Garonne flows north-westwards from the Pyrenees towards the Atlantic Ocean and around 10 km north of Bordeaux, it is joined by the river Dordogne from the east. Together they form Gironde, which gives its name to the department in which Bordeaux lies. This is the largest quality wine-producing area in France. The best wines in the world, both red and white come from France and es ecially from the region Bordeaux. It pro uces a out Oper cent AC quality wines of which two-thirds are red and .._the rest is white·. Around half of the fine wine of France is made in Bordeaux. The Bordeaux region of France produces wines of remarkable quality. Most of the vineyards in Bordea.ux.hadenghtldnd.of-soi.1- gravel, clay, sand, and limestone=--­ to produce great wines. Although Bordeaux is famous for its big, balanced, and beautiful reds, the region also produces some superb whites. This region produces red, white, and rose wines. The greatest wines of this region are reds, which are known as claret. It also produces exceilent sweet """, . The wines of this region are named with the word chateau (estatesJ (see Figure 24.2) and its short form is Ch. (see Table 24.1). The main black grape varieties used are , , , and Petit VeroQL.J]ie first three are the major varieties and the blend is called the 'Bordeaux blend' . The . main whit~ rapes are Sauvignon, Semilllon, and Muscadelle. ~ The wines of Bordeaux were classified into five leagues-or growths (crus classes) in 1855, for Paris exhibition by the committee of wine brokers. Only just over five dozen wines were included in BORDEAUX N the list out of several hundreds producea in

+ Bordeaux, hence, the classification was 0~ a complete one. It was restricted to te1il'6{ Medoc (except one) and whites of Sauternes. No major updating has been carried out to include many deserving wines; altho~gb in 1973, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild was upgraded to the from the second growth. Some unclassified wines have proved themselves to be worthy of classification and some classified wines have not faired well for some years. The list remains unchanged. It should be remembered that the wines outside the topmost category are in no way inferior wines and a second or a third growth does not mean the second or the third l'atea wines. All five classes are collectively known as the Grands Crus Classes-the top five dozen. It should also be noted that many unclassified vineyards make superb wines. Therefore, all the classifications--0fficial Figure 24.1 Map of Bordeaux or unofficial-act only as a guide (~ee Table 24.1). Crus Bourgeois comes after the classed growths.

Chateau or wine estate-~~~ Status granted by the GRAN o c Ru c.~ s~ e---H """""'=--+--1sss classification Vintage -4,-..,.j~lff-f-----·19 7.,6 •f'' MARGAUX --~--+~~He--t-Location of the Chateau AC indication --4-~HH+o..,_- APPlL~..,t~or~. '-1~0,.u~ Pe,{J.~

Estate bottled -¥-~ ~~--=- {grapes were grown, ~,s -li:!lii:, -~~-~~ The serial number wine was made, and , . ,:-t. - -H:!I~~-+--(some better wines are bottled at the estate) numbered individually)

Percentage of alcohol (legal requirement} The shipper Table 24.1 Grand Classes of the Medoc1

First Growths (Premiers Crus) Third Growths (Troisiemes Crus)

~~rd Commune Vineyard ·commune Ch. Lafite Pauillac Ch. Calon-Segur Saint-Julien (h. Latour Pauillac Ch . Ferriere Margaux ch. Margaux Margaux Ch. Marquis d' Alesme Becker Margaux Ch. Mouton-Rothschild* Pauillac Fourth Growths (Quatriemes Crus) ch. Haut-Brion Pessac -.U-p-gr-a-ded_t_o---:f::-irs_t_g_ro_wt----:-h-in_t_h_e-ye_a_r_19_7_3______Vineya rd . .. _ , ~- . , ~ommt1n~ Ch. St Pierre Saint-Julien Second Growths (Deuxiemes Crus) Ch. Talbot Saint-Julien Saint-Julien Commune Ch. Branaire-Ducru ~l,eyarci ' . Ch. Duhart-Milon-Rothschild Pauillac Ch. Rauzan-Segla Margaux Ch. Pouget Cantenac Ch. Rauzan-Gassies Margaux Ch. La Tour-Carnet Saint-Laurent Ch. Leoville-Las-Cases Saint-Julien Ch. lafon Rochet Saint-Estephe Ch. Leoville-Poyferre Saint-Julien Ch. Beychevelle Saint-Julien Ch. Leoville-Barton Saint-Julien Ch. Prieure-Lichine Cantenac Ch. Durfort-Vivens Margaux Ch. Marquis de Terme Margaux Ch. Gruaud-Larose Saint-Julien Ch. Lascombes Margaux Fifth Growths (Cinquiemes Crus) Ch. Brane-Cantenac Cantenac · Vineyard · Commune .- Ch. Pichon-Longueville-Baron Pauillac Ch. Pontet-Canet Pauillac Ch. Pichon-Longueville Comtesse Pauillac de Lalande Ch. Batailley Pauillac Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint-Julien Ch . Haut-Batailley Pauillac Ch. Cos d'Estournel Saint-Estephe Ch. Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac Ch. Montrose Saint-Estephe Ch . Grand-Puy-Ducasse Pauillac ------Ch. Lynch-Bages Pauillac _ ____Th_ ir_,d_G,,..ro_wt_h_s_(Ti_ro_i_si_em_es _C_r_us_) __~~ Ch. Lynch-Moussas Pauillac 1 _Vi_in_e_y_ant_· _·___ · · ~, :_.• _. _ __,!.!.•• __,_. _ _ c_o_m_m_u_n_e___ Ch. Dauzac Labarde Ch . Kirwan Cantenac Ch. d' Armaihaq (earlier Ch . Mouton- Pauillac Ch. d'lssan Cantenac Baron-Philippe) Ch . Lagrange Saint-Julien Ch. du Tertre Arsac Ch. Langoa-Barton Saint-Julien Ch. Haut-Bages-Liberal Pauillac Ch. Giscours Labarde Ch. Pedesclux Pauillac Ch. Malescot-St-Exupery Margaux Ch. Belgrave Saint-Laurent Ch. Boyd-Cantenac Cantenac Ch. Camensac Saint-Laurent Ch . Palmer Cantenac Ch. Cos-Laborv Saint-Estephe Ch. Lagune Ludon Ch . Clerc-Milon Pauillac Ch. Desmirail Margaux Ch. Croizet-Bages Pauillac Ch. Cantenac-Brown Cantenac Ch. Cantemerle Macau

' Official classification of 1855 Wine-produdng Districts of Bordeaux The following are the well-known wine-producing districts of Bordeaux: ~ Medoc produces excellent red wines. The communes or villages of Medoc are better known than the district itself and they are /auillac It produces great red wines with a superb bouquet. The best known wines are Chateau /' &ifite, CMteau Mouton-Rothschild, and Chateau Latour. ~ nt-Estephe It produces fruity and full-bodied red wines. CMteau Cos-d'Estoumel, Chateau Calon-Segur, and Chateau Montrose are the most important wines. · ~int-Julien It produces wines of greatness with lovely fragrance. The three Uovilles- Las­ / cases, Poyferre, and Burton are in this area and renowned Chateau is Ducru-Beaucaillou. •t· d G h f h G • ~ux It produces smooth, elegant, and lighter Ta bl e 24.2 CI ass1 1e rowt s o t e raves . 'th fi b t ChAt M wme w1 a me ouque . u eau argaux, viJeyi~d-7.:--::~~}T-¾~ : .J~[~?~:~~muni " ·~ ~§J~j Rausa-Segla, and Lascombes are the most important . ....,. ,. .(tr~~ , ,."n :)"~ ""f) -- ' - I,. . ' :.t ,-.~:f~-J ~· . ·: ~ . . '·tl•f·. ·... « R~ -!i w~ ' ,... , ij"..-'-i ~ • • Mt':i wines . .,) ,; -'.:: II•.·.- 1 eu I ~e~ , ,'tr,f,.•1..,, -. ~¥ • ~ 1 The above villages are located in Haut Medoc. Ch . Bouscaut Cadaujac Bas Medoc also produces wines that although are Ch. ~aut-Bailly Leognan not very well known, but many of them are of Ch. Carbonnieux Leognan excellent quality. Domaine de Chevalier Leognan Ch . Fieuzal Leognan /4ei Ch. Olivier Leognan The name '' refers to the nature of soil which is gravelly. Though this district is well Ch. Malartic-Lagraviere Leognan known outside for its dry white wine, it also makes Ch. La Tour-Martillac Martillac some of the excellent red wines. Around one-tenth Ch . Smith-Haut-Lafitte Martlllac of the wines produced here are red. The reds are Ch. Haut-Brion Pessac more robust and slightly drier than the reds of Ch. la Mission-Haut-Brion Pessac Medoc. Chdteau Haut-Brion, the re~ wine which was included in 1855 classification, comes from Ch . Pape Clement Pessac this district of Bordeaux. Other notable reds are Ch. Latour-Haut-Brion Talence Chateau la Mission-Haut-Brion, Chateau Pape­ Clement, Chateau Haut-Bailly, and Chateau Smith­ Ch. Bouscaut Cadaujac Haut-wfitte. The red and white wines of Graves were classified in 1959 as shown in Table 24.2. Ch. Carbonnieux Leognan Graves superieurs is the name given to the Domaine-de-Chevalier Leognan white wines of Graves commune having alcoholic •Ch . Olivier Leognan strength of more than 12 per cent. Ch. Malartic-Lagraviere Leognan Saint-Emilion Ch. La Tour-Martillac Martillac Ch. Laville-Haut-Brion Talence Saint-Emilion produces rich red wines which are also called Burgundies of Ch. Couhins Villenave D'Ornon Bordeaux. Chateau Cheval-Blanc and Chateau *Classified in 1953 and confirmed in 1959 Ausone are the famous reds. Table 24.3 Sauternes and Barsac 1 ~ erol Vineyard Commune Pomerol reds are full-bodied with good bouquet. First-Great Gr~wth (Premlers·G,;nd eri,s) 1-·.., ~, Chateau Petrus is a leading in Pomerol.

Ch. d'Yquem Sauternes _/(Dnsac, Bourg, and Bloye First Growths (Prem_/ers Crust . ( These districts produce robust red wines and white Ch . La Tour-Blanche Bommes wmes. Ch . Lafaurie-Peyraguey Bommes )auternes Haut- Peyraguey Bommes ~ Sauternes consists of five communes-Sauternes, Ch. Rayne-Vigneau Bommes Fargues, Bommes, Preignac, and Barsac. It is the Ch. Suduiraut Preignac best white wine of Bordeaux. It produces sweet Ch. Coutet Barsac white wine of remarkable quality. The vineyards Ch. Climens Barsac of this region are graded into three-first great Ch . Guiraud Sauternes growths, first growths, and second growths. Chateau d'Yquem is the first great growth (see Ch . Rieussec Fargues Table 24.3). Ch . Rabaud-Promis Bommes The wine of Sauternes is one of the greatest Ch. Sigalas-Rabaud Bommes sweet wines of the world. In autumn, the grapes ;_:... .'· · ... Second Growths (Deuxi~mes Crus) -.;r_ are left on the vines after the nonnal date, and if the weather is humid but sunny, they will be Ch . de Myrat• Barsac attacked by a beneficial fungus known as botrytis Ch. Doisy-Daene Barsac cinerea, whose spores will evaporate the water in Ch. Doisy-Vedrines Barsac the grape and cause it to shrivel up. This is termed Ch. d'Arche Sauternes as . The over ripe 'nobly' rotten grapes Ch. Filhot Sauternes are hand-picked to produce juice of concentrated sugar which results in naturally very sweet wine. It Ch. Broustet Barsac is very luscious and high in glycerin with a spicy Ch . Nairac Barsac tang imparted by the action of the fungus. The fi ne Ch . caillou Barsac autumn necessary to produce noble rot is infrequent Ch . Suau Barsac and, therefore, most Sauternes are merely sweet Ch. de Malle Preignac with acidity. Ch . Romer Fargues Barsac produces white wine which is less rich than those produced in other communes of Sauternes Ch . Lamothe Sauternes. •Not produced anymore ' The 1855 classification ~ This area lies between Sauternes and Graves on the south bank of the Garonne River. It produces sweet and also dry wines. The sweet wines are not as sweet as Sauternes. Sainte-Croix-du-Mont It is situated on the north bank of the Garonne River and it makes sweet wines. These wines do not have the depth of a flavour of Sauternes. -~piac It produces white wine.

~-deux-Mers It produces dry and medium-dry white wine.

?°ves de Vayres It produces quality white wine.

Burgundy (Bourgogne)

_!3urgundy is reputed for its gourmet food and wines (~ee Figure 24.3). It produces the best of chicken, finest of beef, frogs , snail, ham, cheese, and culinary preparations including red burgundy which makes the dishes unique in flavour. BURGUNDY This region is noted for its red wines in N general and produces both red and wli~ + wines of a variety of styles and many of them are great wines. Most of the wines produced in Burgundy ·are · red, which are full-bodied and heavier compared to claret. The well-known whites include r" Chablis., M.eurwu[r, and Pouilly-Fuisse. Burgundy comes from the long stretch of vineyards about 200 km located between . . Dijon in the north and Lyon in the south . Gevrey - Chambe Morey - S- D Burgundy is an area of small vineyards, Chambolle•Musl Vosne-Ro often split among many owners as a result Pernand· Vergeles Savi of laws of inheritance. Thus, the great Pomm Vo vineyards are divided amongst several Chassagne-Montrac h Sabten ac et owners. The most outstanding example Mercure of this is the vineyard of Clos de Vougeot Givry n -sur- $aone • Montagny which has more than seventy-five owners. Not all owners of the vineyards are good winemakers which result in wines of different character from the same vineyard. Most growers ferment the wines and· sell in bulk to the negociants (merchants), Poulilly Fuisse --t.t,~,w Julienas -.."'"""' who age, blend, bottle, and sell the wine Chablis Chenas • Bourg g Fleuric according to the norms laid down by de Nuits Chiroubles ~ Morgon the appellation. · Some growers sell their - C6te de Beaune Cote de Brouilly wines directly. The negociants play a {t~~ C6te Chalonnaise significant role in marketing the wine. tiH C6te Maconnaise Between the grower and the negociants, el!] there are couriers (brokers) who know all the growers, quality of vineyard, what Figure 24:3 Map of is available, and what price the growers want. They also know what the negociants are looking for and what price they are prepared lo pay. Burgundy is located relatively in the north and in some months of the year it receives insufficient sunshine. This yields the grapes with less sugar which is inadequate to get respectable alcohol level. To overcome this situation, the wine producers are allowed to add sugar during the fennentation. This is known as chaptalisation, named after Dr Chaptal who invented the process. It does not happen to all the wines of burgundy, especially to the best quality wines. However, most producers add sugar to produce slightly sweet wine. Such wines do not represent quality burgundy wines. There arc four main grape varieties used in Burgundy. and are used for red wines and and Aligote for white wines.

Classification of Burgundy wines (appellation system) The method adopted in classifying the burgundy wines is quite confusing (see Figure 24.4). Before we see the method adopted, it is necessary to know that the plots of vineyards (climats) are classified into grands crus and premiers crus.

{is _L / ~ / • Producer or Negociant ~,rvv;;2,/MU,A,un;-~ Alcohol All wines sold in the USA must content --t---t.1COHOL l2 5" 8Y WL • PRODUCT 01 FRANCE • BUftGUNOY WINE • 750 Ml• CONTAINS suums -, - have this declaration. It is legal ~~~ , . requirement Proprietary name ~-...... =::.;~h'l'i:'~ FORE Bourgogne is a French term for --~.+ii'--- Burgundy. It is a regional wine which BOURGOG means that the wine is made from ;ij ~~ Chard the grapes harvested in Burgundy 11

, ,~,j ~:tl~J't..'-\!(~~~~~l."WJ Optional; mentioned for export to 1 1 Regional ~~-APPBLLATION BOUlGOGND CONTROL~B the USA. It means the wine is made appellation MU 11N IOUTIILtU PU JOSUII DlOUIIJI{' ' from 100 per cent of that grape (Burgundy) NiOOCIAHT A IIAUNI, oon.o•oa, AUX CILl.11).S ' DIS ).0IS DI UANCI I? IIIS 'DUC~ DII 10\11-G00IO ...... _ f Add ress o th e Negoc,ant • · I . / . I ... • I~If;, ..... ·... , . . ·.. " ., I • l 1 .I I . • , I • • ' - • • , , r• , • , Importer's name Figure 24.4 Burgundy ,,... /aeneral appellation Wines produced from the grapes harvested in Burgundy region are labelled as Appellation Bourgogne or Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire. The wine made from a mixture of Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes (minimum of 113rd Pinot Noir) is entitled to the AC Passetout-grains and the wine from Aligote grape bears the AC Bourgogne Aligote. /21age appellation The name of the villages may be used, if the wines are made from the grapes harvested in the vineyards of the local area. Some villages have hyphenated the name of the nearest most famous vineyard to the village name, for example, Gevrey-Chambertin. It no way means that the wine comes from that famous vineyard. / Climats Certain climats of the vineyards produce superior wine and their names may appear on / the label after the name of the commune. The best may use the word Premier cru. Vineyard name Some climats enjoy very good reputation for their quality and their names alone / have become appellation, for example, Musigny. ' Wine-producing distrids of Burgundy The main wine-producing districts of burgundy are the Cote d'Or (Cote de Nuits and Cote de Bcmme) Cote Challonaise, Maconnais, Beaujolais, and Cbab]is Cote d'Or is Jividcd into two areas-Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune.

Cole de Nuits It produces fruity full-bodied red wines with good colour, bouquet, and fineness. These wines have good keeping quality and develop smoothness as they mature. The well-known communes of this district and their wines are given in Table 24.4.

Table 24.4 Well-known Communes of Cote' de Nuits S. No Well-Known Commune Reputed Names .Classlflcation 1 Gevrey-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin (R) Grand Cru (Known for deep coloured red wines with good Chapel/e-Chambertin (R) Grand Cru bouquet, finesse, and keeping quality) Chambertin-Clos de Beze (R) Grand Cru Latricieres-Chambertin (R) Grand Cru 2 Chambolle-Musigny Musigny (R) Grand Cru (Known' for fruity reds, bouquet, and smoothness) Les Amoureuses (R) Premiercru Les Combottes (R) Premier Cru 3 Vosne-Romanee Romanee-Conti (R) Grand Cru (Excellent red wines with good keeping quality) Richebourg (R) Grand Cru Les Petits-Monts (R) Premier Cru la Tache (R) Grand Cru 4 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Richemones (R) PremierCru (Produces soft red wines with good bouquet and Les Pru/iers (R) PremierCru less dry than the wines from northern vineyards of Clos-des-Grandes-Vignes (R) PremierCru burgundy) · Clos de la Marechale (R) PremierCru 5 Vougeot Clos de Vougeot (R) Grand Cru (Red wine of great quality and excellent bouquet. Clos Blanc de Vougeot (W) PremierCru Also produces white wine) 6 Fixin Clos-de-la Perriere (R) PremierCru (Good quality red wines) Clos-du-Chapitre (R) PremierCru Clos Napoleon (R) PremierCru 7 Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de Tart (R) Grand Cru (Known for good, full-bodied red wines which Bonnes Mares (R) Grand Cru mature slowly) Clos de lambray (R) PremierCru (Note: (R) = Red wine; (W) = White wine)

Cote de Beaune Though this district produces both red and white wines, it is popular for its white wines. Its wines are fruity and mature faster than the wines of Cote de Nuits. Table 24.5 shows the well-known wine-producing communes of Cote de Beaune and their wines. Cote Chalonnaise The communes, Mercurey and Givrey are known for red wines and Rully and Montagny are known mainly for whites. Rully also produces made by the methode champenoise which are available in white, rose, and red and these wines are sweeter and fuller bodied than the champagne. These sparkling wines are called Cremant de Bourgogne. Table 24.5 Well-known Communes of Cote de Beaune Well-known Reputed Names· · · s. N0 Commune- Classffi~lon 1 Aloxe-Corton Corton-Charlemagne (W) Grand Cru (Red wines that have good keeping quality. It also Corton Clos du Roi (R) Premier Cru produces excellent full-bodied white wines) Le Corton (R) Grand Cru

2 Pommard Clos de la Commaraine (R) Premier Cru (The red wines are light and fruity and are named Les Poutures (R) PremierCru after the vineyard) Pezerolles (R) Premier Cru

3 Beaune Les Cent Vignes (R) PremierCru (Red wines mature faster. Wines of this district are Champs-Pimont (R) PreinierCru often blended. It also produces quality white wine) Clos-des-Mouches (W) Premier Cru

4 Volnay Clos-des-Dues (R) Premier Cru · (Fine red wines of deep colour and good bouquet) Clos-des-Chenes (R) PremierCru Caillerets (R) PremierCru 5 Meursault Clos des Perrieres W} Premier Cru (Known for its dry white wines) Genevrieres (W) PremierCru Charmes (W) PremierCru 6 Puligny-Montrachet Le Montrachet (W) Grand Cru (Produces the finest dry white wines of remarkable Chevalier-Montrachet (W) Grand Cru bouquet. Le Montrachet is the greatest dry white Batard-Montrachet (W) Grand Cru wine)

7 Chassagne-Montrachet Ruchottes (W) Premier Cru (Produces excellent white wines and also some red Clos St.Jean (R) PremierCru wines) Morgeot (W) Premier Cru 8 Santenay Les Gravieres (W) Premier Cru (Produces good dry white wines and soft full-bodied red wines} (Note: (R) =Red wine; (W) =White wine)

The Maconnaise This area produces large quantities of light, dry white wines which are quite inexpensive. The most popular white wine in this area is Pouilly-fuisse which has gained considerable market in the USA. It is a fuller wine with earthy note and is less flinty than Chablis. Other good quality white wines come from St. Veran, Lugny, Clesse, and Vire. This area also produces red wine. Beaujolaise It is a reputed area for lightweight and fruity reds meant to drink young, produced from Gamay grapes. The red wines of this area are uncharacteristic to Burgundy reds which are heavier and full-bodied. The wines of this area may be blended from the various communes of this district. Some of the wines produced here are marketed by 15 November each year and they are tenned as . Some reputed villages are entitled to the appellation Beaujolais Villages. The following are the communes producing premium quality Beaujolais and having their own appellation: Saint-Amour, Chenas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-a-vent, Julienas, Brouilly, and Cote de Brouilly. • Saint-Amour: It produces early maturing wine. Example, Les Thevenins. • Chenas: It produces deep-coloured red wine with mild flavour. Example, Chateau Bonnet. • Chiroubles: It produces full-bodied red wine with fruity flavour. Example, Chiroubles. • Fleurie: It produces flowery and elegant wine. Aux Quatre Vents is one of the best wines in this category. • Moulin-a-Vent: It produces the greatest wines with deep colour and full flavour. It has gOOd keeping quality and can last for 10 years. Chateau Bonnet and Les Carquelins are examples. • Julienas: It produces fruity and rich wine. Examples are Chateau de Julienas, Les Captains Domaine de Beauvernais. ' • Brouilly: It is the largest cru. It produces soft and light wines. Chateau de la Chaize is an example. • Cote de Brouilly: It produces stronger wine than the other communes in Beaujolais. Chateau Thivin is an example. Chablis It is located at the northern end of Burgundy, and is one of the best known areas in the world for its dry white wine. The wine is pale yellow in colour_with delicate flinty flavour, making it an ideal drink with fish dishes especially shellfjsh and smoked fish preparations. Chablis label will have one of the following appellations. • Petit Chablis: It is the basic wine of the Chablis area. • Chablis: A blend of wines from many vineyards of Chablis. • Chablis Premier Cru: It is a wine from the superior climats (vineyards) • Chablis Grand Cru: These wines are from the Bougros, les Preuses, Vaudesir, Valmur, Grenouilles, les Clos, Blanchots climats. A good Grand Cru wine should not be drunk under eight years.

~~ £ -A-1-sa_c_e~is a white wine area (see Figure 24.5). The white w· and aromatic and t ey are very great in tast~. Wines are named after the grapes in this area.

AC indication ?; . .. -:i_- /t/,l,-,-l, · ·, The term means that the , , ,,. ... . t \- I. J . \ . producer has considered ; : . ~{ •~ I the wine as one of his/ .c

i ► ( her best. It is used for ,. the more deserving •.lt'. ,4 ,•- • J..-i,• wines. •,. . •'i . Shipper

~.+-Name of the grapes used in the making Appellation --+.:,;.,-t...., Vintage ';1 r; Net contents Alcohol content ~1\ Bottled by Figure 24.S Alsace Wine Label

Toe Alsace wine region lies in the northeast comer of France and is separated from the Gennan border by the River. The abundant natural resources of Alsace were the reason for war between France and Gennany. The wines of Alsace were quite unknown in the international market when the region was under Gennan rule as they were mainly used for blending with Gennan wines. When the region came again under France in 1945, the producers in Alsace devoted themselves into replanting vineyards with noble grape varieties and implementing strict controls over all aspects of v,tticulture and vinificati6Jl Today, Alsace is considered as one of the world's most consistent producers of good quality white wine. Around 30 per cent of all appellation controlee white wines come from this region. The noble grape varieties of this region are ~sung 7 •'1J.ewiirztraminer ~scat • Sylvaner ~t Gris (Tokay d'Alsace) p tnot Blanc ~ertain other varieties are also planted, but -their names must not appear on the label. The most important of these is , which is mostly found in the Haut-Rhin. Others are Muller­ Thurgau, the Knipperle, and the Gold-. The Klevner de is a sub-variety of Gewurztraminer which may appear under its own name in a very restricted area of the Bas-Rhin. Red and rose wines which are delicate with fruity flavours are also made but in smallquantities. \ Most of the wines made are sold by negociants. =

Classification of Alsace wines There is one single Appellation Alsace or Vin d' Alsace. The majority of the wines of Alsace are sold under the name of the grape variety used in its making (see Figure 24.5). It means that wine is produced 100 per cent from the grape variety mentioned on the label. Sometimes the grape name is joined to the name of the village. For example, Riesling d'. A new classification Grand Cru was introduced in the year 1983 and some vineyards are entitled to this classification. Any wine that is made from a blend of plain wine and one or more of the noble variety is termed as Zwicker and a wine made from blend of noble varieties is known as Edelzwicker. All Alsatian wines are basically dry. In some rare cases in an excepti9nal ye~, individual super­ ripe grapes may be picked, giving wine the term Selection de Grains Nobles. To highlight the varying qualities of wines, some shippers use the tenns, such as Cuvee Tradition, Reserve Exceptionelle, Selection Personelle which have no legal importance. AC Vin d'Alsace or AC Alsace: The minimum alcohol strength of this type is 8.5 per cent abv and must be made from one of the permitted grapes or a blend of two or more. AC Edelzwicker: It is a blend of two or more noble grapes. AC Alsace Grand-Cru: The wine must have minimum of 11 per cent abv and must be made from one of the permitted varieties of grapes-Riesling, Gewurztraminer, , and . AC Alsace Cremant: This is sparkling wine. All grape varieties of Alsace are used, except Chasselas and Gewurztraminer. Vendage Tardive: This wine is produced from late harvested grapes of Riesling, Gewiirztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat. These wines are sweeter with honeyed bouquet. It is equivalent to German Spiitlese. / Selection de Grain Nobles: This excellent quality wine with very sweet taste is produced from the grapes subjected to noble rot. It is expensive as compared to other wines in this category. All the wines of Alsace are bottled in the area of production into Alsatian tall green flute-shaped bottles. · Alsace white wines are dry with very good fragrance and light spiciness. Champagne This region is world famous for its sparkling wine which is named after the region, Champagne. This wine is made by methode champenoise (see Chapter 21).

Rhone Valley

The Rhone vineyards run from Lyon in the north to Avignon in the south following the Rhone Valley (see Figure 24.6). The vineyards are grouped into two distinct areas separated by an 80 km stretch of agricultural land. The vineyards in the northern region are mainly on the hill sides, east and west of the river where they receive very strong force of the Mistral wind which is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. On the southern plain, there are undulating hills, and terraces of large stones in many vineyards. The vineyards are subjected to hot summer and cool winter. The grapes used in Rhone valley are

N Black Seyssel • • • Mourvedre + • • Cinsault • Counoise • Marse/an • Muscardian • Picpoul

White • • •

Cote R6tie • Bourboulenc • Clairette Chateau Grillet In Northern Rhone, Syrah is used for red wines and Viognier, Marsanne: and Roussanne are used Hermitage for white wines. Whereas in southern Rhone, Grenache together with Syrah, · Mourvedre, and Cinsault is used for reds and Muscat, Clairette, and Roussanne are used for whites. Rhone region produces red, white, and rose wmes. The reds from Rhone are heavy, full-bodied, dark in colour, and rich in flavour with high alcohol content. They are made from Syrah grapes or from the combination of Grenache and other grapes. Cotes du Most white wines are dry and grapey with -good Ventoux • Gigondas fragrance. The lighter, fruitier reds are best drunk

• Beaumes-de-Venise young. Rose wines are dry with an orange rather than a pink tinge. A v~ry small quantity of sweet wine is made by halting the fermentation process by adding alcohol to the fermenting grape juice. These wines are known as vin doux nature[. This region also produces sparkling wines (in St. Peray). The major portion of the wines is sold under the Figure 24.6 Map of Rhone name of Cotes-du-Rhone. The second largest class of wines is from the selected parishes which are allowed to sell their wines as C6tes-du -Rh{me villages. These wines are better than basic Cotes-du­ Rhone. The very best wines of Rhone are labelled by the commune appellation. Following are the communes of Northern Rhone given in order from north to south.

Cote Rotie It produces fragrant red wines from Syrah grapes. The white grapes, Viognier, maybe added to a maximum of 20 per cent to soften the wine. Condrieu It produces dry white wine exclusively from Viog11ier grapes. This wine has powerful bouquet of flowers and apricots. Chateau Grillet It produces best aromatic white wines exclusively from Viognier grapes. It is matured in at least for two years. Saint Joseph It is noted for red wines produced from Syrah grapes. It has fruity and spicy flavour and is softer than the other reds of the neighbouring areas. Crozes-Hermitage It produces red and white wines from Syrah, Marsanne, and Rousanne grapes.

Hermitage It produces both red and whites. Red wines are made from Syrah grapes. A maximum of l 5 per cent Marsanne and Rousanne mixture is permitted in red wine production along with Syrah. It is intense, full -bodied with smoky and spicy aroma. The white wines are made from Marsanne and Rousanne grapes and these wines have stone fruit and pear aroma. Though the wines may be matured in oak barrel for a long time, many producers make wines that are ready to drink after two years. Cornas Makes red wines exclusively from Syrah grapes. It matures in two years in wooden -casks. St.Peray It produces white dry sparkling wines. Clairette de Die Located along the Drome River in the eastern Rhone between northern and southern regions, it produces sparkling wines. _ Following are the communes of Southern Rhone given in order from north to south. Triscatin It produces medium-bodied red wine. Small quantities of rose and white wines are also made. Rasteau It produces Vins Doux Naturels from Grenache by adding the spirit to stop the fermenta­ tion process before all the sugar is converted to alcohol. This results in a sweet wine of higher alcoholic strength. This region also produces red, white, and rose wines. Gigondas It produces red wines of higher alcoholic content. These reds have fruity flavour with dark plum colour. Beaumes-de-Venise It makes a sweet known as Vin Doux Naturel from the Muscat grapes. It is made from late harvested grapes and is drunk young. Vacqueyras It makes rustic red wines. Chateauneuf-du-Pape It is noted for its red wines of high alcoholic content. It is made from the mixture of grapes, having more portion of Grenache grapes. Thirteen grape varieties are pennitted in its preparation. Today, the main grape varieties used are Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah, Muscardin, Gounoise, Clairette and Bourboulenc. 1 Urm· II 1,rodures red wines similar to ('/u1t1•,1111u 1.fdu-l'ap<' and ulso rose wincH. All liruc1-1 should hr drnnk young. 'J'avcl Known for rost~ wines which have higher al 1,;oholic content and 011io11 ski11 colour, this is lhl· 111os1 famou s n>Sl~ wirll' of l•'rnlll:c. ('{Jte.\' ,lu v~"'""x 11 produces dry rnd s. whites, and rose wines of lighter style to medium .

( ·0,,,.,. du J,,u/Jero11 It pmduccs dry red, white, and rose wines having hou411ct with floral note and an: hesl dnmk yo1111g. te Loire Valley

The I ,oirc is the lunges! river in France (960 km) rising in the mountains of the Massi!' Central ill_ . the Ard~che and joins the ocean at Nantes (sec Pigurc 24.7). Most of the Loire benefits from soil types and the micro climate. - Tbe region is divided into fou r separate· districts- Nantes, Anjou and Samour, Touraine, and the Central Vineyards. Nantes The area surrounding Nantes is native for the grapes, . The best wine is entitled to appellation Muscadet de Sevre-et-Maine. It produces while wines that do not have much of acidity . The appellation is unique as it sets the maximum alcoholic level rather than minimum. Relatively low alcohol content is regarded as quality wine. Sur lie on the wine label means that the wine has been stored on the lees in the barrel which keeps wine fresher and contributes extra bouquet. Anjou-Saumur Anjou is well known for its flavoursome rose wine produced from Cabernet grapes and labelled as Cabernet d'Anjou Rose. The sub-district of Anjou, Savenniere makes dry white with good body from grapes. Coteaux du Lyon and COteaux de L' Aubance produce sweet while wines from Chenin Blanc grapes subjected to noble rot. Saumur produces sparkling wine from Chenin Blanc grapes and markets as Cremant de la Loire. It also produces dry white wine with a slightly sweet aftertaste. 1'ouraine This area produces dry whites from grapes, rose and medium red wines from Cabernet Franc or Gamay grapes, and sparkling wines from Chenin Blanc grapes. Chinon and Bourgueil are known for its soft, light-bodied red wines with a distinctive flavour, and are made from Cabernet grapes. produces light white wines with the honeyed character. Still and sparkling wines styles are available. Vouvray has an attractive sparkle. The wines have the ability to improve in the bottle up to 50 years. Central Vineyard Pouilly-sur•Loire wines are made from 100 per cent Sauvignon Blanc grapes and are bottled either as Pouilly-Fume, Pouilly Blanc Fume, or Blanc Fume de Pouilly. The wine made from Chasse/as grapes is labelled as Pouilly-sur-Loire. Pouilly-Fume wine has delightful fragrance and distinctive tangy taste and takes its name from its characteristic hint of smoky flavour. produces lighter and most delicate excellent dry white wine from Sauvignon grapes. It is ·some times too sharp. Sancerre also produces less quantity of red and rose wines. Quincy and Reuilly produce white wine from Sauvignon. +N

Cote aux D' Ansenis

ney ar ds Cote aux Anjou Sancerre a~ Vins De ~ ouilly Fume Nantes " 1o Sancerreet

Figure 24.7 Map of Loire

CONCLUSION French wines are known for their quality all over the world and the terroir of each wine-producing region. Expertise in viticulture and vinification, strict rules and regulations to check the quality of the produce, etc. contribute to retaining its fust position in the wine trade. Every old and new countries of the wine world would like to achieve the standards of French wines. Of all the wine­ producing regions of France, Bordeaux wines are of remarkable quality. The reds from Bordeaux are known as clarets in English-speaking countries and the sweet white wine, Sauternes, is well known. Burgundy produces heavy, robust red wines with good bouquet and all their wines are marketed through negociants who know the wine market very well. Beaujolais of Burgundy produces lighter reds that are consumed young. Alsace produces white wines which are named after the grape varieties. The wines of Alsace are marketed in flute-shaped green bottles. Rhone valley and Loire valley produce red and white wines respectively, of good quality. The French wines are classified into four categories-vin de table, vin de pays, VDQS, and AC and each region may have many communes and vineyards that are awarded AC status. The more specific the area, the better the quality of the wine. The standards of AC are governed by the /nstitut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO). Many wine-producing countries group their wines following the French system.

KEY TERMS Carafe It is a wide-mouthed glass or metal bottle with a Negociant This refers to the middleman who deals with lip or spout, for holding and serving beverages. the grower and the shipper. Chaptalisation It is an addition of sugar to the 111ust Noble rot Grapes dried by the fungus Botrytis Cinerea that lacks sugar. naturally in humid climate. This makes the grapes Choteau It is an estate. concentrate the sugar which results in sweet wine. Climats It refers to single vineyard or plot in Burgundy Sur lie This means wines fermented and aged on its region. lees (sediments). Cremant It means sparkling. Terroir This is a term that encompasses type of soil, micro, and macro climate of a vineyard. Crus It means growth or vineyard of high quality. Vineyard This refers to a land where grapevines grow. CHAPTER~® Wines of

LEARNING OBJECTIVES INTRODUCTION After reading this chapter, you The wine•producing areas of Germany are located in the southern and will be able to • appreciate the types and the western parts of the country, alon side the banks of many streams quality of German wines t at ow mto the river Rhine. Since the vineyards are situated in the • classify the German wines extreme north of Europe, the climatic conditions make it very difficult • list the names of the grapes used to produce ripe grapes. The German has no other option but in German wines to add sugar (which in no way sweetens the wine) to the must during • name the authorized wine­ fermentation to produce alcohol. Many cheaper white wines have sugar producing regions; know the added at the end as a sweetener. Riesling, sylvaner, and muller•thurgau characteristics of their wines, and the names of the wines produced are the widely used white grapes.in Germany. German wmes are named in the region after the grapes and the area where they come from. __ • understand labels - Germany is known for excellent white wines. The chief quality of the German wines is their balance. They have just enough amount of acid to heighten the sweetness and aroma, and leave the spicy finish. Hocks and Mosel/es are the two main types of white wine produced. Hock refers to the white wines produced near the Rhine, while Moselle refers to white wine from the river Moselle and its tributaries, Saar and Ruwer. Hock wines are bottled in brown•coloured bottles while the Moselle wines are bottled in green•coloured bottles.

CATEGORIES OF WINE

Wine law of Gennany classifies its wines into two broad categories. T~e: r' ~ litywine ( Tablewine It is the ordinary everyday drinking wine. It is further classified into · Deutscher Tafelwein and Tafelwein. _ ..=..--_------Deutscher Ta/elwein It is an ordinary table wine~made_exclusiYelDfom the grapes produced in Gennany. The name of the district (bereich) or village may be mentioned on the label. -----Tajelwein It is a Gennan wine blended with wines imported from other countries in the European Economic Community (EEC). - - ·

~ It must originate in one of the 11 authorized regions and must be made from the approved grape varieties, grown in approved vineyards. These regions are subdivided into districts called bereichs. Within these districts, there are approved vineyards. Wines from a collection of vineyards of a district may be blended, provided they all are of equivalent quality. Following are the 11 authorized regions. • Mosel-Saar-Ruwer • Rheingau • Nahe • Rheinhessen • Rheinpfalz • Hessische-Bergstrasse • • Ahr • Wilrttemberg • Mittelrhein • Franken Quality wines are further classified into • Qualitatswein bestimmer Anbaugebiete (QbA) • Q~~~~:;~t Pradikat (QmP) Qua~ estimmer Anbaugebiete (QbA) The label of this category must clearly show the name of the authorized region and the tenn Qualitatswein. The label may show the vineyard­ Einzellage or Grosslage-if 85per cent of the grapes come from here. Einzellage is an individual vineyard and Grosslage is a collection of vineyards with the same climate, soil, and terrain. The label may also have the year, if over 85 per cent of the contents are of that particular year, the name of the grapes, if it is made from a minimum of 85 per cent of that grape. If two grapes are mentioned on the label, they are shown in descending order. The bottle must carry an official examination AP number (Amtlich Prufungs nummer) which indicates that the wine ha~ been officially tested for taste and quality. Qualitiitswein ~mP) These are the top category Gennan wines. For the wines to qualify for this category, They must come from a single district in one of the authorized regions. The label must show the tenn Qualitiitswein mit Pradikat (QmP) and the name of the authorized area. Following are the tenns used in Priidikat wines: 6) Kabinett: It is a quality, dry white wine. • Spiitlese: This is a wine made from late harvested, very ripe grapes, producing a sweet wine. • : This wine is produced from the best quality, very ripe grapes, or botrytis-affected grapes. This results in a rich and sweet wine, with a full ripe bouquet. • : This wine is made from selected over ripe grapes, which are usually botrytis­ affected. Itis sweeter than Auslese. It can be kept for almost a century. • Trockenbeerenauslese: The word Trocken means dry and it denotes the wine made from dried grapes. These wines are made from hand-picked grapes, left to rot and become semi-dried in the sun, such as raisins. This results in very sweet and concentrated wine. It is sweeter than Beerenauslese. • Eiswein: These are made from the grapes that are left on the vines to freeze. The frozen grapes are hand-picked and press_ed immediately so as to produce sweet wine with a concentrated fragrance. This style can be used in combination with another; for example, Spiitlese Eiswein. WINE REGIONS OF GERMANY

Table 26. 1 shows the approved regions of Gennany and their wines.

Table 26.1 The Approved Regions of Germany and Their Wines

' •✓r ?:-_pn-;,._ Region Characteristics . , . . ,.,/,.,.. - ~- ' -,, ___ .,_ ... Very light, delicate high quality wines with Bernkastler, Graacher, Piesporter, Mehringer, Ruwer refreshing acidity, elegant bouquet, and low Bockstein Wurzgarten, Sonenuhr, Serriger, alcohol content. Some wines have a slight Zeltingener effervescence and such wines are described as spritzig. They are marketed in green bottles. err~ ~ingau Delicate wines with excellent aroma. They take Schloss Johannisberg, Schloss Vollrads, time to mature. Schloss Rheinharthausen, Erbach, Mitte/heim, Riidesheim, Hallgarten Crisp, fruity wines with the combination of Bockelheim, Neiderhausen, Kreuznach features of Hock and Moselle wines. ~!)n~~ Rheinliessen Mellow, mild, and soft wines. The good ones are Nierstein, Oppenheim, Nackenheim, Binger fruity. ~°IIJ)Q~ . Rheinpfalz Full-bodied, grapey wines, without acidity. Some Neustadt, Durkheim,Forst, Deidesheim, are very sweet. Durkheim Hessische­ Bland wines; most are meant for earlier Heppenheim c:,, Bergstrasse consumption.

~~~ Baden Delicate wines with a flowery bouquet. Nonnenberg, Sonnenberg, Kitchberg, Altenberg, Durbacher, Meersburger 'Ahr More of red wines than the whites. Light-bodied Sonnenberg, Pfaffenberg, Marienthal, wine with low alcohol. Wa/porzheim Wurttemberg Mostly red wines and also good rose wines. Spi:itburgunder, Schillerwein, Heilbronner, Stuttgarter V4.tJ~~ vri.1 Mittelrhein Delicate wines with light body and good Klosterberg, Furstenberg, St Martinsberg bouquet. Produces more of sparkling wines. )JJ

GERMAN WINE LABEL The German wine label provides the faUowing infonnation to the consu°:1er: ~The area of production •- The quality classification _., The vintage year ~The vineyard or group of vineyards y'The name and address of the shipper , The name of the grape used in the making of wine • In case of Pradikat wines, the style ,ti - , The brand name, if any • The AP number • The contents followed by the letter 'e' which indicates the measure approved by the EEC Following are the tenns used on the Gennan wine labels: • Anbaugebiete: Refers to the 11 authorized regions of wine production • Bereich: District • Gross/age: It refers to the group of vineyards of the authorized region enjoying same climate, soil, and terrain. Wine from one vineyard may be blended with the wine of the other vineyards within the same Grosslage. • Einzellage: Individual vineyard of authorized region • AP Nr (Amtlich Prufungs nummer): It is the number awarded by the inspection board of the region after analysing the wine for quality and taste. Quality wine must show its number on the label. The last two digits show bottling year. • Erzeugerabfiillung: It means the wine is bottled by the grower. • Sekt: Sparkling • Trocken or Diabetiker-wein: Dry wine suitable for diabetics Unfamiliar words that appear on the label of the German wines make the consumers uncomfortable and not sure of the product. The label of the quality wines has four parts. The first word is the name of the village which always has the suffix 'er', the second is either the Einzellage or Gross/age name which reveals if the wine comes from one vineyard or from a collection of vineyards of a particular district. The third is the grape variety used in the production of wine and if the name of the grape is not given, it means the wine is a blend of different grapes with no dominant character. The last is the quality grade awarded to the wine. For example, QbA, QmP, Spatlese, etc.

CONCLUSION

Gennany is known for excellent white wines. Hocks and Moselles are the two main types of German white wines, well known all over the world. Hock wines are produced near the Rhine, while Mosel/es are produced near the river Moselle and its tributaries, Saar and Ruwer. Hock wines are bottled in brown-coloured bottles while the Moselle wines in green-coloured bottles. German wines are named after the grapes and the areas from where they come. The wine law of Germany classifies its wines into two broad categories: Table wine and quality wme. Table wines are everyday drinking wines and the quality wines come from 11 authorized areas. Quality wines are further classified as QbA and QmP. The QmP wines are the top category wines.

~ .J!:~ >:Na,..__ ,...._.,.... ~ j. KEY TERMS Bereich It means district. . Qualitatswein mit Pradikat It is a category of wine Einzellage It refers to a single vineyard . classification. Grosslage It is the collection of vineyards from a village Sekt It means sparkling. having same soil, terrain, and the climate. Trocken It means dry. Qualiti.itswein It means quality wine.

f