Sommelier

1/4 Annual Production of France

252,000 acres under vine - 1.3% of the worlds vineyards

60% white wines

• Climate:  challenges of viticulture at extreme northern latitudes + many laws/labeling terminlogy/quality levels
• based upon ability to ripen sugars in grapes.  Vintages are Key...

Difficult region to digest

Making wine since 300's AD

Monastic influences in middle ages similar to Brugundy = precise definitions of vineyards

Various popularity over centuries

German Wine Law of 1971

The Shadow of "sweet" liebfraumilch ceding to rise of terrior driven quality and sommelier appreciato

• Reisling
• Muller-Thurgau
• Silvaner
• Scheurebe
• Weissburgunder / Pinot Blanc
• Grauburgunder / Pinot Gris

• Spatburgunder / Pinot Noir
• Domfelder
• Portugieser

German Table Wine

Regional Wine

Quality wine from one of the 13 major regions

quality wine determined bythe degree of ripeness at harvest

only classification that cannot be chaptalized

• Six pradikate or levels of quality ranging from driest to sweetest
•      Kabinett
•      Spatlese
•      Auslese
•      Beerenauslese  (BA)
•      Eiswein
•      Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

Single Vineyard  (2,715)

Collection of vineyards  (163)

District of villages ( 34)

A Major growing district  (13)

Reisling is King

Climate:  Continental. South or SW aspect on steep vineyards close to rivers for sunexposure/climate moderstion

soils: Slate

Very steep vineyards

Long growing season

• Wine styles
•      Delicacy
•      Purity of fruit
•      Racy Acidity
•      Terroir
•      Low alcohol
•      Age-worthy

2001, 2005 and 2007

• Primary Grapes
•      Reisling
•      Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir)

• Richer wines than Mosel
• Great Aging Potential
• Trocken wines important
• Erstes Gewachs

• 85% of German wines are white
• 85% to call it a single varietal
• 85% if they are going to call a vinatge grapes used must be from that years vintage.

2001, 2005 and 2007

Diversity of soil types and grape varieties

• (White)
• Muller-Thurgau
• Silvaner
• Reisling
• Scheurebe

• Land of Liebfraumilch
• Nackenheimer Rothenberg- one of Germany's great Vineyards

• Warmer Climate
• Great diversity of soil types
• Trocken wines important - Grosses Gewachs

• Reisling
• Scheurebe
• Graubugunder
• Muller-Thurgau
• Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir)