The German wine regions are some of the most northerly in the world. The main wine-producing climate lies below the 50th parallel, which runs through the regions Rheingau and Mosel. Above this line the climate becomes less conducive to wine production, but there are still some vineyards above this line. Most of Germany’s vineyards are planted on slopes or steep hills topped by protective forests that check the wind, and almost always near a sun-reflecting river – primarily the Rhine and its tributaries.
The soil is slate in the steep valleys, to absorb the sun's heat and retain it overnight. On the rolling hills the soil is lime and clay dominated. The great sites are often extremely steep so they catch the most sunlight, but they are difficult to harvest mechanically. The slopes are also positioned facing the south or south-west to angle towards the sun.
German wine Categories:
There are two broad quality categories of wine in the European Union: table wine and quality wine.
On average, less than five percent of annual German harvest goes into table wine production. These wines will be classified as DEUTSCHER TAFELWEIN (literally translated “table wine”) and DEUTSCHER LANDWEIN (translated as “country wine”), a superior table wine, offer simple refreshment for local consumption.
The quality wines from one of thirteen specified German wine-growing regions are made from riper grapes and subject to higher standards. Basic quality wines, QUALITÄTSWEIN B.A. {QbA} (which stands for Qualitätswein bestimmte Anbaugebiete), and higher quality, dry varietals labeled CLASSIC, are great for everyday enjoyment, with or without meals, and best consumed while young and fresh. SELECTION is the term reserved for superior dry varietal wines. They are ideal for fine dining or festive occasions.
Germany’s premium quality wines, PRÄDIKATSWEINE are made from fully ripe and/or Botrytis-affected grapes. They are elegant, noble and long lived. The following Prädikats(special attributes) denote six ascending levels of ripeness and quality: KABINETT, SPÄTLESE, AUSLESE, BEERENAUSLESE, EISWEIN, and TROCKENBEERENAUSLESE.
Grape Varietals:
Popular red grape varietals are Spätburgunder, Dornfelder, Portugieser, and Trollinger. Popular white varietals are Riesling , Müller-Thurgau,(or Rivaner), Silvaner, Grauburgunder, Kerner and Weissburgunder.
Note: Sparkling wine in Germany is called “sekt”. Germany makes more than twice as much sparkling wine than the Champagne region of France. Usually sekt is made in a sweet or semi-sweet style.
Wine Growing Regions:
There are 13 primary growing regions in Germany they are: Mosel, Ahr, Mitterirhein, Nahe, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Hessische Bergstrasse, Baden, Franken, Wϋrttemberg, Sachsen, and Saale-Unstrut.
Beverageprofessor.com would like to thank www.Germanwineusa.com for their help with this educational material. Please check out their site for additional information on Germany.