Ripeness Categories:
German Wines are categorized by the degree of ripeness measured in natural grape sugar upon harvest. These ripeness categories are determined by the sugar content in the grapes, which is measured in degree Oechsle. The Oechsle requirements for the respective categories vary by growing region. Riper grapes have more sugar but more importantly more extract and flavor in the grape, hence a more expressive wine. The higher the ripeness of the grapes used for the wine, the higher up in the pyramid the wine will be categorized.
The categories DO NOT reflect sweetness levels in the finished wine. In fact, they are independent of residual sugar (sweetness) in the wine, which is determined by the winemaker guiding the fermentation, which is the process of transforming the natural sugar of the grapes into alcohol in the wine and carbon dioxide. Hence the dryness of a wine is independent of the ripeness level of the grapes upon harvest. If the fermentation is interrupted before all sugar is transformed, it will result in a sweeter style wine. If the fermentation continues until little or no sugar is left, it results in a dry wine. Grapes for dessert wines have so much natural sugar that they will not ferment completely and residual sugar (sweetness) will remain. Grapes classified as Qualitätswein up to Auslese, can become a dry (trocken), dry to medium dry (halbtrocken) or fruity wine.
In contrast to the common belief that German wines are sweet, close to 2/3 of the entire production in Germany is dry. Dry is the preferred vinification style consumed by the German wine drinker.
There are basically 4 levels of the quality hierarchy of German wine. They are from highest to lowest: QUALITÄTSWEIN MIT PRÄDIKAT [qmp], QUALITÄTSWEIN BESTIMMTER ANBAUGEBIETE [QbA], DEUTSCHER LANDWEIN, and DEUTSCHER TAFELWEIN.
1. QUALITÄTSWEIN MIT PRÄDIKAT [qmp] – Highest level (Quality wines with attribute)
The German wine law refers to the following category as "Qualitätsweine mit Prädikat" (quality wines with attributes); these attributes represent graduating ripeness levels, which are in ascending order. The six subcategories of the Prädikate are: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese (BA), Eiswein (“ice wine”) and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA). These wines are all naturally produced, no chaptalization, which means adding sugar to grape juice before fermentation to increase the alcohol content of the finished wine..
KABINETT
Usually light wines made of fully ripe grapes. Intended to be a light quaffing wine or to go with light food. Generally light in alcohol and calories. Can be dry, medium-dry or sweet. These light wines are usually 7-10 percent alcohol, which is about 2 to 5% less in alcohol than Californian wines. They can be finished dry, medium-dry or sweet.
SPÄTLESE (Late Harvest)
It literally means late harvest. Wines of superior quality made from grapes harvested after the normal harvest date. These wines are more intense in flavor and concentration than quality wines and Kabinetts. Good with richer food or by themselves. The later harvest lets the grapes dry and ripen on sunny autumn days which increases the intensity of the fruit and the flavors. Can be dry, medium dry or sweeter style. Good values.
AUSLESE (Select Picking)
Harvest of selected, very ripe bunches. Noble wines, intense in bouquet and taste. Often dessert wines are light and sweet, but they can be dry, medium dry or sweet. Dry Auslese wines are higher in alcohol and can work with many main courses.
BEERENAUSLESE BA (Berries Select Picking)
Harvest of individually selected, overripe berries. Remarkably rich, sweet dessert wines to be enjoyed as dessert by themselves or with dessert.
TROCKENBEERENAUSLESE TBA (Dry Berries Select Picking)
Harvest of individually selected berries which are overripe and afflicted by deelfäule (also known as “noble rot”). These grapes are shrivelled on the vine almost to raisins. Rich, sweet, luscious, honey-like wines.EISWEIN (Ice-Wine)
Wines of at least BA intensity, made from grapes harvested and pressed while frozen. Having already become overripe from staying on the vine as late as December, these grapes are harvested after they freeze in the vineyard. Crushed immediately, the water in the berries is discarded as ice, leaving a grape must with a very high sugar level. Truly unique wines with a remarkable concentration of fruity acidity and sweetness.
Note on dessert wines: Dessert wines or noble sweet wines, can be in the Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese or Eiswein category. Good examples distinguish themselves by high concentration of fruit and acidity in combination with rich mouthfeel and intense honey-like flavors. Wine lovers also refer to them as "nectar of the gods."
2. QUALITÄTSWEIN BESTIMMTER ANBAUGEBIETE [QbA] – Second level of Qualitätswein (“quality wine”)(Quality Wine of a specified appellation)
German wine law ensures that the wine is from one specific wine-growing region, is made of approved grape varieties and reaches sufficient ripeness for a quality wine. Nevertheless, these wines may be chaptalized (Chaptalization: sugar is added to the juice before fermentation to increase the alcohol level after fermentation, commonly used in all wine producing regions of the world). The chaptalization adds body to these otherwise lighter wines and makes them great simple food wines, enjoyable on a day-to-day basis by themselves or as spritzers (mixed with Club Soda).
3. DEUTSCHER LANDWEIN (superior table wine)- the higher level of table wine category.
Deutscher Landwein is a category created with the harvest of 1982 and must fulfill the following requirements:
Be produced exclusively from German produce from the legally recognized roster of grapes permitted in Germany, grown in one of the 19 Landwein regions (i.e. permitted in all wine-growing regions except Franken); the region must be declared on the label.
Must reach a natural alcohol content of at least 0.5% more than simple Tafelwein and show regional characteristics.
Must be either trocken (dry) or halbtrocken (off-dry) in style.
The alcohol content of these wines may be strengthened prior to fermentation by enrichment, i.e. adding dry - cane or beet - sugar. This procedure is also referred to as chaptalization, named after its proponent, the French scientist Jean-Antoine Chaptal (1756-1832). Its sole purpose is to increase the final alcoholic strength of a wine - the added sugar (along with the grapes' natural sugar) is converted during fermentation. The EU wine law limits the amount of additional alcohol that can be achieved through this cellar technique to 3.5% by volume (28 grams of alcohol per liter) in zone A and 2.5% by volume (20 grams of alcohol per liter) in zone B.
The quality wine category (wines made from ripe, very ripe or overripe grapes) comprises two levels in Germany. These wines are subject to a quality control examination and must bear a quality control test number (A.P.Nr.) on the label.
4. DEUTSCHER Tafelwein —the lowest level of German wine.
Deutscher Wein must fulfill the following conditions:
Be produced exclusively from German produce from the legally recognized roster of grapes permitted in Germany. Since August 1, 2009 it is allowed to declare the grapevine variety on the label.
Must reach a natural alcohol content (must weight) of 5% (44o Oechsle) in climatic zone A (all German wine-growing regions except Baden) and 6% (50o Oechsle) in climatic zone B (Baden).
Must reach an existing alcohol content of at least 8.5% by volume in zones A and B.
Must reach a total acidity of at least 4.5 grams/liter.
The alcohol content of these wines may be strengthened prior to fermentation by concentration (evaporation of grape must under vacuum) or enrichment (adding dry-cane or beet- sugar, or concentrated grape must, to the [still] unfermented juice).
Note: Blends of table wine from different countries of the EU, i.e. Euroblends, must include a statement on the label indicating where the grapes were grown or that it is a blend from several countries. Only Deutscher Wein is 100% German in origin.
Note: The term Deutscher preceding Tafelwein or Landwein indicates that all the grapes came from within Germany. If it does not say “Deutscher,” it is probably not a German-grown wine but rather an imported wine blended with German wine and bottled in Germany.
Dryness categories:
The taste/style or level of dryness of a wine depends on the cellar master and is determined in the cellar by the winemaker; it is totally independent of the grape. Dryness levels are not to be confused with ripeness categories which depend on the ripeness of the grapes harvested in the vineyard.
Whether a wine is dry or sweet can be indicated on the label.
Trocken indicates dry wine without perceptible residual sweetness. It never contains more than 9 grams of residual sugar per liter and often less. It is very dry.
Halbtrocken wines are semi-dry and may not have more than 18 grams of residual sugar per liter. With this barely perceptible sweetness, halbtrocken wines are considered "dry" by most wine lovers.
If none of the above dryness levels can be found on the label the wine is most likely a sweeter style wine, but it can range from off-dry to fully sweet. Generally one can say, the lower the alcohol, the higher might be the residual sugar and often, the residual sugar or perceivable sweetness in the wine does correlate with the ripeness levels.
Level 1
Trocken (very dry)- Bone-dry sipping wine or aperitif; great with fish/shellfish dishes and light flavored dishes with high acidity (i.e. Lemon)
Level 2
Halbtrocken (dry) - Multipurpose wine, dry sipping wine or aperitif; great with light to medium flavored dishes; wonderful party wines; very versatile.
Level 3
Off dry or fruity - Wine with some hint of sweetness; great summer sipper; or with vinaigrette salads, lightly spicy dishes and dishes with light cream sauces.
Level 4
Mildly sweet - Rich sipping wine with noticable sweetness; good with spicy food or dishes that have a fruit component (steak with baked banana, toast hawaii, etc.)
Level 5
Noble sweet - Rich, full sweet wine that can be used for aperitif or as dessert (BA, TBA, Eiswein and some Auslese); wonderful complexity that do not need any company.
This content provided by wines of Germany. For more detailed information on the German wine industry and check them out at www.germanwineusa.com