Germany: Wine Regions Flashcards Preview

Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) > Germany: Wine Regions > Flashcards

Flashcards in Germany: Wine Regions Deck (40)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

Which of Germany’s wine regions is the oldest?

A

Mosel

2
Q

On what parallel is the Mosel wine region?

A

49th parallel

3
Q

What is the climate of the Mosel?

A

Cool Continental

4
Q

Which river helps moderate the Mosel wine region?

A

Mosel River

5
Q

What is the landscape of the Mosel wine region?

A

Very steep, south-facing vineyards

6
Q

What is the soil of the Mosel wine region?

A

Slate

  • porous, well draining
  • excellent heat retention
7
Q

What grapes are grown in the Mosel?

A

Riesling

8
Q

Riesling grown in the Mosel is typically:

  • ultra-ripe, low acid, high alcohol, dry
  • ripe, medium acid and alcohol, dry
  • just-ripe, high acid, low alcohol, off-dry
A

Just-ripe, high acid, low alcohol, off-dry

9
Q

Most Mosel Rieslings are vinified in what type of vessel?

A

Stainless steel

10
Q

Why do most Mosel Rieslings have residual sugar?

A

To balance out the ripping-high acidity.

Think lemonade: if there’s too much lemon juice (acidity), you need sugar to balance out that sharpness.

11
Q

Why are most Mosel Rieslings so low in alcohol?

A

Because the grapes struggle to ripen at that northerly latitude, their sugars are low which in turn means a lower-alcohol wine.

12
Q

Name two gemeinden (villages) in the Mosel famous for their Rieslings.

A
  1. Ürzig
  2. Piesport
13
Q

The Rheingau is north or south of the Mosel?

A

South of the Mosel

14
Q

What mountain range is on the north side of the Rheingau?

A

Taunus Mountains

These mountains protect the Rheingau from cold northerly winds.

15
Q

What is the climate of the Rheingau?

A

Continental

Rheingau is a bit warmer than the Mosel due to its being further south.

16
Q

Which river runs through the Rheingau?

A

Rhine River

17
Q

What is the soil of the Rheingau?

A

Slate for the top vineyards with some clay and sand on lower slopes.

18
Q

Where are the vineyards of the Rheingau located, and which direction do they face?

A

South-facing vineyards on the long slope on the north side of the Rhine River.

19
Q

What are the grapes grown in the Rheingau?

A
  • Riesling (white)
  • Spätburgunder (red)
20
Q

Name 1 famous vineyard in the Rheingau.

A

Schloss Johannisberg

21
Q

What is Kloster Eberbach?

A

Originally, it was a monastery founded by Cistercian monks in 1135.

The monastery dissolved in the 1800s and today it’s known as a top-tier, single vineyard.

22
Q

Where is the Rheinhessen in relation to Rheingau?

A

South of Rheingau

23
Q

What is the climate of Rheinhessen?

A

Continental

24
Q

What is the landscape of the Rheinhessen?:

  • flat with fertile soil
  • steep hills with infertile soil
A

Flat and fertile

25
Q

What are the soils of the Rheinhessen?

A
  • Red sandstone
  • Slate
26
Q

What are the white grapes of Rheinhessen?

A
  • Riesling
  • Müller-Thurgau
  • Silvaner
27
Q

Rheinhessen is the ___est wine region in Germany.

A

Largest

28
Q

What is Liebfraumilch?

A

An inexpensive, sweet white wine made mostly from Müller-Thurgau. It was heavily exported in the 1980s and very popular at the time, but it ended up being a blemish on the perception of German wines for decades.

29
Q

Where are the top vineyards in the Rheinhessen located?

A

A thin ribbon of steep hills on the WEST bank of the Rhine River, between Nackenheim and Nierstein.

This area is best known for today’s high quality, dry Rieslings.

30
Q

Clue to German pronunciation of “ie” and “ei”:

A

You pronounce the second vowel, meaning:

  • If the i is after the e, you pronounce the i
    • e.g. Nackenheim (nack-en-hime)
  • If the e is after the i, you pronounce the e
    • e.g. Piesporter (peece-porter)
31
Q

The Pfalz region in Germany is pretty much a continuation of the ____ region in France.

A

Alsace

32
Q

What river separates the Pfalz from Alsace?

A

Rhine River

33
Q

What is the mountain range on west side of Pfalz?

A

Haardt Mountains

34
Q

The Haardt Mountains are an extention of what other mountain range?

A

Vosges Mountain range

35
Q

The Haardt Mountains provide the Pfalz with a ____ _____.

A

Rain shadow

36
Q

Between the Pfalz’s southerly latitude and it being in a rain shadow, it has one of the ____est growing areas in Germany.

A

Warmest

37
Q

What is the soil in Pfalz?

A

Limestone

38
Q

What are the white grapes of Pfalz?

A
  • Riesling
  • Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
  • Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)
39
Q

What is the red grape of the Pfalz?

A

Spätburgunder, aka Pinot Noir

40
Q

What style of wine does the Pfalz mainly produce?

A

Dry wines

Pfalz Rieslings tend to be fuller, riper, and higher in alcohol vs. Mosel Rieslings.