• Germany is the northern most wine region of Europe and its

wine regions are mainly located near to the river banks of Rhine
and Mosel.
• It accounts for 10% of France and Italy’s wine production and just
1% of the total world production.
• Summers are short, vines get spoiled by the severe frosts.
• Vines planted on the river banks.
• Shortage of sunshine leads to unripen grapes which are high in
acidity. Therefore Chaptilisation is carried on a large basis except
for quality wines.
• Germany is famous for Dry Whites and Dessert Wines.
• German wines are best consumed on its own or with dessert but
not with any strongly flavoured foods.
• The origin of Viticulture in Germany dates back to the Romans in
the 1st century.
• The planting of vines was at its peak in 15th century, more than
what it is now including Alsace which was the most esteemed
region during that period.
• Serious crisis occurred in the 17th century, when prices fell due to
overproduction and competition from beer.
• In 1648, Germany lost Alsace to France.
• The term ‘Cabinet’ was first used in 1712 which indicated wines
of superior quality.
• The invention of Spatlese happened in 1775, accidentally due to
the delay in harvest resulting in rotten grapes, which became a
legend.
• 19th century saw the golden era of German wines with the
invention of ‘Oechsle’ the quality of wines improved.
• The beginning of 20th century saw Phylloxera and second world
war devastating Germany’s wine regions. New vineyards were
planted on flat lands to help mechanising the entire production for
large quantities at low costs.
• New crossings of varieties, chemical fertilisers, pesticides and new
cellar technology were used.
• The production of dry white wines increased.
• The world’s demand is more for BA’s, TBA’s and Eisweins which
can fetch excellent prices.
Soil:
Lime Stone Slate
Clay Loam
Sand
Climate:
• Germany lies north of equator therefore its wine producing
regions are the coldest in the world..
• Short summers.
• Rivers regulate the temperature.
• Late harvesting (starting from middle or end of November)
provides aromas to grapes.
• Lack of heat and cool nights leave ripe grapes with good sugar
levels but also high acid levels.
 WHITE RED
Riesling Portugieser
Silvaner Trollinger
Muller-Thurgao Lemberger
Gewürztraminer Dornfelder
Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) Schwarzreisling
Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir)
RHINE REGIONS
1. Rheingau
2. Rheinhessen
3. Nahe
3. Pfalz
5. Mittelrhein.

MOSELLE REGION
6. Mosel- Saar- Ruwer.

OTHER REGIONS
7. Franken
8. Ahr
9. Baden.
10.Wurttemberg.
11. H.Bergstr.
 • Location : Germany’s most
central wine region.It is a long
hillside by the thick forests of
the Taunus Hills and bordered by
the Rhine river.
• Famous for its sweet, botrytis
affected QMP wines.
• Main grape varieties : Riesling,
Silvaner, Spatburgunder
• Soil:slate, loess, loam and sandy.
• Climate: Mild Climate, protected from cold due to mountains & river.
• Popular White Wines : Schloss Johannisberg, Steinberger,
Schloss Vollrads.
• Wines are fragrant, acidic and with great character and elegance.
 • Location : Lies in the valley of hills
bordered by Nahe River on the west
and north and east by the Rhine.
• The second largest producer of wines.
• Main grape varieties : Muller
Thargau, Silvaner, Riesling,
Portugieser, Spatburgunder.
• Popular for LIEBFRAUMILCH
• Soil : Loess , limestone, slate.
• Climate : Temperate.
• Popular Wines : Blue Nun (S), Guntersblumer (R), Niersteiner
(W),Oppenheimer (W), Bodenheimer (W)
• Wines are fragrant, mild, soft, medium bodied.
• Location :Named after its river and
lies on the west of Rheinhessen and
east of Mosel.
• Main Grape Varieties :, Muller-
Thurgau, Silvaner, Riesling.
• Soil: slate, sandstone, loam.
• Climate : Temperate,sunny, no
frosts.
• Popular wines:
Schlossbockelheimer ( W),
Munsterer ( W )
• Wines are fruity, fragrant and full of
flavour.
 • Location : Bounded by the Rhine
on the eastand Haardt mountains
on the west.
• Formely known as Rheinpfalz and
before that Palatinate (some Pope
of ages past lived here)
• The largest producer of wines and
known for its inexpensive wines .

• Main Grape Varieties: Muller-Thurgau,Riesling, Silvaner,

Portugieser.
• Soil: Loam, slate, sandstone, limestone, chalk and clay.
• Climate: Sunniest and driest wine producing areas.
• Popular Wines:Deidesheimer (W),Ruppertberger (W),D urkheimer(R)
• Wines are aromatic,mild, round and fullbodied
• Location : Lies between Bonn and Bigen on the stretch of Rhine
valley.
• Main grape variety: Riesling.
• Soil: Slate
• Climate: Temperate.
• International star wine is Toni Jost.
• Popular wines: Oberweser (W), Bacharacher (W).
 • Location : This region follows the
Mosel river and its tributaries, Saar
and Ruwer.
• The region produces the excellent
white wines.
• Soil:sandstone, limestone and slate.
• Climate :cold and northern.
• Main Grape Varieties :Riesling,
Muller-Thurgau.
• Popular white wines : Bernkastler Doctor, Piesporter , Wiltengener.
• Wines are fragrant, piquant, fruity,and delicate.
• Both bottles of Moselle and Rhine are tall fluted but Rhine bottles are
brown while moselle bottles are green
 • Location : Easternmost wine region
and also known as Franconia.
• The wines are bottled in a flat,
green, flask shaped bottles named
"Bocksbeutel”.
• These wines are often dry and
similar to French wine’s often
refered as Steinwein
• Main Grape Varieties : Silvaner,
Muller-Thurgau, Riesling.
• Soil: sandstone, limestone, clay and loess.
• Climate : Continental with warm dry summers and cold winters.
• Popular Wines : Casteller (W), Wurzburger (W).
• Wines are vigorous,earthy, robust, dry and full bodied.
 • Location : Germany’s most
northerly region, along the Ahr
river, as it flows into the Rhine.
• Smallest German wine region.
• Specialises in red wines mostly
from Spatburgunder.
• Main Grape Varieties :
Spatburgunder, Portugieser,
Riesling, Muller Thargau.
•Wines are velvety, fiery, light and fresh and are domestically consumed.
• Soil:slate and loess.
• Climate: cold
• Popular Wines: Heimersheimer(W), Neuenahrer (W),
Marienthaler Klostergarten(R).
• Location : Vineyards lining the slopes of Neckar river.
• It is the largest red wine region in Germany producing for
domestic consumption.
• Main grape varieties : Spatburgunder, Riesling, Silvaner.
• Soil : Clay, loess, loam
• Climate : Continental and Maritime
• Popular wines : Maulbronner (R), Stockheimer (W)
• Wines are fruity, earthy, powerful

• Location : South-west region of Germany.

• Famous for Weissherbst- rose wine made of pinot noir grape.
• Soil: Volcanic and granite.
• Climate : Sunny and warm.
• Popular wines : Micheifelder (W), Durbacher (W)
• Wines are heavy, flowery and high in alcohol content.
• Formulated in the year 1971.

• Grades wines according to the amount of sugar present in the grapes

at harvest.

• ‘Oechsle’ is the scale of measuring grape sugars based on the density

of grape juice.
– Grape juice of specific gravity of 1.075 is said to be 75
degrees oechsle.
There are two major wine categories:
1. Tafelwein (Table Wine )
a. Deutscher Tafelwein (Table wine)-
blend of many German grown grapes from different
regions.

b. Deutscher Landwein (Regional wine)- a product from a

particular region.
2. Qualitatswein (Quality Wine)
a. Qualitatswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QBA):
QBAs are quality wines from designated regions. They
are best when young. Sugar is added to these wines.

b. Qualitatswein Mit Pradikat (QMP):

These are best German wines. No sugar is allowed to
the must when making this wine.
 There are five categories of QMP wines.
1. Kabinett : This is the lowest in QMP category.
2. Spatlese : Wine from late harvested grape.
3. Auslese : Wine from specially selected sugar enriched
grape.
4. Beerenauslese : Wine from overripe fruit grapes picked
individually. These are very expensive.
5. Trocken Beerenauslese : Very sweet wine made from
shrivelled grapes, which are noble rot effected.
98% of German wines are Qualitatswein & only 2% Tafelwein.

Eiswein (Icewine) :
• Harvested in between -8 to -10 degree centigrade.
• A dry wine with high acidic content.
• The grapes are harvested in the night under frozen condition.
Basis Of Dryness
• Trocken : Dry.
• Halb Trocken : Medium Dry.
• Lieblich : Medium sweet
• Suss : Sweet.

Basis Of Colour
• Weisswein : White Wine
• Rotwein : Red Wine
• Weissherbst : Pink Wine from black grapes only.
• Rotling : Pink Wine from black and white
grapes.
Basis Of Effervesence
• Schuamwein : Sparkling Wine made by
Champagne Method
• Sekt : White Sparkling Wine.
• Perlwein/ Spritzig : Light sparkling white or red
wine
Other Terms
• Anbaugebiete : Wine regions.
• Bereiche : Village
1= Grower Producer
2= Vintage Year
3= Village and Vineyard
4= Grape Variety
5= Quality Level of Grape
6= Taste and Style of Wine
7= Quality Level of Wine
8= Official Tasting Number
9= Estate Produced & Bottled
10= Wine Region
11= Bottle Size in litre
12= Alcoholic Strength
13= Name and Address of
Producer / Bottler.
14= Sub Growing Region
• Piesporter, Riesling, Deinhard,1998(W)
• Liebfraumilch, Rheinhessen, Deinhard, 1999(W)
• Henkell Troken (Sparkling Wine)