German Wines: Plenty to Learn

• Use ‘traditional’ grape varietals (Riesling, NOT Sauvignon Blanc, for example)

• Practice sustainable viticulture and use traditional winemaking techniques

As a member of the VDP, your vineyards are classified as one of the following:

• Gutswein (GERTS-vine) vineyards are ‘entry level.’

• Ortswein (ORTS-vine) vineyards are seen (by the members) as a village’s best.

• Erste Lage (EERS-te la-guh) indicates the first-class vineyards.

• Grosse Lage (GROHSS-la-guh) indicates the best of the best.

And there’s more: the Erste Gewachs (EG) and the highly lauded Grosses Gewachs (GG) wines. Let‘s save these for another time.

Now, the Pradikat system, which relates to sugar ripeness:

• Kabinett (Ka-bee-nett) wines have grapes that are above average in ripeness and thus higher in sugar level. The resulting wines tend to be offdry.

• Spatlese (SHPAT-lay-zuh) wines have ‘late harvest’ grapes. These wines will be between off-dry and medium-dry in sweetness.

• Auslese (Owss-leh-zeh) wines will be medium-sweet and have more dried/candied fruit flavors.

• Beerenauslese (Beh-ren-owssleh-zeh) These wines will be sweet and have dried/candied fruit flavors.

• Trockenbeerenauslese (Troken-be-ren-ous-ley-zuh) These wines will be lusciously sweet, have an aromatic spectrum with plenty of tropical and candied fruit flavors.

We have only taken a small sip of German wine information, and there is so much more to learn. I say, let the journey begin. Cheers, or should we say, Prost!