A short guide to German Wines 德國酒入門講

A short guide to German Wines 德國酒入門講
Ahr
The Red wine-region Ahr is one of the smallest of Germany's wine-growing regions, with vineyards extending along the steep hill-sides that line the Ahr River as it flows into the Rhine south of Bonn. Most of the vineyards grow red grapges ?Spatburgunder (Pinot noir) and Portugieser ?producing red wines of light charm and racy fruitiness.
Lively, fresh Riesling and Muller-Thurgau are the white wines grown here. Nearly all of the region's wine is consumed locally.

Wine:
Velvety to fiery Spatburgunder; light, pleasant Portugieser; racy, fresh white wines.



Mitterlrhein
Beginning just below Bonn and extending about 60 miles south on both banks of the Rhine, the Mitterlehein is a beautiful region of steep, terraced vineyards crowned with medieval castles and ruins. Bacharach has been the most important wine village of this region since the Middle Ages. The clayish slate soil yields lively wines with a pronounced acidity. Riesling, Muller-Thurgau and Kerner grow best on these inhospitable slopes. Most of the production is consumed locally or sold to visitors.

Wine: fresh, fragrant, pithy, marked fruity acidity (sometimes austere).



Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
From just south of the ancient Roman city of Trier, north to Koblenz, where it empties in the Rhine, the Mosel River snakes its way past dramatically steep, slaty slopes covered with some of Germany's most famous vineyards. The wines of the Mosel and its tributaries, the Saar and the Ruwer, are richly fragrant, pale in colour, light-bodied with a lively, fruity acidity. The slaty soil imparts a distinctive taste to Mosel wines, ranging from fine-fruity to earthy, or linty? Often they have a hint of effervescence.
Riesling wines of great elegance and breed grow best on the steep, southern-facing slopes, particulary around Wiltingen and Scharzhofberg in the Saar-Ruwer district and in the Middle Mosel district around Bernkastel, Piesport, Wehlen, Brauneberg, Graach, Zeltinggen and Erden. Muller Thurgau and an old variety cultivated by the Romans, the Elbling, are also planted in this region.

Wine: richly fragrant, racy, piquant, elegantly, fruity, delicate.



Rheingau
The Rheingau is Germany's most central wine growing region and the home of some of the world's oldest wine-growing families. It is located between Hochheim on the Main River and Lorch near the Mittelrhein. The whole of the Rheingau is one long hillside topped by the thick forests of the Taunus Hills to the north and bordered by the Rhine River to the south, forming one district, Bereich Johannisberg. This is where the famous cloisters and estates cultivated and refined the noble Riesling.
It was the Rheingauers who first recognized the value of Botrytis Cinerea (noble rot) and the Spatlese (late harvest). The term abinett?is aid to have originated here. In this favourable climate and ideal soil the Riesling develops to perfection, producing noble, elegant wines characterized by a refined and sometimes spicy fragrance; a fruity, pronounced acidity; and a rich ripeness in flavour. Full-bodied, distinctive red wine is made from the Spatburgunder (Pinot noir), particularly from the steep vineyards around Assmannshausen.

Wine: refined, fragrance, lively racy acidity, great character and elegance.



Nahe
The nahe region is set west of Rheinhessen, which it borders, and east of the Mosel. Bad kreuznach is the region's most important town. The Nahe's vineyards thrive in a variety of soils along the steep slopes of the Nahe River and its tributaries. The northerly district with its loam and sandy oil produces wines that resemble neighbouring Rheinhessen, while the slaty soil further south yields wines which suggest the fine flowery bouquet of Mosel wines and the elegance of Rheingau wines. Muller-Thurgau, Riesling and Silvaner are the predominant varieties planted in the Nahe region.

Wine: fragrant, subtly racy, fruity, full of flavour.



Pfalz
Bordered by Rheinhessen on the north and France on the south and west, the Pfalz's vineyards sweep across this pretty, peaceful land for nearly 50 uninterrupted miles and produce more wine than any other region in Germany. The northern half of this region is home to some of the best vineyard sites. The villages of Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg are well-known for Riesling wines which combine substance and finesse. Pleasant, mild wines rich in bouquet and full of body from Muller-Thurgau, Kerner, Silvaner and Morio-Muskat grapes are also grown in the clay and marl soils of this district. Chalk, clay and loess soils yield mild, fresh, often intense wines in the southern half of the Pfalz. In addition to its white wine, the Pfalz is also known for smooth, fruity red wine made primarily from the Portugieser grape.
The word Pfalz which names the region is a derivation of Palast, or palace, and comes from the Latin word alatium? The English equivalent, Palatinate, is often used when speaking about the Pfalz.

Wine: aromatic, milk, round and full-bodied, expressive.



Rheinhessen
Rheinhessen lies in a valley of rolling hills, bordered on the west by the Nahe River and on the north and east by the Rhine. This 20 by 30 mile area between the wine-growing communities of Worms, Alzey, Mainz and Bingen is the largest of the German wine-growing regions and its production is second only to that of the Pfalz.
Due to the varying soil types and micro-climates, many grape varieties are planted, including the three traditional white varieties ?Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Riesling ?as well as new crossings. The Portugieser grape is the most important red variety, and the area around Ingelheim is known for its noble full bodied Spatburgunder (Pinot noir) wine.
The Rheinfront or Rheinterrasse are names given to the vineyards on gentle slopes directly facing the Rhein near the town of Nierstein. Here some of the finest wines in Germany are produced, especially from the Riesling grape.
There were already admirers of Rheinhessen's mild, agreeable, fragrant wines during the Carolingian period. Charlemagne, who had a fortress at Ingelheim, was one of the earliest promoters of these wines.

Wine: delicately fragrant, mild, soft, medium-bodied.

Franken
Before the reunification in Germany, Franken was the easternmost of Germany's wine-growing regions, with most of its vineyards planted on hilly slopes of the Main River and its tributaries. Wurzburg is the principal city of Franken and home of the famed vineyard, stein, which gave rise to the generic term teinwein? formerly used to denote all Franken wines. Traditionally, most Franken wines are bottled in a squat, green flagon called a Bocksbeutel.
Franken wine is the most masculine of Germany's wines, often drier and earthier than wines from other regions. Muller-Thurgau and Silvaner are the main varieties planted, as well as new crossings.

Wine: vigorous, robust, dry, often full-bodied.



Hessische Bergastrasse
The wine-growing region Hessische Bergstrasse is located north of Heidelberg, bordered by the Rhine on the west and the Odenwald (forest) on the east. The wines tend to be fragrant and rich, with more body and a little less acidity and finesse than those of the Rheingau. The Riesling is tha main grape variety, followed by the fragrant Muller-Thurgau and delicate Silvaner.
The wiens from the Bergstrasse are scarse and almost without exception consumed locally ?a good reason to attend one of the local wine festivals in the medieval town of Heppehheim (late June) or Bensheim (early September).

Wine: fragrant, refreshing fruity acidity, hearty.



Wurttemberg
Wurttemberg's vineyards line ths slopes of the Neckar River and its tributaries.
Stuttgart is its major city. With nearly half of its vineyards planted in red varieties, it is the largest red wine region in Germany. Trollinger, Mullerrebe (Pinot meunier), Spatburgunder (Pinot noir), Portugieser and Lemberger make very fruity red wines. Wurttemberg's white wines ?Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Kerner and Silvaner ?have a vigorous, hearty taste.
Wurttemberg wines can rarely be found outside this region, as the majority are consumed by the indigenious population.

Wine: strikingly fruity, hearty, powerful, distinctive earthy finish.




Baden
Baden is the southernmost of Germany's wine regions, a long, slim strip that extends from near Heidelberg in the north to Lake Constance (Bodensee) in the south. This is the famed lack Forest?area. Germany's third largest wine region, Baden, is also its most diverse.
It contains soils that range from gravel, limestone and clay to loess, volcanic stone and shell-lime. Its grapes are also varied, and include the flowery Muller-Thurgau; full bodied Rulander (Pinot gris); light, milk Gutedel; spicy Gewurztraminer; and the noble Rieling. About 23% of the vineyards are planted in Spatburgunder (Pinot noir), a red variety, which is full-bodied and fiery when grown in the volcanic soils of the Kaiserstuhl. Spatburgunder Weissherbst, a rose wine, is a popular wine made here.
Whereas Germany's per capita consumption of wine is 32 bottles per year, each citizen of Baden averages 53 bottles ?a tribute to their winemakers.

Wine: fresh, fragrant, spicy, aromatic white wines; velvety to fiery reds; full-bodied.



Saale/ Unstrut
The small wine-growing region Saale-Unstrut is the northernmost of Germany's wine-growing region, with a long tradition of grape-growing and wine making. The first American rootstocks in Germany were planted in the region in 1887 after the Phylloxera disease affected vineyards there.
Vines are planted at the beginning of the romantic Saale River valley and on the hills near the town of Freyburg.
In the warm valley of this rivers Saale and Unstrut Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner and Wei?burgunder (Pinot Blanc) grapes are grown and made into a soft, dry white wine. Due to climatic conditions Spatlese and Auslese wines are very rare, but QbA and Kabinett wines are excellent when they are young.

Wine: soft and dry white wines, few Spatlese and Auslese wines, medium-bodied.



Sachsen
Sachsen is the easternmost of Germany's wine-growing regions, with most of its vineyards located on the hilly slopes of the Elbe River.
The region stretches for about 30 miles from Pillnitz in the south to Dresden, Radebeul and Meissen.
The cultural and historical centers of Dresden and Meissen attract many visitors each year. Most of the wines from the region are consumed locally.
Wines made from Muller-Thurgau (Rivaner), Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Traminer grapes are dry, full of character with a fruity acidity. Some soft red wines and some lbtal-sekt?(Sparkling wine) are specialities of the region.

Wine: dry, refreshing fruity acidity, special regional character.

目前，德國葡萄酒根據葡萄的成熟度，即果實的酸度，大致分為以下三級：

1) Tafelwein 普遍酒群
-EC(Tafewein)
-Deutscher Tafelwein
-Landwein


EC Tafelwein 指 EC 加盟國的調製葡萄酒。Deutscher Tafelwein 和 Landwein 各有其指定的種植區域。

2) Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) 高級酒群標籤上有 Qualitatswein 的標識。

3) Qulitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP) 帶頭銜的高級酒群 分為以下頭銜。
-Kabinett 這級糖度很低。口感非常優雅，纖細，為他類所未見。
-Spatlese，遲摘的葡萄。因為收獲較晚，不僅糖度，特液成分也有增加，口味深長。
-Auslese 只收割熟透的葡萄串。味甜，香濃，比Spatlese更具有濃縮的味道。
-Beerenauslese用過熟的葡萄，或將腐的葡萄粒釀造的極甜型葡萄酒。
-Trockenbeerenauslese收集因腐菌作用而成乾葡萄的顆粒，以之釀造的極甜型葡萄酒。
-Eiswein 刻意延遲收穫期，收取因嚴寒而結凍的葡萄，直接絞汁而製成的葡萄酒。


2-3 級被指定了二個葡萄酒種植區，葡萄必須是從其中某區收穫來的。3 級更是被限定於某一地區。為了使這兩級葡萄酒進入市場，要通過收穫時的葡萄成熟度和狀態，葡萄酒的分析鑑定，品味鑑定。如果未被給與A，P編號(政府檢驗許可編號)，則不能上市。

German wines are quite interesting ,
they are well know for theyr white wines,
and latelly theya re starting to produce some