food and beverage service

1. GERMAN WINES
Introduction:
Germany is the northern-most wine region of Europe. It does not make many wines, the total production is
just 10% of France and Italy and about 1% of world’s total. But it produces some of the major dry whites
and sweet whites. The wines are primarily in the valleys of Rhine (Rhein in German) and Moselle (Mosel
in German) rivers. Because of this northern location, the summers are short and crops are damaged by
severe frosts. The vines are planted on riverbanks. Due to shortage of sun the grapes do not ripen properly
therefore making it more acidic. German wines are best consumed on their own or with dessert but not with
any strongly flavored foods.
Facts of German wines
 Most Northerly of wine growing countries.
 Produces most lightest, and delicate white wines.
 Low in alcohol exquisitely balanced.
 Practice of harvesting grapes at various degrees of ripeness.
 National drink of Germany is beer.
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 Grape Varieties
 Muller thurgau : wine flowery bouquet, mildly acidic. Swiss Dr. Muller from the canton of
thurgau developed by cloning Riesling and silvaner.
 Riesling : balance between sweetness and acidity.
 Silvaner : mild acidity full body.,more user friendly.
 Grauburgunder : also called Rulander makes oily sweet wines.
 Gewürztraminer : makes rich fruity wines.
 Weissburgunder : used to make dry wines.
Red Grape Varieties
 Spatburgunder( pinot noir ) : wines are velvetty full bodied
 Portugieser : flavourful, light, mild
 Trollinger : ripens very late, fruity, good acidity
WINE GROWING REGIONS
Rhine Regions:
RHEINGAU:
 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.
 The Mediterranean-type climate produce densely rich flavors and elegant wines.
 Famous for its sweet, botrytis affected QMP wines.

2.  Main grape varieties : Riesling, Spatburgunder
 Soil : quartz, clay, loam and sandy.
 Climate: Vines protected from cold due to mountains & river.
 White Wines - Schloss Johannisberg, Steinberger,Schloss Vollrads.
 Wines are fragrant, acidic and with great character and elegance.
RHEINPFALZ:
 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
 Wines are aromatic,mild, round and fullbodied.
 Main Grape Varieties- Mueller-Thurgau,Riesling, Kerner, Silvaner, Portugieser.
 Soil: Laom,sandstone, limestone, granite and clay.
 Climate: Sunniest and driest wine producing areas.
 Popular Wines :Deidesheimer (W),Ruppertberger (W), Durkheimer (R)
RHEINHEISEN:
 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 and produces both red and white wines.
 Popular for LIEBFRAUMILCH-Generic style, of a blend of lower quality wines, that people connect
with.
 Grapes used - Muller Thargau, Silvaner, Riesling, Portugieser, Spatburgunder.
 Soil : Loess , limestone, sandy.
 Climate: Temperate.
 Popular Wines : Blue Nun (S), Guntersblumer (R), Niersteiner (W),Oppenheimer (W), Bodenheimer
(W)
 Wines are fragrant, mild, soft, medium bodied.
MITTERHEIN:
 Lies between Bonn and Bigen on the stretch of Rhine valley.
 Main grape variety : Riesling.
 Soil: Slate and Climate: Temperate.
 International star wine is Toni Jost.
NAHE:
 Named after its river and lies on the west of Rheinhessen and east of Mosel.
 Main Grape Varieties : Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Silvaner.
 Soil: slate, sandstone, loam.
 Climate: Temperate,sunny, no frosts.
 Popular wines: Schlossbockelheimer ( W), Munsterer ( W )
 Wines are fruity, fragrant and full of flavour.
Moselle Regions
MOSEL SAAR RUWER:
 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 : Moderate.
 Main Grape Varieties : Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Elbling
 Wines are fragrant, piquant, fruity, and delicate

3.  White wines : Bernkastler Doctor, Piesporter, Wiltengener.
 Both bottles of Moselle and Rhine are tall fluted but Rhine bottles are brown while moselle bottles are
green
 Mosel region has its generic equivalent to Rheins LIEBFRAWMILCH and generic wines were named
selblumchen (little flower of Moselle) now called as Moselleseltaler.
FRANKEN:
 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 and drunk in stein
mugs
 Main Grape Varieties: Mueller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Bacchus
 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, acidic ( due to cold winters and late spring climate ) and full
bodied.
Other Wine Regions
AHR:
 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: slatey and loess.
 Climate: Temperate.
 Popular Wines: Heimersheimer(W), Neuenahrer (W), Marienthaler Klostergarten(R).
BADEN:
 South-west region of Germany.
 Wines are heavy, flowery and high in alcohol content.
 Famous for Weissherbst- rose wine made of pinot noir grape.
 Soil: Gravel,limestone, clay, granite.
 Climate: Sunny and warm climate.
BERGSTRASSE:
 This wine region is a very small wine producing region.
 Wines are very seldom exported.
WURTTEMBERG:
 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,Kerner,Silvaner.
 Wines are fruity, earthy, powerful.
 Soil: Clay, loess, loam
 Climate: Warm climate
 Popular wines: Maulbronner (R), Stockheimer (W)

4. German Wine Classification
German wine law of 1971 which decreed the”system by ripeness” allowed all producers to make “fine
wines” or qualitatswein that would be the equivalent of the French AOC. As long as your grape had the
right sugar content, a content that could be measured, they were entitled to a category of special distinction
or “PRADIKAT” grade.
Chaptalisation: most German wines need addition of sugar to the must to achieve adequate fermentation.
This process is called capitalization after its inventor, Frenchman Andre chaptal. The process is often called
“GALLIZATION” after the German inventor gall. The addition of sugar to the must is termed
“ANREICHERUNG “ (ENRICHMENT).
 Deutcher Tafel wein:- these are the table wines
 Landwein :- similar to French Vin De Pays
 Qualitatswein (Quality Wine) (these include QBA and QMP).
Qualitatswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QBA)
Quality wines from designated regions. If the grape juice undergoes the practice of Verbesserung I.e.
if sugar is added to the wine then the wine is classified as (QBA).
Qualitatswein Mit Pradikat (QMP)
If the grape juice does not undergo the process of “Verbesserung” i.e. if no sugar is added to the wine
then the wine is classified as QMP. These wines are similar to AOC wines of France. There are five
categories of QMP wines. They are:
Qmp Classification
1. Kabinett :-light, fairly dry, white.
2. Spatlese :-late harvested.
3. Auslese :-wines made from the choicest grapes
4. Beerenauslese :-finest quality, individually packed, over ripe grapes.
5. Trokenbeernauslese :-very expensive hand picked shriveled.
Eiswein (Icewine):
Grapes harvested in between-8 to -10 degree centigrade. The fermentation is very
slow hence a dry wine with high acidic content is produced. The grapes are harvested in
the night underflood lights when the grapes are in the frozen condition.
Reading A Wine Label
1= Grower Producer
2= Vintage Year
3= Village and Vineyard
4= Grape Variety
5= Quality Level of Grape
6= Taste and Style of Wine
8= Official Tasting Number
9= Estate Produced & Bottled
7= Quality Level of Wine
10= Wine Region
11= Bottle Size in litre
12= Alcoholic Strength
13= Name & Address of Producer/Bottler.

5. 14= Sub Growing Region
Terms related to Wine Styles
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.

6. 14= Sub Growing Region
Terms related to Wine Styles
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.