Description of Taste

The taste of a wine is basicly determined by the amount of residual sugar and acidity. Residual sugar is the amount of sugar that is left over (residual) after fermentation. During the fermentation the yeast converts the grape's sugar into alcohol. The winemaker can stop the fermentation process to produce a sweeter wine with higher sugar content and less alcohol.

Dry (trocken) is the denotation for wine with a low content of residual sugar. Under German wine law, the maximum amount is 9 g/l, as long as the acidity is not more than 2 g/l below this amount. Otherwise (with a lower acidity) the maximum amount of sugar for dry wines is 4 g/l.

Semi-dry (halbtrocken) wines can have an amount of residual sugar between 9 and 18 g/l. Depending of the amount of acidity semi-dry wines differ very much in the taste. These are often ideal wines for any occasion and for those, who are not used to drink dry wines.

Fine-tart (feinherb) is the common denotation for wines that are in between semi-dry and noble-sweet. The term is not legaly defined.

Noble-sweet (lieblich) wines have an amount of residual sugar that is above 45 g/l.

Quality-level terms (Prädikatsweine)

Kabinett is a quality-level for German wines, which indicates exalted quality. Kabinett wines are usually light and made from fully ripened grapes. As for all German quality-wines it is not allowed to enrich Kabinett wines with sugar. Kabinett wines are often dry and can be drunken by its own or enjoyed with food.

Spätlese ("late harvest") is above Kabinett and below Auslese wines. Spätlese wines must have a minimum weight of the must (Mostgewicht) and they are indeed harvested after the regular season. This requires fully ripe and with it sweet grapes. Spätlese wines are often semi-dry but can be dry as well which is than indicated by the term "trocken" (dry).

Auslese ("selection") is the the top category of German Quality wines, just below dessert wines. It denotes wines made of fully ripe grapes with an high must weight, which are specially selected. White Auslese wines are usually sweet, but not as sweet as dessert wines. Red Auslese wines are dry. With their full flavour, Auslese wines are good companions to hearty food.

Großes Gewächs (great growth / grand cru) is the term used only for the very best wines of each winemaker. These wines are produced according to strict vineyard and cellar regulations. Each winemaker usually labels only the best of his wines as Großes Gewächs, but only, if it is a realy outstanding wine.
In the region Mosel the term Erste Lage (top site) is used instead.
In the Rheingau the term Erstes Gewächs (first growth) is used instead.

Dessert Wines

Beerenauslese (BA) ("selection of berries") is the lowest quality level of sweet dessert wines. However, this quality is still outstanding. The grapes for BA are infected by noble rot but are not dried yet.

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) ("selection of dry berries") is the name of high-quality dessert wines. It is made of selected dried berries affected by the noble rot. Often the grapes are selected by hand and harvested very late in the year. The wines are very sweet and rich, frequently with a lot of caramel and honey bouquet, rock fruits note such as apricot and distinctive aroma of the noble rot. These wines are very rare and expensive. They are deep golden in colour and have a viscous, very thick and concentrated body. Although TBA has very high residual sugar level, the finest specimens are far from being cloying due to high level of acidity.

Eiswein (ice wine) is a very rare dessert wine specialty. It is produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. As the grapes need to be worked up while still frozen, they must be gathered at night or early in the morning within a few hours. The fruit sugar then is highly concentrated and the result is a concentrated sweet, but still refreshing sour wine. If the freeze does not come at the time of the ripeness, the grapes might rot and the crop is lost.
In difference to TBA the grapes for ice wine must be in healthy condition without the noble rot. Though ice wines have a high content on residual sugar, they are still refreshing because of their high acidity.
The first ice wine ever was produced 1830 in the German wine region Rheinhessen. After a bad year the vintners only harvested the grapes in winter to feed the cattle. Eventually they recognised, that the grapes have few but wonderful sweet juice. For long time Germany and Austria were the only ice wine producing countries.

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