In-depth wine knowledge with a focus on the Moselle region

Introduction

Wine is more than just a drink - behind every glass lies a world of terms, regions, varieties and traditions. In this comprehensive overview, we take a deep dive into wine knowledge that goes beyond even the usual wine expert. We focus in particular on the German wine-growing region Moselleits unique vineyards and grape varieties. Whether White wine or Red winedry Riesling or noble sweet Trockenbeerenauslese - we shed light on all important terms around the Wine drinking in a structured form. The aim is to provide well-founded knowledge for your self-study - from the basics of wine types and the special features of the Moselle region to technical terms from the cellar and tasting.

Types and styles of wine

Before we go into detail, it is worth taking a look at the different types of wine and styles. A basic distinction is made between colour types and production methods:

• White wine - Usually made from light-coloured, white grape varieties pressed. The grapes are pressed after the harvest and the clear must ferments into wine without contact with the skinsmoselweingut-schedler.de. This preserves the fruity and fresh characteristics of the grapes. White wines are therefore characterised by distinctive Fruit flavours, Effervescence and an often invigorating Acid frommoselweingut-schedler.de. The flavour profile varies depending on the grape variety: a Riesling, for example, has delicate notes of peach and a racy acidity, while a Pinot Blanc can be milder and nuttiermoselweingut-schedler.de. Despite their lightness, some white wines (such as Chardonnay or matured Rieslings) can also be very powerful and storablemoselweingut-schedler.de.
• Red wine - It is made from red/blue grapes and gets its colour and structure from the Mash fermentation (fermentation with the berry skins). The colourings and Tannins (tannins) in the skins pass into the wine. Red wines are therefore generally fuller-bodied, have noticeable tannins and show aromas of dark fruits, berries or spices. Many high-quality red wines mature in wooden barreloften in the Barrique (225-litre oak barrel), which gives the wine additional Complexity lendssilkes-weinkeller.desilkes-weinkeller.de. Barrique ageing can introduce flavours such as vanilla, smoke or roasted notes. Due to ageing in wood and prolonged skin contact, red wines are usually rich in tannins and can have a dry, slightly furry mouthfeel (Astringency) - caused by the tannins reacting with the oral mucosasilkes-weinkeller.desilkes-weinkeller.de. Good red wines often benefit from a little Oxygen - They are therefore decanted before consumption to allow them to breathe and to remove any sediment.
• Rosé wine - It lies between white and red wine in terms of colour and style. Rosé is made from red grapes, but with a shorter skin contact time so that only some of the colouring substances are transferred to the wine. This gives rosé a light red to salmon pink colour. In terms of flavour, it combines the fresh lightness of white wine with subtle aromas of red fruit from the red grape varietiesmoselweingut-schedler.de. Rosé wines are usually fruity and mild; they are drunk young and make a good summer wine.
• Sparkling wine - As a generic term, it includes Sparkling wine, Champagne and other sparkling wines with carbon dioxide. In Germany Sparkling wine the common name for quality sparkling wine, which is usually produced after the méthode champenoise (bottle fermentation) or in the tank fermentation process. In traditional bottle fermentation, the base wine is given a Filling dosage of yeast and sugar is added, which triggers a second fermentation in the bottlesilkes-weinkeller.de. This produces carbon dioxide, which remains dissolved in the wine. After fermentation, the Dispatch box the Residual sugar content This is how the flavour styles brut, dry, demi-sec etc. are created.silkes-weinkeller.de. German sparkling wine is often produced from Riesling or Burgundy varieties and can achieve very high qualities.
• Sweet and liqueur wines - This includes Dessert wines such as Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, ice wine (more on this later) and fortified liqueur wines (e.g. port, sherry). These wines are characterised by a high residual sugar content and often a higher alcohol content. They are usually served in small quantities with dessert or cheese.

Side note: On the Moselle - as in Germany in general - white wines dominate. But we look at without a special focus on red or white both categories equally in order to convey a holistic understandingen.wikipedia.org. The Moselle in particular is traditionally white wine country (over 90 % of white wine)en.wikipedia.orgbut red wines (e.g. Pinot Noir) are also celebrating a renaissance thereweinland-mosel.de.

Grape varieties: important wine varieties of the Moselle

As Wine varieties are often the Grape varieties The different grape varieties from which wine is made are known as grape varieties. Each grape variety has its own flavours and characteristics. In the Moselle region, some typical varieties are particularly important:

• Riesling - The undisputed main grape variety of the Moselle (approx. 62 % of the vineyard area)weinland-mosel.de. Riesling is often referred to as the "queen of the white vines" and is ideally suited to the cool Moselle climate and the Slate steep slopesweinland-mosel.de. It ripens very late and produces elegant, delicately fruity wines in which the Terroir - i.e. soil and climate of origin - is strongly reflectedweinland-mosel.de. Mosel Rieslings often smell of apple, citrus fruit or peach and have a present acidity. They are extremely versatile: from bone-dry, mineral wines Great Growth Riesling covers all degrees of sweetness and quality levels up to noble sweet ice wineweinland-mosel.de. Another typical feature of Mosel Rieslings is their moderate alcohol content (often only 7-11 % for Prädikat wines) combined with intense flavoursweinland-mosel.de. Thanks to their acidity and extract sweetness, fruit-sweet Rieslings are excellent accompaniments to spicy dishes and hot Asian cuisineweinland-mosel.dewhile noble sweet Auslese wines harmonise perfectly with blue cheese or desserts. Matured sweet Moselle Rieslings are even considered a classic partner to goose liver or game pâtésweinland-mosel.de.
• Müller-Thurgau (also Rivaner called) - With around 8-9 % share the second most important white vine of the Moselleweinland-mosel.de. It is a German crossbreed (Riesling × Madeleine Royale). Müller-Thurgau wines have a milder acidity and a slightly nutmeg Bouquetweinland-mosel.de. Matured dry or semi-dry (often then as Rivaner labelled), they produce uncomplicated, fruity wines that are popular as summer wines when chilledweinland-mosel.de.
• Elbling - A Moselle speciality with approx. 5 % of surface areaweinland-mosel.deweinland-mosel.de. Elbling is a very old white grape variety (probably already cultivated by the Romans) and today is almost only found in the Upper Moselle regionweinfreunde.deweinland-mosel.de. It produces slender, sparkling wines with crisp acidity - ideal accompaniments to fish, seafood or a savoury wine snackweinland-mosel.de. A curiosity: mutations on Elbling vines can produce both white as well as red berries grow. The red Elbling is sometimes harvested separately and processed into rosé-coloured wine or sparkling wine, but still counts as a white wine under wine lawweinland-mosel.de. A large part of the Elbling harvest is traditionally used for Sparkling base wine as the high acidity is well suited for this purpose.
• White Burgundy (Pinot Blanc, Pinot Blanc) - About 4-5 % of the Moselle vineyard areaweinland-mosel.deweinland-mosel.de. This white mutation of Pinot Noir produces smooth, elegant wines with mild acidity. Pinot Blanc from the Moselle can be both light and summery as well as stronger and matured in wooden barrelsweinland-mosel.de. It goes well with dishes such as asparagus, poultry or veal escalopeweinland-mosel.de. In the last 20 years, Pinot Blanc has established itself strongly on the Moselle, Saar and Ruwer and is enjoying increasing popularityweinland-mosel.de. Related varieties such as Pinot Gris (Pinot Gris) and Auxerrois are also available in smaller quantities and are experiencing growing demandweinland-mosel.de.
• Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir) - Most important red wine variety of the Moselle with approx. 5 % shareweinland-mosel.de. Pinot Noir is considered one of the finest red wine grapes in the world and produces fruity, complex red wines. In the Moselle region, the old red wine tradition was revitalised in the late 1980sweinland-mosel.de. Particularly on the limestone soils of the Upper Moselle and in suitable slate locations, remarkable Pinot Noirs grow today, some of which are matured in barriquesweinland-mosel.de. They have flavours of cherry, berries and spices and are an excellent accompaniment to strong dishes such as beef or gameweinland-mosel.de. Due to the small quantities, Mosel Pinot Noirs are often sought-after rarities.
• Dornfelder - With just under 3 %, another red wine variety on the Moselleweinland-mosel.de. Dornfelder is a relatively young new German variety that produces deep, dark-coloured red wines with soft tannins. It produces strong, dark fruity wines that go well with roasts or pizza, for exampleweinland-mosel.de. Dornfelder is often aged in stainless steel or large wooden barrels and is popular as an uncomplicated red wine for everyday enjoyment.
• Other grape varieties - Around 11 % of the area is accounted for by numerous other varietiesweinland-mosel.de. These include among the whites, for example Pinot Gris, Chardonnay (increasingly also grown in small quantities on the Mosellemoselweingut-schedler.de), Kerner, Bacchus and Sauvignon Blancas well as aromatic varieties such as Gewürztraminer. The red complementary varieties include Pinot Noir (an early mutation of the Pinot Noir), Regent, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Blaufränkischmostly in very small plantationsweinland-mosel.de. A current trend is PIWI grape varieties (fungus-resistant new varieties) such as Souvignier Gris, Cabernet Blanc or Muscariswhich today make up around 3 % of the German vineyard areadeutscheweine.deweinland-mosel.de - They are also increasingly being grown on the Moselle on a trial basis in order to reduce the use of pesticides.

Moselle tip: The Saar and Ruwertal areas are almost pure Riesling regions - the proportion of Riesling here is over 80 %weinland-mosel.de. In the Upper Moselle (near Luxembourg), on the other hand, Elbling and white Burgundy varieties traditionally dominate due to the different soil typeen.wikipedia.org. This regional focus on varieties is closely linked to climate and soils, as we will see in the next section.

Ripe Riesling grapes on the Moselle. Riesling is by far the most important grape variety on the Moselle (around 5,300 hectares). The late-ripening variety produces mineral, fruity and long-lasting white wines hereweinland-mosel.de. The steep slate slopes and the cool climate of the Moselle offer perfect conditions for Riesling to develop its full finesse.

The Moselle wine region: terroir, sites and specialities

The Moselle is not only one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Germany, but also one of the most characteristic. Its wines owe their special character to a combination of climate, soil and topography - what the French call Terroir name. Here are the most important specialities of the Moselle region:

• Location and climate: The Moselle wine-growing region stretches along the winding Moselle and its tributaries Saar and Ruwer from the French border to the Rhine near Koblenzen.wikipedia.org. Until 2006 it was officially called Moselle-Saar-Ruwertoday simply Moselleen.wikipedia.org. The climate is cool and temperate with long growing seasons. The steep river slopes act as heat reservoirs: the slate rock and the Moselle itself store heat during the day and release it at night, giving the grapes a long ripening period. This long period on the slope allows the grapes to develop their full flavour while retaining their acidityweinland-mosel.de. That is why Moselle wines are often Filigree, mineral and lively aciditybut still mature in flavour, with a moderate alcohol content (often 8-12 %)weinland-mosel.de. Late autumn sunshine and cool nights characterise the Riesling in particular and lead to its incomparable Fine fruitiness.
• Steep slope viticulture: The Moselle is famous for its Steep slopes - Vineyards on extremely steep slopes. In fact, the region is the largest steep-slope wine-growing area in the worlden.wikipedia.org. Vineyards with slopes of 30°, 50° or even over 60° characterise the landscape. One of the steepest vineyards in the world is the Bremmer Calmont with a slope of about 65en.wikipedia.org. Mechanical cultivation is almost impossible in such locations; the work is done by hand, supported in part by monorack cogwheel railways for transporting the grapesen.wikipedia.org. The effort is worth it, as the grapes grown on the sun-drenched, slatey steep slopes are of the highest quality. Steep-slope wines are often particularly mineralised and complex, as the vines have to root deeply and draw nutrients from the barren rock. The slope also promotes water drainage and aeration of the vines, which reduces disease. However, yields are low - another sign of quality. No wonder that some Moselle steep slopes are legendary and can achieve correspondingly high prices for their wines.

Steep slope viticulture in Zell (Mosel). The steep terraced slopes directly on the banks of the river are clearly recognisable. The "Zeller Schwarze Katz" site (name lettering on the slope) is a well-known vineyard terrain near Zell. The combination of a steep south-facing slope and the reflection of the Moselle enables first-class grapes to ripen hereen.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org.

• Soils and terroir: The Moselle is geologically divided into two main zones: Slate floors and Lime soils. The middle and lower Moselle valley (Bernkastel, Terrassenmosel, Saar, Ruwer areas) is dominated by Devonian slate rock - blue-grey Slate floorwhich stores heat during the day and releases it to the vines at nighten.wikipedia.org. Slate often brings filigree, mineral wines This is particularly true of Riesling, which can develop fine slate notes (sometimes as "flint" or "smoke" on the nose). In the Upper Moselle (Trier area to the Luxembourg border, area Moselle Gate), on the other hand, can be found Shell limestone- and Keuper soil, a calcareous type of terroiren.wikipedia.org. Burgundy and Elbling varieties feel particularly at home on these limestone and marl soils - they produce somewhat fuller, creamier wines here (the term Burgundy Moselle points this out)en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org. An overview shows the relationship between soil and grape variety: shell limestone in the Upper Moselle favours Elbling, Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc, for example, while the Devonian slate in the Middle Moselle, Saar and Ruwer is almost predestined for Rieslingen.wikipedia.org. In the Lower Moselle (Cochem area), greywacke and clayey slate soils can be found alongside slate; Riesling as well as Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Blanc grow well hereen.wikipedia.org.
• Areas and wine villages: Administratively, the Moselle is divided into 6 areas subdividedhermeswein.de - from north to south: Cochem Castle (also called Terrassenmosel), Bernkastel (Middle Moselle), Saar, Ruwer, Upper Moselle and Moselle Gate. Each area in turn comprises several large vineyards and individual vineyards. The most famous Moselle wine villages are located along the Middle Moselle: around Bernkastel-Kues (with the legendary Bernkasteler Doctor vineyard), Cell (Zeller Schwarze Katz), Piesport (gold droplets), Ürzig (Ürziger Würzgarten), Soil (Earth Prelate), Trittenheim (pharmacy), Wehlen (Wehlener Sonnenuhr) and many more. These place and vineyard names can be read on the wine labels and they stand for vineyards, some of which are centuries old, with a specific microclimate and reputation. The Bernkasteler Doctor, for example, has always been considered one of the most expensive vineyards in Germanyen.wikipedia.org - the soil there (weathered slate) is said to produce particularly high-quality Rieslings. In general, the Single layers on the Moselle are often very small parcels (sometimes only a few hectares) and have illustrious names that often go back to former owners, special features or local traditions (e.g. Sundial, Steps, Kingdom of heaven, Cathedral provost etc.). It is worthwhile for wine lovers to familiarise themselves with these names and their characteristics, as a Wine from a top location often has its very own profile.
• Vineyards and legal categorisation: The term Vineyard generally refers to the geographical place of origin of the grapes of a winehermeswein.de. In Germany, the use of location names is regulated by law; there is a hierarchical system: Growing region > Range > Large location > Single layerhermeswein.de. The Moselle is one of the 13 German Cultivation areas for quality winehermeswein.de. It comprises approx. 8,700 hectares of vineyardsen.wikipedia.org and - according to wine law - around 500 individual vineyards, grouped into 18 large vineyards and 6 areashermeswein.de. One Single layer is the specifically named vineyard (smallest unit, min. 5 ha in size)hermeswein.dee.g. Wehlen sundial. Several individual layers of an area can be Large location whose name often appears less prominently on the label. One example: In Trittenheim on the Middle Moselle, the four individual vineyards Pharmacy, Altar, Ladder and Rock head to the large location Michelsberg in the Bernkastel areahermeswein.dehermeswein.de. On the wine label, the single vineyard is usually mentioned together with the place, such as "Trittenheimer Apotheke", which gives the connoisseur precise information about the origin of the winehermeswein.de. This system helps to categorise the origin and quality of a German wine: Wines from renowned single vineyards enjoy a special reputation among connoisseurs.
• Quantity vs. quality: Although the Moselle is synonymous with fine Rieslings, considerable quantities are produced - around 719,000 hectolitres of wine in 2021, for exampleen.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org. A large proportion of these are simple quality wines for the mass market (many litre wines in the low price segment). At the same time, top wines from the best vineyards and noble sweet rarities achieve high prices - at auctions, Mosel predicate wines can reach several hundred euros per bottleen.wikipedia.org. Interesting: More than half of the Moselle wines are vinified with noticeable residual sugar - in 2021, around 60 % of the Moselle wines tested were sweet or sweet, only around 26 % dryen.wikipedia.org. This emphasises the reputation of the Moselle as the origin of great sweet fruit wines. However, the number of first-class dry Rieslings from the Moselle is also growing, especially thanks to committed winegrowers and associations such as the VDP.
• VDP and classification: In addition to the state layer system, the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP) introduced its own classification model to emphasise outstanding vineyards. The best individual vineyards are classified as VDP.Grosse Lage (comparable to Grand Cru), followed by VDP.Erste Lage (Premier Cru) for very good sites. Dry wines from great sites bear the designation VDP.Großes Gewächs (GG). In the Moselle region, VDP Erste Lage wines were sometimes labelled with a "1 L" symbol embossed on the bottleen.wikipedia.org. The historical Prussian site maps of 1868 and 1897, which categorised vineyards into three quality classes, served as the basis for the VDP: dry wines from a former 1st class site may now be marketed as Großes Gewächs (Grand Cru)en.wikipedia.org. For wine drinkers, this means that labels such as "VDP.Grosse Lage" or "GG" indicate absolute top wines that meet the highest standards of origin and quality.

To summarise, the Moselle offers wine lovers a unique combination of Landscape and flavourSteep slate slopes produce the finest Rieslings with unrivalled minerality, while independent sparkling wines and Burgundy wines are produced in the limestone zones. The traditional vineyard names on the labels tell stories - those who take a closer look at them quickly learn to appreciate the diversity of Moselle wines even better.

German wine law: quality grades and flavour specifications

For a sound knowledge of wine - especially when buying and tasting - it is important to know the Quality and predicate levels and the Flavour information on German wine labels. Germany has a wine law system that categorises wine according to origin and must weight, as well as terms that indicate the degree of sweetness.

Quality levels and awards

German wines with a protected designation of origin (PDO) - like Moselle - are roughly divided into Quality wine and Prädikat wine subdividedweinland-mosel.de. Quality wine (formerly QbAquality wine produced in specified regions) must come from a single region and pass an official inspectionwine-concept.comwine-concept.com. Prädikat wine is the highest category; here the must not enriched (no chaptalisation) and higher maturity requirements apply.wine-concept.comwine-concept.com. Prädikat wines carry one of the Predicateswhich express the degree of ripeness or sugar content of the grapes at the time of harvest. The six predicate levels - from lowest must weight to highest - are:

• Cabinet - Light, delicate wines from ripe but comparatively early harvested grapesweinland-mosel.de. Kabinett wines are often lean (often 7-11 % Alc), have a fresh acidity and a lot of finesseweinland-mosel.de. Depending on the region, the minimum must weight is around 70° Oechslewine-concept.com. Typical are delicately fruity, rather delicate wines - ideal as an aperitif or with light dishes.
• Late Harvest - Literally "late harvest": wines from Highly mature Grapes that are harvested laterweinland-mosel.de. Spätlese wines have fuller flavours and more body than Kabinett wines. They can dry be expanded, but also residual sweetnesswhich is often the case - such as fruity Riesling Spätlese wines with some residual sweetness and moderate alcohol. Minimum must weights are higher (around 80-90° Oechsle)wine-concept.com. A Spätlese often combines intense fruit with elegant acidity; it goes well with strongly flavoured dishes, but can also be enjoyed on its own.
• Selection - From read out Pressed from fully ripe berriesweinland-mosel.de. Here, unripe or defective grapes are selected during the harvest and only the best are used in the winewine-concept.com. Auslese wines have concentrated flavours, can be noble sweet or, in rarer cases, dry (then very strong, highly alcoholic). The must weight is even higher (approx. 95° Oechsle and more)en.wikipedia.org. With their honey-sweet fruit aromas and lively acidity, fruity-sweet Riesling Auslese wines are among the great specialities of the Moselle. They harmonise perfectly with fine desserts or strong cheeses.
• Beerenauslese (BA) - A noble sweet rarity from overripe, noble rotten berries. Botrytis cinereawhich Noble rotin autumn, it attacks some grapes and causes them to shrivel up like sultanas, concentrating sugar and extractweinland-mosel.de. Only these highly concentrated berries are selectively harvested - a painstaking manual labour. BAs have very high must weights (at least ~125° Oechsle)en.wikipedia.org and produce dessert wines with a rich sweetness and flavours of dried fruit, honey and exotic fruits. They are long-lasting and are suitable as meditation wines or as an accompaniment to blue cheese and desserts.
• Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) - The top of the predicates, even rarer and sweeter than BA. Here are dry dried upalmost raisin-like berries harvested with noble rotwine-concept.com. Must weights of 150° Oechsle and more are commonen.wikipedia.orgwhich leads to truly syrupy wines. TBAs are extremely sweet and aromatic (pure concentration) and are among the longest-lived wines of all - they can age for decades or even centuries. A 0.375 litre bottle of TBA is often expensive and a vinophile treasure.
• Ice wine - Also very sweet and concentrated, but the concentration comes from Freezing of the berries on the vine. For ice wine, healthy grapes are left to hang into the winter in the hope of a frost of at least -7 °C. If the grapes are harvested and pressed while frozen, the water remains as ice and only the highly concentrated must leaks outweinland-mosel.de. This results in a wine with a must weight similar to BA (at least 110° Oe)wine-concept.combut often with a more racy acidity, as there is no botrytis involved. Ice wines show crystal-clear fruit flavours and intense sweetness - real natural wines that are only produced in suitable winters.

Must weight and Oechsle: All these predicates are based on the natural sugar content of the grapes, measured in Degree Oechsle (°Oe). This German unit (invented by Ferdinand Oechsle) indicates how much heavier the grape must is compared to water - which essentially corresponds to the dissolved sugar contentsilkes-weinkeller.desilkes-weinkeller.de. The riper and more sugary the grapes, the higher the must weight and the higher the possible predicate levelwine-concept.comwine-concept.com. For example, the Prädikat wine level Kabinett on the Moselle starts at around 73° Oechsle, Spätlese at around 85°, Auslese around 95° etc.en.wikipedia.org. Important: The predicate says nothing about whether the wine dry or sweet is an indication of ripeness and quality, not flavour. For example, there are dry Spätlese wines (often labelled as "Spätlese trocken"), while Kabinett wines are often slightly sweet. Prädikat wines may not chaptalised, i.e. no sugar is addedwine-concept.com - They derive their alcohol exclusively from natural fruit sugar. However, the higher sweetness and extract fullness of the Prädikate wines make them predestined for residual sweet ageing methods that guarantee a long shelf life.

Flavours: dry, semi-dry, off-dry & Co.

In addition to the quality level, the decisive factor for wine drinkers is how dry or sweet is a wine. The flavour descriptions on the label help here:

• Dry: In Germany, a wine is considered dryif it contains a maximum of 4 grams of residual sugar per litre (or up to 9 g/L if the acidity is only a maximum of 2 g lower than the sugar)weinfreunde.de. In sensory terms, dry means that there is no perceptible residual sweetness - the wine appears fully fermented. Today, the majority of quality wines are vinified dry, especially red wines and many white wines in the premium segment.
• Semi-dry: Semi-dry wines have a somewhat noticeable residual sweetness, but according to the law they may only have 10-18 g/L residual sugar (more precisely: up to 12 g/L, in some cases up to 18 g/L depending on the acidity)weinfreunde.de. Semi-dry corresponds to the English off-dry or feinherb in the broader sense. These wines show a light, rounding sweetness, but are not clearly sweet. Many classic Mosel Rieslings in the Kabinett or Spätlese class used to be made semi-dry - they were considered good accompaniments to moderately flavoursome dishes.
• Lovely: This level refers to clearly sweet-tasting wines with 18 to 45 g/L sugar. In practice, such wines are often simply perceived as "sweet". For example, the predicate Auslese, unless otherwise stated, often corresponds to a sweet flavour (unless higher, noble sweet). Sweet wines go well with desserts or as a solo wine for lovers of pronounced sweetness.
• Sweet or noble sweet: Wines with more than 45 g/L residual sugar are considered sweet. Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and ice wines fall into this category - they are also referred to as Noble sweetas these high degrees of sweetness are usually achieved by noble rotten or frozen grapes. Noble sweet wines are dessert wines, often skilfully balanced by high acidity, and are enjoyed in small glasses.
• Off-dry: This term is not defined by wine law and yet very common - especially on the Moselle. Fine tart was originally introduced by Moselle winegrowers to avoid the somewhat dusty or negatively connotated term "semi-dry"weinfreunde.de. Today you can find off-dry on wine labels in almost all German wine-growing regionsweinfreunde.de. Basically, feinherb stands for a wine with a noticeable but harmoniously integrated residual sweetness, often just above the dry limit. The flavour of off-dry wines is usually in the range of a classic semi-dry wineweinfreunde.de - e.g. a Riesling with 12-20 g/L residual sugar, buffered by appropriate acidity, which is neither bone dry nor clearly sweet. Legally, a feinherber wine may also have more sugar as long as the designation is not misleadingweinfreunde.debut most winemakers use the term for wines between dry and semi-dry. Note: Fine tart = pleasantly mild residual sweetnessnever completely dry, but also not overly sweet - often just the right accompaniment to Asian cuisine or as a terrace wine.
• Classic / Selection: Two more terms from the German wine scene: Classic stands for a dry-aged regional grape variety with at least 12 % Alc, Selection (rare today) for high-quality dry wines from yield-limited cultivation. However, these terms are rather marketing-driven and not essential for understanding, which is why we only mention them here in passing.

Apart from those mentioned, there are often specific indications on labels, such as "fruity sweet" (often for sweet Kabinett/Spätlese), "noble sweet" (for BA/TBA/ice wine), or information such as "dry (sulphurised)" etc., but which correspond to the categories explained above. It is important to read the combination of predicate and flavour: A "Riesling Spätlese feinherb" from the Moselle, for example, indicates a medium-sweet wine made from late-harvested Riesling grapes - typically a light-footed wine with a fine interplay of sweetness and acidity.

To summarise: The German system may seem complex, but it offers the wine connoisseur very precise information about a wine. If you know the Location (place and vineyard), the Quality level/predicate and the Flavouryou can judge the wine quite well before you taste it. And in the Moselle region in particular, it is worth taking a closer look at the label, as all styles are produced here, from bone-dry quality wines to honey-sweet Trockenbeerenauslesen - often from the same grape variety, Riesling.

Wine sensory analysis and tasting: How to enjoy and describe wine

Knowledge about production, region and labelling is one side of the coin - the actual Tasting and savouring of wine the other. A true wine expert (or someone who wants to become one) should master the most important sensory terms and techniques in order to be able to judge and describe wines. In the following we look at the Wine language and some tips for savouring:

Sight - smell - taste: sensory terms

Colour and clarity: Even when pouring, the Colour Hints: a pale lemon yellow can indicate a light young white wine, a deep golden yellow can indicate maturity or ageing in wood; a purple shimmering red signals youth in red wine, whereas brick red indicates maturity. The Clarity The colour of the wine (brilliant, bright or cloudy) can indicate filtration and quality - high-quality wines are usually clear and shiny. When swirling, so-called Church windows or TearsThese are streaks that remain behind. They occur because alcohol evaporates faster than water and thus changes the surface tensionsilkes-weinkeller.de. Thick, slow "windows" indicate a extract-rich or high-alcohol winesilkes-weinkeller.desilkes-weinkeller.de. However, this should not be overrated - it is a visual indication, nothing more.

Bouquet (bouquet): The Scent of wine - sniffed in the glass - is called bouquet or bouquetsilkes-weinkeller.de. An experienced connoisseur can enjoy a wide variety of Flavours The flavours of the wine range from fruit aromas (e.g. citrus, apple, berries) to floral, herbal and spicy notes through to vanilla, smoke, earthy nuances, etc. These come either directly from the grape (Primary flavours such as fruits, flowers), are produced by fermentation (Secondary flavours such as yeast pastries, butter with malolactic fermentation, etc.) or by maturing in barrels/bottles (Tertiary flavours such as honey, nuts and petrol notes in mature Riesling). Smelling the wine is essential, as our sense of taste is significantly influenced by the nose. Experts often use terms such as expressive bouquet, fragrant-floral, spicy, mineral etc., to describe the flavour profile. For example, a Mosel Riesling can have a Bouquet of green apple, citrus and slate while a Pinot Noir has a Bouquet of red berries, violets and a delicate woody note exudes. Through Swivelling The bouquet unfolds more strongly when the wine is poured into the glass (which mixes the wine with oxygen) - which is why wine connoisseurs are often seen twirling their glasses.

Flavour and mouthfeel: If you take a sip, various components come together:

• Sweetness and acidity: Our tongue first perceives the balance of sweetness and acidity. A wine without noticeable sweetness (dry) can still taste fruity if the fruit flavours suggest "sweet" notes (e.g. ripe mango). The Acid is the backbone of white wine in particular: it provides freshness, structure and ensures that a wine alive works. Moselle wines - especially Rieslings - are known for their crisp, animating acidity, which never makes even sweet Spätlese wines taste sticky. A wine without sufficient acidity tastes flabby; a wine with too much acidity can come across as sharp or unrounded. Good wines have harmony here - for example, an Auslese whose high sweetness is balanced by appropriate acidity. By the way: Malolactic fermentation (malolactic fermentation) is a cellar process in which aggressive malic acid is converted into milder lactic acid - this results in softer, creamier winessilkes-weinkeller.de (common for almost all red wines and many Chardonnay/Weissburgunder, but rarely used for Riesling to preserve the typical acidity).
• Tannin and astringency: With red wines, the Tannin content a major role. Tannins are tannins from the berry skins, seeds and stems that are released into the wine during fermentationsilkes-weinkeller.de. They create the rough, furry feeling on the tongue and palate - the Astringencysilkes-weinkeller.de. Young, high-quality red wines often have strong tannins (think of a young Bordeaux), which become milder with ageing. Tannins also have a preservative effect and contribute to the ageing potential. In the description, one speaks of velvety, ripe tannins (pleasantly soft) or greenish, rough tannins (still undeveloped). White wines contain hardly any tannins (as they are fermented without skins), unless they are matured in wooden barrels with longer yeast ageing, which can introduce minimal tannins. In tastings, astringency is sometimes mistakenly equated with "dryness" - but dry correctly describes the lack of sugar, not the furry feeling. A high-tannin red wine can therefore taste dry and yet leave the mouth feeling completely parched.
• Body and extract: When wine professionals from the Body of a wine, they mean the Mouthfeel and weight of the wine on the palate - is it light, medium or full? This feeling is determined by the Extract content i.e. all dissolved substances other than water, alcohol and sugar. A wine rich in extract feels mouth-filling, dense and heavy, while a wine low in extract can appear watery and thinsilkes-weinkeller.de. Wines harvested late, noble sweet wines or red wines matured in wood often have a lot of extract and therefore a strong bodysilkes-weinkeller.de. You can feel this, for example, when you compare a young, light Müller-Thurgau with an oily, golden yellow Auslese Riesling: the latter almost "sticks" to the glass, forms stained glass windows and appears almost viscous on the palate. Body is also influenced by alcohol - alcohol intensifies the feeling of fullness, sweetness and warmth in the mouth. This is why a 13.5 %iger Pinot Gris tastes "fuller-bodied" than a 9 %iger Kabinett Riesling, although the latter can certainly have high extract. In tasting notes you can read, for example, "slender, light body" or "opulent, full body with a lot of melting". Melting by the way, is a creamy-soft, almost oily mouthfeel, often the result of yeast ageing or botrytis (typical of a noble sweet Beerenauslese, for example).
• Finish (reverberation): After you have swallowed or spit out the wine, the Flavours in the aftertaste still present for a while - that is the Departure or aftertaste. The length of the finish is an important quality criterion: high-quality wines often linger for many seconds, sometimes minutes. The flavour of simpler wines disappears quickly. In wine terminology, the length of the finish is sometimes measured in Caudalies (units of seconds): 1 Caudalie = 1 second of reverberationsilkes-weinkeller.de. Great growths or noble sweet wines can reach 20-30 caudalies, which is very longsilkes-weinkeller.de. But it's not just about length, but also about the quality of the aftertaste: is there a nice fruit, minerality or spice in the aftertaste? Or is there something disturbing such as bitterness (sometimes caused by unripe tannins or too much toasting in the barrique)? A Pleasantly long, aromatic finish with clearly defined flavours is a sign of a well-balanced wine. For example, a Mosel Riesling Spätlese can have a long mineral and fruity aftertaste of apricot and slate, while a simple country wine may flatten out after just a few seconds.
• Balance: One term that encompasses all components is the Harmony or balance. A wine is balanced when no element (acidity, sweetness, tannin, alcohol, flavour) stands out inappropriately. In a tasting, you look for this balance. An excellent wine, for example, integrates high alcohol in such a way that you only feel warmth, but no burnt flavour. Or it has sweetness and acidity in perfect harmony, so that the wine tastes neither boringly sweet nor tiringly sour. Balance is often also a question of personal preference, but in wine evaluation the following applies: the better the structural elements intertwine, the higher a wine is rated.

Wine faults: Unfortunately, alongside all the beautiful flavours, there are also possible Missing notesthat indicate wine defects. A common defect is the Cork flavour (caused by a contaminated natural cork, smells musty and mouldy like wet cardboard)silkes-weinkeller.de. Other wine faults are Volatile acid in too high a concentration (odour of vinegar or glue)silkes-weinkeller.de, Oxidation (wine smells of sherry, nuts, colour - happens with too much air contact in the bottle) or Brettanomyces-notes (a yeast fungus that can cause animal/"horse stable" odours). Such faults spoil the enjoyment. A wine lover should learn to recognise them. Important: If a wine has a fault (e.g. is corked), this has nothing to do with personal taste - it is objectively a defect. Fortunately, serious faults are rare in modern wines, and good winegrowers and merchants make sure that only flawless bottles reach the customer.

Tips for drinking and savouring wine

Finally, some practical tips on how to enjoy wine to the full - because knowledge is one thing, sensual enjoyment is another:

• Serving temperature: Every wine has an ideal temperature window. The general rule is: serve white wines cooler, red wines at a more moderate temperature. Light white wines (Mosel Riesling Kabinett, for example) taste freshest at approx. 8-10 °C, strong white wines (Barrique Chardonnay) may be served at 12 °C. Light red wines (a young Pinot Noir) should be drunk at approx. 14-16 °C, heavy red wines (Bordeaux, Barolo) at 18 °C room temperature. White wines that are too warm appear alcoholic and broad, red wines that are too cold appear hard and closed. So take white wine out of the fridge in good time and chill red wine slightly in summer. Rule of thumb: it is better to pour a little cooler, as wine warms up quickly in the glass.
• Choice of glass: Use tulip-shaped wine glasses that taper slightly at the top. This allows the flavours to collect in the glass and you can swirl well without spilling too much. Large red wines benefit from bulbous glasses (Bordeaux or Burgundy goblets), aromatic white wines come into their own in slightly smaller glasses. And yes - the glass makes a difference! A Riesling from a high-quality, thin-walled glass often shows much more nuance than from a water glass.
• Decanting and decanting: Allowing young, tannin-rich red wines to breathe can open up their flavours and soften the tannins. This is called Decanting - Decant the wine into a bulbous carafe to bring it into contact with oxygen. When decanted 1-2 hours in advance, some red wines show a significantly more bouquet. Decanting in the narrower sense means carefully separating an aged wine from its sediment. Older vintage ports or mature unfiltered red wines should be decanted so that the glass remains free of bitter substances from the sediment. Please note: Not every wine needs to be decanted - fresh, fruity white wines or fine matured Rieslings can also lose their flavour if they are exposed to too much air. If in doubt, experience helps: try the wine from the freshly opened bottle and decide whether air is good for it.
• Wine and food: An area that fills its own books, but a few classic Pairing-Wisdoms should be mentioned. Basic principle: Acidity in wine goes perfectly with fat and salt in food - so a juicy Mosel Riesling Kabinett and a creamy goat's cheese or quiche make a great marriage. Sweetness in wine softens spiciness in food - a tart to sweet-sweet Riesling is legendary with Asian dishes with chilliweinland-mosel.de. Red wine with red meat, white wine with fish - an old rule with exceptions, but a tannin-rich red wine tends to go well with steak (protein buffers tannin), whereas a delicate fish would be overwhelmed by a heavy red wine (in this case, a fine fruity Elbling or Pinot Blanc is preferable). Desserts require at least equally sweet wine: for dessert, Beerenauslese or ice wine - or you contrast, e.g. noble sweet wine with salty blue cheese, which often works brilliantlyweinland-mosel.de. Regional often goes well with regional: a hearty Moselle sauerbraten, for example, harmonises with a Pinot Noir from the Upper Moselle, the Moselle-typical Herringsschiss (creamed herring fillet with jacket potatoes) goes surprisingly well with a fine, tangy Spätlese. Ultimately, personal taste is important - whatever tastes good is allowed.
• Storage of wine: An expert topic - here only briefly: Store wines in a cool (10-15 °C), dark place at an even temperature, ideally with a little humidity. Bottles with cork stoppers should lie flat (so that the cork remains moist). Many simple wines are made for quick consumption and do not improve through long storage - but high-quality Rieslings from the Mosel, for example, can easily mature for 10-20 years and gain complexity (a so-called Petrol flavour that connoisseurs appreciate). Observe the development of your wines over the years - this trains the palate and is a pleasure.

At the end of this comprehensive journey through the world of wine - especially that of the Moselle - you may be equipped with a wealth of technical terms and contexts. From the Vineyard (location) ins Glass, from Vine until BouquetWine combines agriculture, craftsmanship, culture and sensual pleasure. With the knowledge imparted here, you will be equipped to understand wines better, select them more carefully and enjoy them more consciously. Cheers - and good luck on your further journey to becoming a wine expert (or even beyond)! hermeswein.deweinland-mosel.de