Kabinett? Spatlese? Auslese? Qualitatswein mit Pradikat and German Wine labels.

German wine labels carry an indication of the quality of the wine from table wines, or “Tafelwein”, to Qba or Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete to Qualitätswein mit Prädikat and the noble sweet wines called Trockenbeerenauslese. Harald Ziegler of Weingut August Ziegler in the Pfalz explains the system.

Video Text:

Qualitätswein mit Prädikat means “Graded Quality Wine”. The grade of the quality wine is is mentioned together with the grape variety. Grape variety: Rieslaner. Grade of the quality wine: Auslese, “grape selection”.

In Germany we have three different quality levels. Three groups; the first group is our table wines these are the basic. The second we have quality wines which means in German Qualitätswein.

And with these quality wines we have to define the wine growing region where it is produced. So it means “Quality wines BA” Qualitätswein BA Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebieteone. Ba is sending for the wine-growing area where the wine was produced.

The third group are quality wines, graded quality wines and we have different grades. The lowest grade is Kabinett wines then we’ll have Spätlese which means late harvest then we’ll have Auslese wines which means “grape-selection” and the next level is Beerenauslese and then Trockenbeerenauslese.

The most important thing between these three groups is that you can chaptalize the wines of the first two groups. That means you can add sugar to get a higher alcohol content, whereas the third group these graded quality wines and they are not allowed to chaptalize – it’s not allowed to add sugar it’s the pure grape juice which ferments.