Declassification of German Pradikat wines

A little help please. I have been a devoted fan of German Riesling for many years and since joining this forum I am still learning more than I ever thought. I joined in February and really enjoy the posts, tasting notes and conversation. Could someone please explain to me or send me a link about what "declassification" is, and what it is to the layman?

Thanks
Michael

The German pradikat system is based on minimum must weights. So, when grapes come in at a certain must weight that is usually Auslese, but is the lightest wine available that year, it may be labeled as kabinett. Since the regulations are only minimums, I guess it is technically not declassification. But, you get the point.

What Rahsaan said.

The German Praedikat standards merely set a minimum must weight (specific gravity for the unfermented grape juice--more or less equivalent to a measure of the sugar content). The rules don't set a maximum. So a producer could, if he wished, take grape must that assays at 150 degrees oeschle (enough for TBA) and release it as Kabinett. Or even just QbA. That would be perfectly legal. In practice it never happens, since a vast premium price can be charged if it's labeled as Trockenbeerenauslese vs. Kabinett.

But you do find producers who will release wine from must legally entitled to the designation Spaetlese as Kabinett, or Auslese as Spaetlese, etc. Sometimes, if the botrytis level isn't up to expectations, or if it's vinified drier than might be expected, this "declassification" is justified.

IMO, there's more to the flavor profile that I mentally expect when I see "Kabinett" or "Spaetlese" or "Auslese" on a label than just the specific gravity of the raw must from which the wine was produced. It's just as unwelcome to find an overripe and overly sweet wine that I bought expecting "Kabinett" as it is to get something too unripe and dry when buying "Auslese". The German Praedikat laws help guard against this last problem, but do nothing to help the former.

Must weight can be a useful guideline in producing various styles of German wine. Unfortunately, the German wine laws have turned it into a goal, when it's supposed to be just a tool and indicator.

-Paul W.

[David M. Bueker]

So a producer could, if he wished, take grape must that assays at 150 degrees oeschle (enough for TBA) and release it as Kabinett. Or even just QbA. That would be perfectly legal. In practice it never happens, since a vast premium price can be charged if it's labeled as Trockenbeerenauslese vs. Kabinett.

While I haven't had any "TBA eligible" kabinetts, I have had many regular auslesen that were technically BA or TBA and thus commanded no price premium. I've had several BA sold as spatlesen as well.

There's a ton to say on this topic and the 1971 German wine law, but I don't have time for a full treatment now. I will try to write something up later and post it here.

[David M. Bueker]

Try this for starters:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9885&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=primer

Thanks for the reminder David. An excellent write-up I had forgotten about. I must drink up some of my elderly German wines, so many good wines out there on the shelf these days!!