Which Prädikatswein level is associated with extremely late harvest and is typically very sweet?

• A. Kabinett
• B. Spätlese
• C. Auslese
• D. Trockenbeerenauslese

Answer: (D)

In Prädikatswein, the level of sweetness is tied to how ripe the grapes are when harvested, measured by the sugar (must weight) in the grape juice. When grapes are picked only after they have become extremely ripe and shriveled on the vine, the resulting must is highly concentrated in sugar. This leads to wines that are intensely sweet and long-lived. The extreme end of this process is Trockenbeerenauslese, made from individually selected dried berries that have shriveled, often with noble rot contributing to concentration. The result is a wine of extraordinary sweetness, remarkable richness, and very limited production. The other levels—Kabinett, Spätlese, and Auslese—come from progressively riper fruit but do not reach the same level of dehydration and sugar concentration as Trockenbeerenauslese, so they’re typically less sweet and produced in larger quantities.