Draft:Federweisser

Federweißer from Baden

Partially fermented Grape Must (Federweisser) is not a wine, but a grape juice pressed from white or red grape varieties whose alcoholic fermentation has begun.

Regional terms

In the wine regions of the German-speaking world, there are various names for the EU's existing Community sales designation of partly fermented grape must, which sometimes includes different stages of ripeness. They often refer to the colour or sensations on the tongue, in the head or in the digestive area. In Germany, a distinction is made between Federweißem (made from white grape must) and Federrotem (made from red grape must), while in Austria all colour variants of the partially fermented grape must are called Sturm. In parts of south-west Germany, Franconian wine-growing regions, German-speaking Switzerland and South Tyrol it is called Suser or Sauser, on the Hessische Bergstrasse and in Rheinhessen it is called Rauscher, and in the Palatinate, it is usually called Neier Woi/Wei ("new wine") or Bitzler. In Franconia, the first fermentation stages, which are still sweet, are called Bremser. Elsewhere, names such as junger Wein, Riser, Krätzer, neuer Süßer, Staubiger or Gestaubter are common. In Italy it is called Vino Nuovo ("new wine"), in French-speaking countries vin bourru (grumpy wine). In the Czech Republic it is called burčák [burt͡ʃa:k] (bouře = storm - analogy to Austria), in Slovakia burčiak, in Luxembourgish it is called Fiederwäissen and in Hungary Murci.

Differences in the German-speaking world

Germany

In Germany, Federweißer, Neuer Wein and Bitzler are the most common generic terms. Federweißer is made from white grape must, and the Federroter variant is from red grape must. The next stage before the finished fermented wine is called young wine for all grape varieties.

Around the middle of the 19th century, the German Dictionary of the Brothers Grimm suggested that the name Federweißer was derived from the old term Federweiß for alum, which was previously added to wine as a preservative. However, as such agents are only added at later stages of maturation, it is now assumed that the yeast cells, which Federweißer contains as a suspended matter as any partially fermented grape must, gave it its name due to its feather-white colour. In German, the word is declined like "der Weiße", i.e. “man trinkt den Federweißen”.

Austria

In Austria, the terms Federweißer, Federroter, Neuer Wein and Bitzler are not used. According to Austrian wine law, partially fermented grape must, regardless of colour, be called Sturm and there are several regional specialities with their own names:

In Styria, the cloudy pink to violet-coloured Schilchersturm is produced. This partially fermented grape must is made from the Blauer Wildbacher grape variety, which is traditionally used to make the rosé wine Schilcher.

In eastern Austria, a distinction is also made between Staubigen or Gestaubten, which represents the next stage of maturity from Sturm to Heurigen.

In southern Burgenland, Uhudler, a light red to rosé-coloured blended wine made from certain grape varieties, is also offered in its early stages as (white, red or rosé) Uhudlersturm.

In Austria, it is customary not to say "cheers" ("Prost") when drinking the "Sturm". If the grape juice has not yet fermented, "Mahlzeit" or "Krixikraxi" is said instead. Anyone who disregards this must "buy a round" as a punishment. The glasses of the "unbaptised" storm are held in the left hand and not clinked. Only when the grape juice has fully fermented and the wine has been "baptised", which is the case from St Martin's Day (11 November) onwards, may "Prost" be said.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, both the white and red versions of partially fermented grape must are usually called Sauser. Federweisser does not refer to partially fermented grape must, but to white wine or sparkling wine made from red grapes, i.e. Blanc de Noirs.

Production

Grape varieties

In early autumn in particular, some fermented grape must is produced from early-ripening grape varieties such as Bacchus, Ortega or Siegerrebe specifically for consumption at this stage; large-scale producers sometimes also use must from southern Europe, which is delivered in tankers. As autumn approaches and grapes ripen, any grape variety can be used. Red varieties are mainly produced in classic red wine regions such as the Ahr, but also in other wine-growing regions. Early-ripening red varieties such as Frühburgunder or Dornfelder are particularly suitable.

Fermentation

Grape must begins to ferment quite quickly due to the naturally occurring or added yeast and depending on the storage temperature. During this process, the sugars glucose and fructose from the grapes are broken down into alcohol and carbon dioxide (glycolysis and fermentation). As a rule, only grapes that do not have the potential to be fermented into a high-quality, storable Prädikat wine are processed into partially fermented grape must.

Marketing

Partially fermented grape must can be sold from an alcohol content of around 4%. It continues to ferment until most of the sugar it contains has been converted into alcohol and then has an alcohol content of around 11%.

Due to the rapid progression of fermentation, partially fermented grape must can only be stored for a short time, even when refrigerated and should be used up after a few days. Because new carbon dioxide is constantly being produced, the containers must not be sealed airtight, otherwise they would burst. As the open containers could only be stored upright and fermentation could not be delayed due to a lack of effective cooling, transport over longer distances was not possible in the past. Partially fermented grape must was therefore known almost exclusively in the wine-growing regions.

This is where it is still sold directly by winegrowers on the street today, as well as where most of the early wine festivals took place, some of which are known as "Bitzlerfeste" in the Palatinate, for example. The two largest German events of this kind, at which the partially fermented grape must plays a role alongside the matured grape must and which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, are the German Grape Harvest Festival in Neustadt an der Weinstraße with the election of the German Wine Queen and the Federweißen Festival in Landau in der Pfalz, at which the new vintage is christened.

Depending on the start of the grape harvest, partially fermented grape must is available in shops and restaurants from the beginning of September to the end of October. By storing harvested grapes in a cool place and processing them later, some winegrowers extend the sales period into November or even December. In Austria, the wine law states that Sturm may be sold from 1 August to 31 December and must have an alcohol content of at least 1%.

Consumption

Due to the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, partially fermented grape must tastes quite fizzy, initially like a kind of grape lemonade or a sweet sparkling wine. As long as there is still plenty of sugar present, its sweetness masks the alcohol that has already been produced, so that it is absorbed into the body relatively unnoticed when drunk. This is why the intoxicating effect of this drink is often only recognised after a delay or not at all. Varieties made from blue grapes always taste slightly more bitter than white varieties produced in the same way due to their higher tannic acid content. Partially fermented grape must also contains lactic acid bacteria and a high proportion of vitamins B1 and B2. It has a strong effect on the function of the intestine, especially on its peristalsis.