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[Scoop]

Dead-on, Quijote! Perfectly translated.

I've found nothing but an upside knowing/having learned another language.

To build on IK's explanation, "kabinett" is generally the lightest, most delicate of the "Praedikats" ("distinctions" or "special attributes") -- and, correspondingly, the lowest in grape sugar content among them. Alcohol levels therefore tend to be comparatively very low, sometimes as low as 7% (or so). These can be made in many styles, from dry to sweet, but for my taste, I prefer them in "trocken" (dry) or "halbtrocken" (off dry) versions. I'm also referring mainly to Riesling here, which is king of the German QmP (and kabinett) wines. Those from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer tend to be the most delicate and floral (think elder flower), with some nice mineral (like slate) underneath. Those from the Rheingau and the Pfalz get a bit riper, and are more robust, full of stone fruit flavors, yet equally expressive of the local soils (a great Riesling characteristic).

Worthy of note: To earn the "distinction", be it kabinett, spaetlese, auslese, etc., there can be no added sugar to "enrich" the grape must in order to up the alcohol content, a common practice in such northerly climates. In other words, the grapes have to earn the distinctions all by themselves! This is process is allowed for the base category of "quality wine produced in a specific region" ("Qualitaetswein bestimmter Anbauregion" or QbA), however, which means that many QbAs can end up with higher sugar levels in the must, and therefore more alcohol than its more "distinctive" kabinett cousin.

That's probably "TMI", but the question was asked!

Finally, only Germany and Austria have these quality distictions based on sugar content in the (expanding) European Union, but their overall classification systems do conform to the broad categories spelled out in EU legislation: (from top to bottom) Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (e.g. AOC, DOC, QbA-QmP), Table Wine with Geographic Indication (e.g. Vin de Pays,IGT, Landwein), Table Wine (e.g. Vin de Table, Vino de la Tavola, Tafelwein).

O.K., that's enough.

Cheers,

Scoop