German winemaking term
How to pronounce Spätlese
Spätlese is pronounced SHPAYT-lay-zuh, written /ˈʃpɛːtleːzə/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet. The stress falls on SHPAYT.
SHPAYT-lay-zuh
IPA /ˈʃpɛːtleːzə/
What is Spätlese?
A German Prädikat (quality designation) meaning late harvest, indicating grapes picked after the normal harvest at higher ripeness levels. Spätlese wines can range from dry to sweet, with greater body and intensity than Kabinett. Riesling Spätlese is particularly celebrated for its balance of fruit richness and refreshing acidity.
The name means “Late harvest” in German.
Tips for saying it
Often heard as SPAYT-lay-zuh.
In German, sp at the start of a word sounds like shp: SHPAYT-lay-zuh.
Often heard as SHPAT-lay-zuh.
The ä in Spätlese is a long, open ay-like vowel, not a short a: SHPAYT-lay-zuh.
Often heard as SHPAYT-lays.
Keep the final e as a soft uh, and let the s before it buzz like z: SHPAYT-lay-zuh.
Related pronunciations
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