Ripeness ≠ sweetness
Germany's traditional Prädikat grades the ripeness (must weight) of the grapes at harvest. Higher Prädikat = riper grapes — but a ripe wine can be fermented dry or sweet.
KABINETT
lightest
SPÄTLESE → AUSLESE
riper
BA / EISWEIN / TBA
rare, intensely sweet
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Find dry
Trocken = dry; Halbtrocken / feinherb = off-dry. So a 'Spätlese trocken' is a ripe but dry wine, while a plain 'Spätlese' may be off-dry/sweet.