🏷️ Oechsle scale

Oechsle degrees are a German measure of the sweetness of grape juice. They are measured by density: juice with sugar is heavier than water. The scale was devised by the German craftsman Ferdinand Oechsle in the early 19th century. For example, 90 degrees Oechsle is about 210 grams of sugar per litre of juice.

Measuring is simple: an instrument called a hydrometer is lowered into the juice, and one sees how deep it sinks. The denser the juice, the higher the number. The scale is used in Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Austria uses a similar scale called KMW, but the numbers differ.

Oechsle degrees determine the categories of German wines: they separate Prädikatswein, wines with marks such as Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese. The higher the value, the riper and sweeter the grapes. The scale is part of wine classification. It shows not quality but the ripeness and sugar level of the original juice from which the wine is made.