🏷️ Hock

Hock is a traditional term for German wine listed in the EU register of traditional terms. According to the register, it is a white wine with a protected geographical indication (PGI) from the Rhine wine-growing zone, with residual sugar in the "medium sweet" range, which under EU labelling rules means roughly 12–45 g/l. The register also gives the history of the word: Hock is the traditional Anglo-American name for Rhine wine and goes back to the place name Hochheim, on the Main in the Rheingau wine-growing zone.

So Hock is neither a grape variety nor a region, but a label name for a simpler white PGI wine. It differs from Liebfraumilch in level: Liebfraumilch is a PDO quality wine, while Hock is a PGI wine. Do not confuse the term with the tall, slim bottle that is also called a hock bottle.

Why it matters to you. The word Hock on a label means a white, noticeably sweet wine from the Rhine, not a dry one. Like any wine, it contains alcohol: according to the WHO, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.