What is the second level of ripeness in Germany's Prädikatswein system?

In Germany's Prädikatswein system, the second level of ripeness is indeed Spätlese. This designation indicates that the grapes have been harvested later than the standard harvest time and have achieved a higher degree of ripeness than those classified as Kabinett.

Spätlese wines usually exhibit more pronounced flavor characteristics, higher sugar levels, and can also produce wines with a greater depth of complexity compared to Kabinett. Typically, Spätlese wines are characterized by a good balance of sweetness and acidity, allowing them to be enjoyed both young and after some aging.

Kabinett represents the first level of ripeness in this system, and while it also produces high-quality wines, the grapes are picked earlier and result in lighter styles. Auslese, which follows Spätlese, designates even riper grapes that often lead to richer and sweeter wines, sometimes including botrytis-affected fruit. Beerenauslese is a higher category that involves selective harvesting of overripe grapes, usually affected by noble rot, resulting in very sweet dessert wines. Hence, Spätlese marks an important step in the spectrum of ripeness within the Prädikatswein classification.