Wine from Germany

Germany is above all a country of fresh, precisely shaped white wines, although red wine has gained considerable importance in recent decades. Vineyards are concentrated mainly in the west, along the Rhine and its tributaries; Rhineland-Palatinate alone contains six of the thirteen official quality-wine regions, or Anbaugebiete. With roughly 104,000 hectares of vines, Germany is not large by area, yet it offers remarkable stylistic diversity. White wine accounts for about two thirds of production.

Riesling is the benchmark grape. In the Mosel, where steep slate slopes surround places such as Brauneberg, it often produces light, racy wines with lime, green apple, peach and a distinctive mineral note. The Rheingau is associated with more structured Riesling, while Nahe and Rheinhessen can unite breadth with finesse. The warmer Pfalz generally gives riper, more powerful dry whites. Silvaner from Franken, often bottled in the distinctive Bocksbeutel, also merits attention for its savoury, herbal and earthy character.

Beyond Riesling, Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder and Müller-Thurgau are important white varieties. Baden, Pfalz and Rheinhessen frequently make textured Pinot-family whites, while Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are increasingly planted. Spätburgunder, Germany’s name for Pinot Noir, is the leading red grape. Baden, Ahr and Pfalz are key sources, producing wines from light and red-fruited to serious, oak-aged examples with ageing potential.

German wine law distinguishes Deutscher Wein, Landwein, Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein. Within Prädikatswein, terms such as Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese traditionally refer to grape must weight at harvest, rather than guaranteeing sweetness in the finished wine. Terms including trocken, halbtrocken and feinherb are therefore especially useful to drinkers. Expect vivid acidity, transparent regional character and an exceptional range from dry wines to noble sweet styles.