German wine

Whether you're savouring a refreshing Riesling with a mineral edge, an aromatic Spätburgunder, or indulging in a top tier sparkling or sweet wine, German wines are a treasure of delights. Mosel wines and Rheingau wines, for example, have a worldwide fame of producing some of the best wines of the world.

Best of wines: specialist in exclusive German wines

At Best of Wines, you have come to the right place if you are looking for exclusive German wines. Best of Wines has a very large stock of these wines from Germany, especially wines from Mosel, wines from Rheingau, Baden and Nahe region. These are some of the most renowned wine regions in the country. But other areas like, amongst others, Franken, Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Ahr also produce magnificent wines.

Wineries such as listed below are among the absolute best wines in Germany and their wines are much loved worldwide.

• Egon Muller: The sweet wines from Egon Müller (BA, TBA) are regarded as one of the best Riesling wines from Germany. This winery produces incredible wines of astonishing quality, such as the  Schartzhof Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule 2015, which received the perfect score of 100 points.
• Weingut Keller: The vineyards count 20 hectares, 70% are Grosses Gewächs vineyards, amongst others the world famous vineyards Hubacker and Kirchspiel, Morstein and Abtserde. Riesling wines are the best from Weingut Keller, but beautiful wines are also made of silvaner, grauburgunder, spätburgunder and scheurebe.
• Fritz Haag: Fritz Haag is among the Moselle's classic producers, records mention a history as early as 1605. Fritz Haag's iconic vintages are: 2007, 2011, 2017, 2019 and 2021. In these years some wines were awarded 100 Parker Points.
• Markus Molitor: Markus Molitor's motto is: Meticulous and uncompromising manual labour in the vineyard and cellar, due respect for the natural products grape and wine. The wines repeatedly score the highest scores by renowned wine reviewers.

The history of wines from Germany

Germany boasts an illustrious history of winemaking that stretches back millennia, influenced by the Romans and regulated by Charlemagne in the 8th century. In the 19th century German wines, particularl those from the Mosel and Rhine regions were highly esteemed.

The Riesling grape variety has been at the heart of winemaking since the 15th century. While vineyards were once abundant in Germany they faced challenges from changing climates and competition from beer and foreign wines. However Riesling experienced a resurgence in the 1990s becoming the grape variety in Germany with over 60% market share. This revival, known as the "Riesling Renaissance " was driven by a growing preference for high quality wines.

The accidental discovery of spätlese wine in 1775 brought a chapter to German winemaking. The term "Kabinett" is believed to have originated from monks who stored their wines in a part of their cellar known as the Cabinet.

German Eiswein or ice wine traces its roots back to Dromersheim in 1830 when frozen grapes were pressed to produce an distinctive wine. Initially disregarded for their quality these grapes were later harvested during winter, for livestock feed.
Surprisingly when they squeezed those grapes they turned into a sweet and flavorful juice leading to the discovery of ice wine.

Back, in 1872 European vineyards were devastated by phylloxera, a pest from North America. The solution came through grafting vines onto American rootstock; however this led to the loss of many native grape varieties. Subsequently European viticulture suffered setbacks during the World Wars resulting in a reduction in vineyard area. Following World War I, the global demand for wines. Took years to bounce back. Moreover Alsace Lorraine, Germanys largest wine region, officially became part of France in 1919. It is now known for its exquisite aromatic and spicy white wines.

After World War II the German Wine Institute was established as "Deutsche Weinwerbung GmbH" (German Wine Promotion) with a mission to revive Germanys winemaking heritage. Their dedication and hard work earned German wines recognition.

In a turn of events in 2001 in Germany; wine surpassed beer in popularity for the time ever. Germans began allocating a portion of their budget to wine, than beer.

The intricate and sometimes confusing labels, on wine bottles have made it challenging for them to gain the right recognition. Furthermore there are still those who link German wine with the quality of the slightly sweet wines of the 1970s and 1980s. However an increasing number of wine enthusiasts are beginning to appreciate the currentquality of wines. As perceptions shift and evolve German wines are starting to receive the recognition they truly deserve.

Among the grape varieties grown in Germany Spätburgunder—known globally as Pinot Noir—stands out as the widely cultivated red grape. It ranks third in terms of plantings trailing behind the Riesling and the consistently strong Müller Thurgau grape.

Grape varieties in Germany

Riesling, the grape that Germany is known for makes up more, than a fifth of all grape varieties grown in the country. It is famous for its scents offering fruity or floral aromas and often has an acidity that can be balanced with some added sweetness. In Germany there are types of Riesling grapes to discover including the less common red Riesling (Roter Riesling).

Spätburgunder, also called Pinot Noir is the most important red grape variety in Germany. Whether its from a location or not Spätburgunder wines from Germany are known for their refined qualities. The traditional German Spätburgunder tends to be lighter in color and body with tannins. However richer and darker Spätburgunder wines with tannin levels are also quite popular.

Silvaner has been a part of Germanys wine tradition, for close to four hundred years. Accounts for around 7% of the countrys total wine output. Its sometimes playfully dubbed as "Dracula Wine" because of its color that changes with age. Silvaner is a wine with a gentle acidity and it truly shines when enjoyed fresh.

Eiswein is crafted from grapes is known for its light, sweet and honey like taste profile often highlighting fruity or floral notes. The alcohol content in Eiswein typically falls between 7% to 12% making it a perfect choice as a dessert accompaniment.

Müller Thurgau, a hybrid grape variety created in the 19th century by crossing white Riesling and Madeleine Royale grapes is a more recent addition, to Germanys vineyards. While some experts may find it too mild and sweet many enjoy its sweetness with hints of fruity peach aromas and lower acidity levels. Müller Thurgau is best savored while still young.

Terroir of German wines

Germany, being situated as one of the most northernwine regions globally is classified as having a " cool climate" and ideal for wine production. The warming impact of the Gulf Stream on Western Europes climate is essential for grapes to ripen in this area. However Germany faces challenges due to its climate and weather conditions that differ from those encountered by winemakers in Mediterranean regions. Firstly Germany receives less sunlight during the growing season compared to southern wine regions. Secondly summer precipitation in Germany is concentrated and decreases during the ripening phase. In contrast southern Europe experiences summers with increased rainfall to harvest time. Additionally the frost free periods are shorter in Germany with lower monthly temperatures. These climatic factors lead to a slower ripening process for grapes allowing them to absorb nutrients from the soil and resulting in fruity wines with well structured acidity that age gracefully.

In Germany grapes are cultivated in a variety of soil types. The variety of soil types and structures found in vineyard substrata is greatly influenced by climatic factors. These factors play a role, in shaping the characteristics of different vineyard locations. Not all grape varieties thrive in every type of soil. As a result Germanys diverse range of soil types contributes to the production of a variety of wines with flavors.

Wine regions and characteristis in Germany

The best conditions, for growing grapes in Germany can be found on slopes facing south or southwest in sheltered valleys like those near the Rhine River and its tributaries as the Elbe, Saale and Unstrut rivers. Sloped terrain benefits from sunlight exposure than areas, especially south facing slopes that receive longer periods of sunshine.

In the regions such as Baden, Württemberg and parts of Pfalz there is a focus on red wines, particularly Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) and Blaufränkisch. The Ahr region is known for its Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder).

Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Nahe and the Mosel Valley are famous, for producing high quality Riesling wines. Some of the worlds best Rieslings come from these regions.

Sachsen and Saale Unstrut are renowned for their Pinot Blanc wines.

Wine labels in Germany

A German wine label offers a comprehensive overview of the wine it represents. Unlike many other wines that may only mention the producer, vintage, region, grape type, and country, German labels go a step further, disclosing the wine's quality tier, grape variety, vineyard of origin, and even offering insights into its style and taste profile.

Here are the eight categories that (should) appear on almost every wine label.

1. Producer / bottler
2. Vintage
3. Village and Vineyard
4. Grape variety
5. Quality classifications
6. Level of ripeness
7. Degree of dryness
8. APR number

Understanding ripeness: trocken and halbtrocken

The label also includes information regarding ripeness and dryness, which provides insights into the wine's style as well as its taste. It's essential to distinguish dryness levels from ripeness categories, as a wine can be characterized as dry, without taking the ripeness of the grape at consideration at harvest.

Dryness
The cellar master determines the wine's style or amount of dryness, which is independent of grape varietal. German wine legulation has defined a couple of fundamental styles to express the degree of dryness (or as you can also call it sweetness) in a still wine. The most common of these styles are "Trocken" and "Halbtrocken’’:

German Trocken wine is a label denoting a "dry" taste profile, signifying the absence of significant residual sugar. In the German language, "Trocken" translates to "dry," and it serves as a crucial indicator for those in search of wines with minimal sweetness. The hallmark of Trocken wine lies in its dry taste, which is attained through the fermentation of grape juice until a substantial portion of the sugar is transformed into alcohol. Consequently, Trocken wines typically contain minimal residual sugar, typically less than 9 grams per liter.

Halbtrocken ("Half Dry" or "Off-Dry")

German halbtrocken wines, which translates to half dry or off dry, are frequently recognized for their elevated acidity, even within fruitier variations. The sugar content in Halbtrocken wines is strictly regulated by law, requiring a minimum of 10 grams of residual sugar per liter more than the acidity, with an upper limit of 18 grams per liter. To enhance the perception of semi-dry wines, the term "Feinherb" was introduced as an alternative to "Halbtrocken," and its usage is steadily gaining popularity.

Measuring Ripeness
The amount of sugar in grape juice, known as "must," is an important measure of ripeness. Must is the newly crushed or pressed juice extracted from grapes prior wine fermentation. This measurement, known as "must weight," is obtained using a specialized device known as a hydrometer. The must weight rating enables the determination of the potential alcohol content of the final wine, making it a vital factor for classifying wines into their respective quality categories. In essence, to qualify for a specific quality category, grapes must achieve a minimum initial must weight.

German Prädikatsweine

When dealing with Prädikatswein, the label must indicate one of the following six denominations, which convey method as well as the ripeness at harvest. From the least ripe to the most ripe these are:

• Kabinett - These wines are crafted from fully ripe grapes picked during the normal harvest time.
• Spätlese ("late harvest") – The German wine classification denoting wines made from fully ripe grapes. It represents the lightest and most delicate among the late harvest wine categories.
• Auslese ("select harvest") - This wine is prepared where the grapes that are highly ripe are selected by hand.
• Beerenauslese (German for "berry select harvest") – Where the grapes are selected by an individual at the time that they mostly damaged by as they call it ‘noble rot’. They are a rare find, collected only in rare weather conditions, and are renowned for their durability and capacity to mature for decades.
• Trockenbeerenauslese ("dry berry select harvest") - Referred to as "TBA," are meticulously produced and also selected for their or "botrytized" (noble rot) grapes. This elite category exemplifies the highest level of sweetness and richness in these exceptional wines, offering unparalleled quality and aging potential.
• Eiswein ("ice wine") – The wine is made from the same ripeness level as the grapes used for Beerenauslese. But the difference here is that they are harvested, as the names ice also explains it, when they are frozen. Therefore, the weather that year is important for the perfect conditions of the ice wine. These wines are truly unique.

Classifications of German wines

The framework of quality classifications and the control on the assessment of quality plays a pivotal role in German wine legislation. According to German wine law, producers are obliged to specify the wine's quality on the label, and each category ensures specific minimum quality criteria.

The quality of German wines falls in one of these four categories:

• Deutscher Wein: representing Germany's table wine, and it encompasses wines made only from grapes cultivated within Germany. They must have a minimum alcohol percentage by volume (which is 8.5%) and not exceeding 15%. They should also have an minimal acidity level of 3.5 g/l.
• Landwein: The grapes from this category need to have at least a minimum of 85% from the region (or landwein) specified on the label. They are usually crafted in a dry or off-dry style, which is called Trocken or Halbtrocken in Germany.
• Qualitätswein: Wines granted an origin-protected label.
• Prädikatswein: Wines granted an origin-protected label.

Wines granted an origin-protected label
To qualify as such, these wines must be entirely sourced within one of Germany’s wine growing areas and be from a single district, with the region explicitly mentioned on the label. Furthermore, they can only be produced from grape varieties that are legally sanctioned in Germany, while containing a specific alcohol content as mandated for the region, as well as the level of ripeness.

Prädikatswein, referred to as Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (short for QmP), denotes a high-quality wine. These wines must have more regulations than Qualitätswein. They are not permitted to go through techniques such as enhancement, enrichment with oak chips, or dealcoholisation. A Prädikat, or distinctive feature, denotes how ripe the grapes are as well as the method of harvest.

The Prädikatswein category is then subdivided into various levels of ripeness: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese. We will delve further into this category when we discuss the measurement of ripeness below.