{"id":3909,"date":"2020-10-14T17:23:39","date_gmt":"2020-10-14T21:23:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/?p=3909"},"modified":"2020-10-16T10:17:37","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T14:17:37","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-german-wine-regions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-german-wine-regions\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide To German Wine Regions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oktoberfest looked different this year. It was drinking Oktoberfest beers in the home and raising steins to family members rather than strangers\u2014or, maybe you just didn\u2019t participate at all. Well, even though the time has passed for beer, we figured that this was a good time to educate on the other libations of Germany\u2014their delicious wines!<\/p>\n

Most people don\u2019t often think about German wine, but that\u2019s a mistake that won\u2019t happen again after learning more about German wines and all their distinct flavors. Dig into this underrated wine world with our ultimate guide to German wine regions. We\u2019ll give you all the essential details so that when you can actually head to Germany, you\u2019ll know just where to go. Check it out!<\/p>\n

What Makes German Wine So Great?<\/h2>\n

Climate and Topography<\/h3>\n

A lot of what makes wine great is the landscape the grapes are grown in. In Germany, wine grapes get a cooler climate and a typically hilly topography\u2014especially in the German countryside. Seeing as how that accounts for more than three-quarters of the country\u2019s wine production, you can expect some well cared for grapes. But what you get with a cool climate and a hilly landscape is some inconsistent weather. This means that wines can vary from winery to winery and vintage to vintage.<\/p>\n

If you visit in the future, visit different wineries in different locales and experience the beautiful variety of wine. Plus, you can soak up the stellar views!<\/p>\n

Glorious Grapes<\/h3>\n

Speaking of grapes, Germany has some pretty special ones. Riesling is Germany\u2019s number one planter. However, as we talked about above, just because it\u2019s planted everywhere doesn\u2019t mean the taste will be the same across the board. But, in addition, there\u2019s also Pinot blanc (Weissburgunder), Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), M\u00fcller Thurgau, and Pinot Noir. Don\u2019t simply opt for Riesling; try something new, too.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ripeness Designations for Pr\u00e4dikatsweine<\/h2>\n

Among German wines, Pr\u00e4dikatsweine are a collection of Pr\u00e4dikats or \u2018distinctions\u2019 given to wines based on their must weight \u2013 an indicator of grapes\u2019 ripeness and sugar levels\/potential alcohol at harvest. Grapes with more sugar can become wines with higher alcohol and\/or sweetness. There are 6 Pr\u00e4dikat levels in German wine. Learn more about a few of them below.<\/p>\n

Kabinett<\/h3>\n

Wines labeled Kabinett come from grapes with the lowest minimum must weight or in terms of sweetness, about 148\u2013188 g\/L of sugar. Typically, they\u2019re low in alcohol (light-bodied) with a wonderfully crisp acidity and may be dry, off-dry, or even sometimes sweeter in style.<\/p>\n

Sp\u00e4tlese<\/h3>\n

Sp\u00e4tlese, or \u201clate harvest\u201d wines come from grapes with a higher minimum must weight than Kabinett wines, translating to around 172\u2013209 g\/L of sugar. These wines usually feel fuller on the palate compared to Kabinett and typically offer some sweetness. If you see \u201cTrocken\u201d stated on a bottle of Sp\u00e4tlese wine, keep in mind that it will be dry in style with higher alcohol content and often of fine quality.<\/p>\n

Auslese<\/h3>\n

Auslese, or \u201cselected harvest\u201d wines showcase hand-picked grapes with an even higher minimum must weight than Sp\u00e4tlese wines (191\u2013260 g\/L of sugar). These grapes are often affected by botrytis, or noble rot (a beneficial form of a grey fungus that dehydrates grapes, thereby concentrating their flavors and sugars). Auslese wines are usually rich and sweet in style with the capacity to age over long periods of time.<\/p>\n

Eiswein<\/h3>\n

Incredibly rare and noble, Eiswein requires just the right circumstances to be produced. Grapes are required to have a minimum must weight that includes at least 260 g\/L of sugar to become this lusciously sweet nectar, but weather conditions also need to freeze them on the vine. Growers have to hurry when this happens so they can pick and press the still frozen grapes, resulting in scarce dessert-style wines typically with the highest acidity among all the Pr\u00e4dikat levels. Eiswein’s best bottles can be cellared for decades and are one of the great joys that life has to offer!<\/p>\n

5 Key Wine Regions<\/h2>\n

Now, here is some information on five key wine regions in Germany. Keep in mind that there are 13 in total, but these are some of our favorites and some of the most influential!<\/p>\n

Mosel<\/h3>\n

Mosel is probably one of the most well-known wine regions in Germany (at least to those not from Germany). It\u2019s a popular tourist destination\u2014the beautiful river partnered with some of the steepest vineyards in the world attract people from everywhere. Come here for tasty Rieslings with balanced acidity and minerality.<\/p>\n

W\u00fcrttemberg<\/h3>\n

The place to go to in Germany if you\u2019re really caving some reds is W\u00fcrttemberg. The vineyards of this region run along the valleys of the river Neckar and are filled with red varieties\u2014think Pinot Noir and the local favorite, Trollinger. It\u2019s rarely found outside of this region and is even the national drink. So, if you\u2019re in the area, you better try a glass!<\/p>\n

Pfalz<\/h3>\n

Pfalz is Germany\u2019s second-largest wine-growing region, extending from the south of Worms all the way to the French border. This region holds the oldest wine route in the world, formed in 1935. As one of the warmest and sunniest areas in the country year-round, these wines tend to be bolder and richer than other counterparts.<\/p>\n

Rheingau<\/h3>\n

Another popular\u2014and some say the most <\/em>popular\u2014German wine region is that of Rheingau. It\u2019s home to some of the oldest German wineries, with wine-growing going back all the way to the Roman ages! This is another region you can visit for all things Riesling\u2014over three-quarters of the grapes grown in this region are Riesling, but you can also get some excellent Pinot Noir.<\/p>\n

Rheinhessen<\/h3>\n

The last region we\u2019ll talk about today is also the largest wine-growing region in Germany. Because of the region\u2019s expansive nature, there are varied soils and plenty of favorable climates to grow a myriad of grape varieties in. Like the majority of German wines, Rheinhessen vineyards are planted with a majority of white varietals, but you can also turn to this region for some special reds.<\/p>\n

Until you can get over to Germany, expand your flavor palette and try some different wines than your go-tos. Not sure what to get? Turn to Wines \u2018Til Sold Out<\/a> for all of your high-quality white wine<\/a> needs. Remember, Germany thrives on white wine and sweet wine, so get your taste buds accustomed to the flavor profile before you go. You won\u2019t regret partnering with us\u2014we\u2019ll get your favorite wines sent to you in no time!<\/p>\n

\"Guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oktoberfest looked different this year. It was drinking Oktoberfest beers in the home and raising steins to family members rather than strangers\u2014or, maybe you just didn\u2019t participate at all. Well, even though the time has passed for beer, we figured that this was a good time to educate on the other libations of Germany\u2014their delicious […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":3911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[336],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wine-learning"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3909"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3915,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3909\/revisions\/3915"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}