Germany may be best known for its beer, but those who venture into the country’s wine regions will discover a deep and rich tradition of winemaking that dates back to Roman times. With over 13 wine regions, or “Anbaugebiete,” Germany is Europe’s 4th largest wine producer. The country’s unique geography, climate, and passion for precision all contribute to the world-renowned quality of its wines.

Let’s take a look at three main regions – the Mosel, Rheingau, and Pfalz – and highlight some of the remarkable wine producers that call these areas home.

The Mosel: Elegance and Aromatic Complexity

Twisting and turning through steep valley slopes, the Mosel River has created a breathtaking wine region known for its slate soils and Riesling grapes.

Dr. Loosen:

Weingut Dr. Loosen

Ernie Loosen has been a driving force in the Mosel region, producing wines that are revered for their elegance and expressiveness. Dr. Loosen’s Rieslings are iconic and represent the true essence of the Mosel terroir.

Selbach-Oster:

Weingut Selbach Oster

Focused on traditional winemaking methods, Selbach-Oster’s wines often exhibit a delightful play between sweetness and acidity, with an underlying mineral complexity.

Joh. Jos. Prüm:

Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm

This family-run estate, renowned for its late-harvest Rieslings, produces wines with incredible depth and aromatic complexity. They often age beautifully, gaining in richness and character.

Rheingau: Where Tradition Meets Innovation

The Rheingau is known for its picturesque landscapes along the Rhine River and a rich history that has shaped the modern German wine industry.

Schloss Johannisberg:

Schloss Johannisberg

With over a thousand years of history, Schloss Johannisberg is one of the most significant Riesling producers in the world. The estate is credited with pioneering late-harvest winemaking in Germany, leading to lusciously sweet wines.

Weingut Robert Weil:

Weingut Robert Weil

Famed for its dry and sweet Rieslings, Weingut Robert Weil combines traditional winemaking techniques with innovative practices, creating wines with unique character and style.

Kloster Eberbach:

Kloster Eberbach

Founded by Cistercian monks in the 12th century, Kloster Eberbach has played an essential role in the Rheingau’s wine history. Its legacy continues today, producing wines that offer a beautiful balance of fruit and minerality.

Pfalz: Germany’s Sun-Kissed Region

Pfalz, bordering France, is Germany’s most sun-drenched wine region, lending to a broader array of grape varieties and a diverse spectrum of wine styles.

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl:

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl

A true trailblazer in organic and biodynamic farming, Reichsrat von Buhl produces wines with a sense of purity, showcasing the unique terroir of the Pfalz region.

Weingut Müller-Catoir:

Weingut Müller-Catoir

With a legacy spanning over 200 years, Müller-Catoir crafts wines that are expressive, crisp, and loaded with personality. Their Rieslings, in particular, are celebrated for their individuality and elegance.

Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz:

Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz

Known for its uncompromising dedication to quality and sustainability, Rebholz’s wines are a testimony to the region’s potential, with each bottle revealing the subtleties of its vineyard origin.

Sip and Savor History

Germany’s wine regions offer a remarkable variety, from the biting (but balanced) acidity of  Rieslings from the Mosel to the robust Spätburgunders of the Pfalz. 

So the next time you find yourself pondering a wine selection, consider the aromatic complexities of a Mosel Riesling or the sun-kissed robustness of a Pfalz red. In every glass of German wine, you’ll find a sip of history, a taste of the land, and a toast to the talented hands that made it.

Cheers, or as they say in Germany, “Prost!”

Germany is the fourth largest wine-producing country in Europe and is famous for its high-quality white wines, particularly Riesling wines. The country has 13 wine regions and over 100 wine-growing areas, each with its unique terroir, grape varieties, and wine styles. 

Did you know that Riesling isn’t always sweet? Before we go too far, it’s good to learn more about the German wine classification system. 

Your Guide to the Most Notable Wine Regions in Germany.

Mosel

The Mosel wine region is located along the River Mosel from the France-German border to where it joins the Rhine River. In the center of the region, the area known as the ‘Middle Mosel’ has a reputation for producing top-quality wine. The villages of Piesport, Bernkastel, and Wehlen have some of the best vineyards in the region.

The vineyards in the Mosel region, planted on steep slopes with slate soil along the banks of the river Mosel, benefit from the sun-facing slopes and the reflected light from the river, creating ideal conditions for growing high-quality grapes. The Riesling produced in the Mosel region is known for its high acidity, aromatic, and floral qualities. 

The wine history of the Mosel region dates back to the Roman Empire when the Romans first cultivated grapes along the river banks. Today, the Mosel is one of the most prestigious wine regions in Germany and produces some of the world’s finest Riesling wines.

Rheingau

The Rheingau wine region is located along the River Rhein, not far from Frankfurt. The wine region has a long wine-making tradition dating back to the 12th century when the Cistercian monks established the first vineyards in the area. This is a small but prestigious region producing primarily dry-style Riesling wines. 

The Rheingau produces elegant and refined Riesling wines that are well-balanced, with medium to full body, and have a distinct ripe peach characteristic. The majority of the vineyards surround the villages of Johannisberg and Rüdesheim, where excellent red wines from the Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) grape are produced in addition to the primary Riesling wine.

Pfalz

The Pfalz is the second largest wine-growing region in Germany and its vineyards can be considered a continuation of the Alsace region of France. The region is to the east of the Haardt Mountains and is the driest and sunniest wine area in Germany.  The Pfalz has a long wine-making history and Riesling is the most widely planted variety with a reputation for high-quality wines. Other wines include Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), and Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc). 

The vineyards around the towns of Forst and Deidesheim are noted for being the most established quality vineyards. This area, known as Mittelhaardt, produces a riper, more full-bodied style of Riesling.

Baden

The Baden wine region is the most southern of Germany’s wine regions and is the warmest wine-growing area in the country. This region is known for its high-quality Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) which is the most widely planted variety in Baden, but Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc), and Riesling are all represented in this region. 

The wine history of Baden dates back to the Roman Empire when the Romans first established vineyards in the area. Today, the Baden is considered one of the top wine regions in Germany, producing elegant and well-balanced wines with a distinctive character.

Nahe

The Nahe wine region, one of the smallest in Germany, is located between the Mosel and Rheinhessen areas. The best vineyards are along the Nahe River between the villages of Bad Kreuznach and Schlossböckelheim. The steep south-facing slopes produce excellent Riesling with characteristics that combine the pronounced acidity of the Mosel with the slightly more full body and riper fruit flavors of the warmer German wine regions. 

The best way to understand the differences and similarities between the German wine regions is to visit and see for yourself the steep slopes, charming villages, and castles perched on hilltops along the rivers of Germany.

The next best way is to purchase wines from the different regions and taste for yourself the variety of wine styles from Germany. We’ve helped you with a list of some remarkable German wine producers to look for. 

Germany’s wine classification system is complex and challenging to understand, but we hope this post can remove some of the confusion for you.

Let’s start with something many people don’t know… Not all Riesling is sweet! In fact, German Rieslings can range from bone dry to intensely sweet, but then the question is: how do you know from looking at a label what’s dry and what’s sweet?

Luckily, German wines often include a scale on the back of the label to help you determine the sweetness level. But, if it’s not written on the label, you’ll find clues to help you.

The German word “Trocken” anywhere on the wine label tells you it’s a dry wine, but you can also look at the ABV (Alcohol By Volume) percentage to get a good sense of the sweetness.

When wine goes through the fermentation process, sugars are converted to alcohol, so a higher the alcohol means the lower the residual sugars and the drier the wine will be. And vice versa, with lower alcohol, more sugars remain, and the wine will be sweeter. That’s not too hard, right?

The Riesling grape is known for its high acidity, so many times, even a lower alcohol wine which would generally tell you that it’s on the sweeter side, is balanced by the high acidity, and the Riesling will taste drier on your palate.

Get to Know German Wine

One of the best ways to get to know German wines is to drink them! Purchase several with different sweetness levels and taste them side-by-side to get a better feel for your preferences. An even better way for learning is to visit the German wine regions for first-hand experiences. 

And if you’re looking for wine pairings, a semi-sweet or sweet Riesling will pair wonderfully with spicy foods — try spicy chicken wings, Szechuan pepper dishes, or Korean kimchi. 

A Guide to Understanding the German Wine Classification System

Even wine pros will sometimes have difficulty wrapping their heads around the German wine classification system. The classification system can seem complicated and overwhelming at first glance, but once you understand the basics, it’s an excellent way to navigate the world of German wine.

The wine classification system is based on the ripeness level of the grapes at the time of harvest and the wine’s sugar content, and it’s divided into two main categories: Quality Wines and Table Wines. Quality Wines are further divided into Prädikatswein and Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA), each with their own set of classifications.

While it may take some time to become familiar with the categories, the German wine classification system is ultimately a helpful tool for finding and enjoying the perfect German wine.

Use our handy pyramid graphic below to help get a visual of the quality levels, and we’ll start explaining the categories from the bottom to the top.

Landwein

Deutscher Landwein is Germany’s table wine category made from ripe and slightly under-ripe grapes. Primarily consumed in Germany, very little is exported, so you’ll likely only find this category of wine if you visit Germany. 

Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA)

Wines in the Qualitätswein category must be produced within one of the 13 wine-growing regions of Germany, and they have to meet certain requirements regarding grape variety, ripeness, and alcohol content.

The grapes are at a fairly low level of ripeness (which, remember, less ripe means less sugar content) and range from dry to semi-sweet. The style is often indicated on the label, along with the designation Qualitätswein and the region.

Prädikatswein

These are the highest-quality wines in Germany. They are classified according to the ripeness of the grapes at harvest and include the following six categories in ascending order of ripeness:

If you’ve been hesitant to try German wines in the past, now is the perfect time to give them a chance. With the German wine classification system demystified, you can confidently explore the variety of wines available from different regions. Don’t be afraid to take a leap and experience the richness and complexity that German wines have to offer.