Chapter 12

Germany

Germany

Wine is mostly produced in the south-west of the country, along the Rhine and its tributaries. In 370, Ausonius (Chapter 8) lauded the beauty of the region’s steep vineyards in his poem, Mosella. Little is known about the style or quality of early ‘German’ wines, although, in about 570, the poet Venantius Fortunatus did make mention of a red wine from the region.

During the Middle Ages, Christianity brought with it churches and monasteries and the cultivation of the vine. Riesling is first documented in or near the Rheingau from 1435, and Pinot Noir from 1470. However, the most common varieties in the 15th century were Elbing and Silvaner, probably planted pêle-mêle with other varieties such as Muskat and Traminer. Viticulture reached a high point around 1500, with the area under vine four times larger than today. The vines receded for a number of reasons including competition from beer, the Thirty Years’ War (which ended in 1648 with Alsace becoming a French province), the expropriation of the monasteries, and the Little Ice Age.

Paradoxically, quality improved as unsuitable land was abandoned and lesser varieties were replaced with Riesling. The first Riesling monoculture was planted in 1720 at Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau. In 1775, the courier delivering the permission to begin the harvest arrived at the Benedictine abbey so late that most of the fruit had been botrytized. This ‘rotten’ vintage became legendary, inaugurating a number of late harvest styles. In the early 1800s, Napoleonic France seized the Chuch’s vineyards and parcelled them out. Owing to strict inheritance laws, vineyards became ever smaller, creating demand for co-operatives.

At the height of their renown in the 19th century, Rhenish wines could fetch higher prices than Lafite and Latour. But then came vine diseases, wars, and economic upheaval. Whatever remained of the lustre of the golden age was extinguished in the 1970s when Germany began blending and exporting cheap semi-sweet wines such as Liebfraumilch which, in foreign eyes, came to epitomize the country’s entire wine offering. However, among enthusiasts, Germany’s reputation has always been founded on its aromatic, elegant, complex, and long-lived Rieslings.

The lie of the land

At 102,000ha, Germany’s vineyard area is much smaller than that of Spain (1,021,000ha), France (792,000ha), or Italy (~690,000ha)2. Production is concentrated in the state of Rhineland-Pfalz, which boasts six of the country’s thirteen regions for quality wine. The pre-eminent regions of the Mosel and Rheingau, which lie on the 50th parallel, are among the most marginal wine regions in the world, and, as with England, it is only the Gulf Stream that makes viticulture viable. Spring frosts, summer hails, and autumn rains can lead to marked vintage variation. However, autumns tend to be long and dry, which enables grapes to concentrate flavours while preserving acidity, and to be harvested selectively at different levels of maturity. In this cool continental climate, it is critical to seek out every ­possible natural advantage, with even the slightest difference in sunlight or temperature translating into the wines. Several wine regions lie in the shelter of hills or ­mountains. Vineyards tend to be concentrated in river valleys with more temperate mesoclimates. The best vineyards are on steep, south- or south-west-facing slopes with slate soils that reflect sunlight and retain the sun’s heat.

Grape varieties

The most commonly planted variety is Riesling (~23%), followed by Müller-Thurgau (~13%) and Pinot Noir (~12%). Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner have been in steady decline. Conversely, there has been a marked increase in black varieties, particularly Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) and Dornfelder. Since 1990, black varieties have risen from 16 to 35% of plantings. Other varieties include Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder, Ruländer), Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), and Kerner. But to me, Germany is mostly about Riesling. Unlike Chardonnay, which is very much a ‘made wine’, Riesling is very much a ‘grown wine’ and highly reflective of terroir. Fermentation and maturation take place in stainless steel tanks (although some top producers retain large old oak casks) and malolactic conversion is averted.

Quality levels and classifications

Quality levels

There are four quality levels. Basic wines, that is, Deutscher Tafelwein and Deutscher Landwein, account for a negligible proportion of total production. The next level up is Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) wine from one of the 13 regions for quality wine (Anbaugebiete). That too, with some exceptions, is fairly basic. Liebfraumilch is a QbA from Rheinhessen, Pfalz, the Rheingau, or the Nahe. It consists of at least 70% Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, and Kerner (although in practice there is little Riesling) and has a residual sugar of at least 18g/l.

The highest level, accounting for ~18% of production, is Prädikatswein, which must be produced in one of the 39 sub-regions (Bereich) of the 13 Anbaugebiete. There are six ripeness levels, or styles, that call for progressively higher levels of sugar: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, and Eiswein. Sugar content (and therefore potential alcohol) is measured by must weight, and the minimum must weight for each quality level varies according to variety and region. For example, in the Mosel, the minimum must weight is 70°Oe (i.e. 1070g/l) for Riesling Kabinett, 83°Oe for Auslese, and 150°Oe for Trockenbeerenauslese. Any registered vineyard (Einzellage) in an Anbaugebiet can produce both QbA and Prädikatswein. Compared to QbA, the minimum must weight for Prädikatswein is higher, blending can only be carried out from within the Bereich, and chaptalization is forbidden. Although the addition of Süßreserve (unfermented grape juice added after fermentation—effectively sugar) is permitted up to the level of Auslese, quality-conscious producers tend to avoid it.

Ripeness levels

Kabinett is usually dry or off-dry, delicate with crisp acidity. Spätlese (‘late harvest’) is intended to be fuller and fruitier although the style does overlap with Kabinett. It is usually off-dry. Auslese (‘select harvest’) is made from very ripe hand-selected bunches that may or may not be botrytized. It can be made in diverse styles, but is most often medium-sweet. Beerenauslese (‘select berry harvest’) is made from overripe, often botrytized individually selected grapes, and is typically rich and sweet. Trockenbeerenauslese (‘select dry berry harvest’) is made from overripe, shrivelled, often botrytized individually selected grapes, and is extremely concentrated. Eiswein (‘ice wine’) is made from grapes that have naturally frozen on the vine. As the ice/water is left behind in the press, it is highly concentrated in sugar and flavour. The amounts of Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, and Eiswein that can be made vary greatly from one vintage to another.

Labelling

The label of any QbA or Prädikatswein displays the producer’s name and address, the vintage, the village and Einzellage (e.g. Graacher Himmelreich, from the Himmelreich vineyard in Graach), the variety and ripeness (e.g. Riesling Spätlese), the Anbaugebiet, the alcohol content, bottling information, the quality classification, and the quality control number.

In some cases, the collective name for a group of vineyards, or Großlage, of which there are ~170, may be used instead of that of an Einzellage. Unfortunately, it is impossible to distinguish a Großlage from an Einzellage from the label alone. Piesporter Goldtröpfchen and the lesser Piesporter Michelsberg may sound similar, but the former is an Einzellage and the latter a Großlage. A handful of historical Einzellangen such as Schloss Johannisberg and Schloss Vollrads are dispensed from displaying the village.

In addition, the label might indicate residual sugar content (which is a different concept to the ripeness of the grapes), with trocken (dry, up to 9g/l residual sugar) and halb-trocken (half-dry, up to 18g/l residual sugar) being the most common descriptors used. Goldkapsel (gold capsule) is an unregulated designation that indicates that the producer regards the wine as especially fine. Stars indicate that the grapes have been harvested at a higher than minimum ripeness level.

Dry wines and the VDP classification

The German classification system dates back to 1971. It is founded upon the notion that, in such a marginal climate, only the best sites can yield fully ripe grapes. Ripeness is measured by sugar content, and the ‘quality level’ of a wine is determined by the sugar content of the grapes at harvest. Unfortunately, ripeness is but one indicator of quality, and the sugar content of the grapes at harvest need not reflect the sugar content of the wine itself. As it is based on ripeness and sugar content, the classification system inherently undervalues drier wines, which are of ever more commercial importance. Apart from being confusing and potentially misleading, the classification system has had unintended consequences, with some growers replacing Riesling with less distinguished varieties that reliably achieve high sugar levels. To quote Stephan Reinhardt, author of The Finest Wines of Germany, ‘The [classification system] guarantees equality of opportunity—for Riesling hand-picked on the steep slope of a historically validated vineyard, as well as for Huxelrebe machine-harvested in a potato field; but it excludes consumers. It may be politically correct, but it is a disaster for wine lovers.’

To address these problems, the VDP, an association of some 200 top German producers, has inaugurated an alternative terroir-driven classification for top white and red dry wines. This stringent classification divides into four tiers: Grosse Lage (Grand Cru), Erste Lage (Premier Cru), Ortswein (village wine), and Gutswein (estate wine). The dry wine of a Grosse Lage is designated Grosses Gewächs and labelled Qualitätswein trocken, while a sweeter wine is labelled with one of the traditional Prädikats such as Kabinett or Auslese. VDP members often feature the VDP logotype, a stylized eagle with a cluster of grapes, on their labels.

Another, and independent, measure to address the problems of the classification system has been the introduction of the ‘Classic’ and ‘Selection’ designations for drier wines of a certain quality. A Classic wine label indicates region, producer, and variety, whereas a Selection wine label indicates region, producer, variety, and vineyard site. The principal aim of this scheme is to simplify matters for consumers, who need only remember that Classic wines are representative of the best quality of a specific region, while Selection wines, also dry, are premium wines from a specific vineyard site.

Principal regions

Only the six most important wine regions are discussed here: the Mosel, the Rheingau, the Nahe, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, and Baden. Baden is in the state of Baden-Württemberg, the Rheingau is (only just) in Hessen, and the other four are in Rheinland-Pfalz. Rheinland-Pfalz accounts for over 60% of Germany’s vineyards, and has been nicknamed ‘Weinland-Pfalz’.

The Mosel

The Mosel covers the valleys of the meandering Mosel and its tributaries the Saar and Ruwer. The Middle Mosel is the most important area, with a litany of famous vineyards starting with the 3.26ha Doktor vineyard in Bernkastel (Bernkasteler Doktor), which is the most expensive agricultural land in Germany. Upstream from Bernkastel are Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr (‘Virgin-Sundial’) and Piesporter Goldtröpfchen (‘Little Drop of Gold’) in its natural south-facing amphitheatre. Downstream are Graacher Himmelreich (‘Kingdom of Heaven’), Graacher Domprobst, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Urziger Würzgarten (‘Spice Garden’), Erdener Treppchen (‘Little Stairs’) and Erdener Prälat. The Middle Mosel is noted for its steep slopes of porous slate, with Bremmer Calmont, on an incline of 65°, purportedly the steepest vineyard in the world. Many of the best vineyards have no topsoil, just broken slate that needs to be carried back in buckets to the top of the slope. Ungrafted vines (phylloxera never took hold) are individually staked to the ground so that vineyard workers can move horizontally across the slope, which is both less tiring and less perilous. Top producers of Riesling in the Middle Mosel include Dr Loosen, Joh Jos Prüm, Fritz Haag, Markus Molitor, and Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt. The star producer in the Saar, which is cooler and wetter, is Egon Müller at Scharzhof. Riesling cannot fully ripen on the flats of the Mosel, which tends to be planted with varieties such as Müller-Thurgau. The region is also responsible for Moseltaler, which is similar in style to sickly-sweet Liebfraumilch.

The Rheingau

Although it accounts for a mere 3% of Germany’s vineyards, the Rheingau (‘Rhine district’) boasts the highest proportion of Riesling (around 80%, with Pinot Noir making up most of the rest) of the 13 regions, and is home to some of the ­country’s most vaunted estates such as Schloss Johannisberg and Kloster Eberbach, not to forget the oenological research and teaching institutes at Geisenheim. The entire region counts only one Bereich, Bereich Johannisberg, with which it is co-extensive, from Hochheim on the Main to Lorch on the Rhine. The greater part of the Rheingau is on the right bank of the Rhine as it swings west at Wiesbaden for some 30km, resuming its northward flow at Rüdesheim. With the Taunus Mountains to the north, most of the vineyards are on sheltered south-facing slopes that run right to the river. The climate is relatively dry and sunny, which enables Riesling to ripen fully. Soils are varied and include slate, quartzite, sandstone, gravel, and loess. Assmanhausen, in the west of the region, stands out for its steeper slopes planted with Pinot Noir, and produces arguably Germany’s finest red wine. Other than those already mentioned, top Rheingau producers include Domdechant Werner, Franz Künstler, Georg Breuer, Josef Leitz, Prinz von Hessen, and Robert Weil.

The Nahe

In vineyard area, the Nahe is not much larger than the Rheingau. First defined in 1971, the region is bordered by Rheinhessen to the east and the Rheingau and Mittelrhein to the north. It is named for the River Nahe, which flows parallel to the Mosel and meets the Rhine at Bingen. In the lee of the Hunsrück Mountains to the north, the climate is comparatively warm and dry, and warmer downriver in Bad Kreuznach and the Lower Nahe. Owing to the diversity of soils and varieties, the region does not have a strong identity. However, Riesling is the most planted variety, with the best vineyards on steep slopes around Niederhausen and Schlossböckelheim in the Upper Nahe. Nahe Riesling can offer excellent value for money. Top houses include Weingut Hermann Dönnhof and Schlossgut Diel.

Rheinhessen

Rheinhessen lies across the Rhine from the Rheingau. This ‘land of a thousand hills’ is enclosed to the north and east by the Rhine, to the west by the Nahe, and to the south by the Haardt Mountains. Vineyards are mixed in with orchards and other forms of agriculture. Rheinhessen is Germany’s most important wine region by volume, producing white wines from Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, and Silvaner, and some red wines, mostly from Dornfelder. It is a region of contrasts, the home of Liebfraumilch (named for the Liebfrauenkirche, or ‘Church of Our Lady’, in Worms) but also some very fine and underrated Rieslings. The best terroir is the Roter Hang (‘Red Slope’, for the iron-rich sandstone) above Nierstein and Nackenheim in the steeper Rhein Terrace area. The other area of note is Wonnegau to the south, home to Klaus-Peter Keller and Philipp Wittman, the region’s most iconic producers. Both are founding members of ‘Message in a Bottle’, a group of young and dynamic winemakers who share the ambition of returning Rheinhessen to its glory days. Along with Pfalz, Rheinhessen is one of the most vibrant and exciting wine regions in Germany.

Pfalz

Pfalz (Palatinate) lies to the south of Rheinhessen in the lee of the Haardt Mountains, an extension of the Alsatian Vosges. There is much in common with Alsace, not least a warm and dry climate and a great diversity of soils. Pfalz is the second most important German wine region by volume. Almost the entire production is dry. Riesling, the most common variety, accounts for a quarter of plantings. The Riesling heartland is the Mittelhaardt to the north, which is richer in limestone: the villages of Forst, Wachenheim, and Deidesheim are the most reputed. Black varieties account for ~40% of plantings, with Dornfelder, Portugieser, and Pinot Noir in the lead.

Baden

In terms of vineyard area, Baden is similar in size to Alsace across the Rhine. It is the most southerly wine region and also the longest, stretching ~400km along the right bank of the Rhine from Franken in the north to the shores of Lake Constance in the south. Baden is divided into nine Bereiche, more than any other German wine region. The central part lies in the Rhine rift, sheltered by the Vosges to the west and the hills of the Black Forest to the east. This is Germany’s warmest wine region and the only one in EU wine growing zone B rather than A (Appendix 1). Riesling plays a smaller role than in other parts, and over half the vineyard area is turned to Pinot varieties, especially Pinot Noir. The region’s finest vineyards are in the sun-kissed Kaiserstuhl (‘Emperor’s Seat’), an extinct volcano to the north of Freiburg. Kaiserstuhl Pinot Noir is finely etched and mineral on the one hand, and ripe, rich, full-bodied, and tannic on the other. Tuniberg to the south produces similar wines in a lighter style. In the north, the wines are similar to those of Franken and sold in the round Bocksbeutel. Gutedel (Chasselas) is a speciality of the Markgäflerland, close to the Swiss border. Baden is dominated by co-operatives, which handle ~85% of production.

Wine styles

Riesling from the Middle Mosel is pale in colour, sometimes with a touch of effervescence. On the nose, it is intensely fragrant, more floral than fruity with notes of stony rainwater and sherbet. On the palate, it is filigree and delicate, with a mineral or salty finish. Alcohol is very low and acidity very high, but balanced by sugar and extract. Sweeter examples may of course be botrytized. Riesling from the Saar and Ruwer valleys is steelier than that from the Middle Mosel. Rheingau Riesling is more masculine: deeper in colour with a firmer structure and texture, riper fruit, and higher alcohol. It is commonly made in an austere, completely dry style. Nahe Riesling is halfway between Middle Mosel and Rheingau. Rheinhessen Riesling is similar to Rheingau, if softer. Pfalz Riesling is fuller in body and higher in alcohol than Rheingau, although not quite as dry and austere as Alsace. It is impossible to generalize about German Pinot Noir, some of which is on a par with fine Burgundy.

Stronger vintages in Germany include 1990, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015.

For Sekt, see Chapter 11.

Source: Deutsches Weininstitut, after the OIV, for the year 2014.