| Germany |
The northernmost wine-producing country in Europe, Germany’s cool climates are mostly suitable for white grapes. The best vineyards are situated along rivers such as the Rhine and the Mosel, which temper the extremes of weather and help the grapes ripen. German wines are named after the places they come from, usually a combination of a village name, a vineyard name, and a grape name. German law makes no distinctions of quality between vineyards. As a result, many wines are mass-produced. Look for the classification QbA or QmP to assure that the grower is reputable. The finest wines are given a Prädikat, which is an indication of the ripeness of the grapes at harvest. There are six levels of Prädikat; in order from the least ripe to the ripest they are Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese (BA) Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA). At the three highest levels, the amount of sugar in the grapes is so high that the wines are inevitably sweet, but since Prädikat is an indication of the amount of sugar in the grape at harvest (and not in the wine) the lower levels of Prädikat offer no direct hint about the wine’s sweetness. |
| Mosel-Saar-Ruwer |
(MOH zel zar ROO ver)—This dramatically beautiful region of western Germany produces exceptional white wines from the Riesling grape. Among the lightest in Germany, these wines usually contain less than 10% alcohol and they are generally delicate, fresh, and bursting with flavor. With its flowery tastes and aromas, Mosel Riesling is a great wine to drink in the spring. Look for the words “Erzeugerabfüllung” or Gutsabfüllung,” which indicate that the wine was estate bottled and not mass-produced. |
| Riesling |
(REESE ling)—a grape that comes mostly from the Mosel and Rheingau regions of Germany (where it is a noble variety), the Finger Lakes region of New York, and Alsace region of France, and Austria. Although often thought of as “sweet,” many Rieslings are quite dry. The word trocken on German bottles indicates dryness. The trademarks of Riesling are high acidity, low to medium alcohol levels, and aromas and flavors that range from fruity and flowery to mineral. Also called Johannesburg Riesling or White Riesling. |