Germany
Germany produces some of the finest white wines the world has to offer and has done so for quite sometime. The general lack of recognition for German wines is puzzling but at least means there is a lot of very good value Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewurtztraminer and Muller-Thurgau available.
As well as having very old and grand estates, Germany has a large number of new winemakers breaking through with riper, more modern wines. Riesling reigns supreme in Germany, fitting for this most regal of white grapes, producing everything from bone-dry, austere and very classy white wine to some outstanding nectar-like, sweet wines.
There are 2 quality levels in German wine law – QBA and the higher quality QMP, with the QMP designation having six further sub-designations for the level of ripeness of the grapes when picked (these are, from normal harvest to botrysised: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein)
Specific vineyards are important, particularly when when buying high-end Riesling.
Key grape varieties:
R Pinot Noir
W Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Muller-Thurgau, Sylvaner, Sekt, Pinot Blanc
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