Considering that beer and not wine is the national drink of Germany, it surprises many to learn that German white wines are among the finest in the world. It surprises even more to learn that the most superb German wines come from the noble Riesling grape. Unlike the somewhat pathetic Emerald Riesling grape (which is a hybrid between the Johannisberg Riesling grape and the Muscadelle grape and which has never and will never produce a truly serious wine), true Riesling grapes produce wines of incomparable bouquets that are flowery and full, and which hint of peaches, honey, and daffodils. At their best, the taste of these wines is rich and full, showing great depth and almost magical finesse. Many German wines are sweet, but this should be held against them for winemakers strive diligently to achieve that sweetness which, by law, must be entirely natural, that is to say, with no sugar added to the wine.

The two major categories of German wines are Rhine and Mosel, both named after the rivers alongside which the grapes for them grow. These are easy to tell apart because Rhine wines come in brown bottles and Mosel wines come in green bottles. Beyond that, however, understanding German wines can be a fairly complex affair, partly because the language of German wines is so different than that used everywhere else in the world. Those new to German wines need not be discouraged, however, for all that is needed to enjoy them is the knowledge of a few basic terms.

Wines labelled "Tafelwein", for example, are pleasant and make for everyday enjoyment and are generally consumed in the area in which they are grown. Labels marked "Qualitatswein" indicate wines made from ripe, very ripe or overripe grapes. The finest wines, however are those labeled "Qualitatswein mit Pradikat", indicating that these wines have special characteristics or distinctions. Such wines fall into six categories:

- Kabinett wines are usually light, fine wines that are excellent with or without meals.

- Spatlese are late harvest, superior quality wines and tend to be more intense in flavor and concentration. These wines may or may not be sweet and are good with rich, flavorful foods or by themselves.

- Auslese wines are made during a special harvest of specially selected individual grapes or very ripe bunches. These noble wines are almost always sweet and are exceedingly rich in bouquet and flavor. Like most sweet wines, these are good when drunk without food, with first courses that contain goose liver or smoked salmon or with desserts.

- Beerenauslese wines are also made from a special harvest but because they consist only of overripe grapes, they are always sweet.

- Eiswine (literally meaning "ice wine") is made from grapes that have been harvested and pressed while frozen. These unique and very highly valued wines have a remarkable concentration of fruity acidity and sweetness.

- Trockenbeernauslese wines are harvested by individually selecting overripe grapes that have dried almost to the point of being raisins. These rich, sweet, luscious, honey-like wines are sometimes compared favorably with the finest wines of Sauternes.

A Few Words of Warning

As to specific wines, a word of warning is in order. Even though the best selling German wines, especially outside of Germany, are Liebfraumilch, Moselblumchen, and Zeller Schwarze Katz˜, these are ordinary, banal wines and are generally avoided by true wine-lovers. It is true that an entire generation of Americans was weaned from Coca Cola to wine by drinking these wines, there is simply little to recommend them.

Among the really fine wines of the Rhine are those of Schloss Johannisberg, Schloss Vollrads, and Steinberg and two of the really good Mosel wines are Benkastler Doktor and Wehlener Sonnenhur . When dining out in Germany, because there are so many different labels, and because vintage years are of critical importance to the quality of the wines, it is sometimes difficult to know what to order. I learned long ago that at expensive restaurants one will do very well to listen to the advice of the wine waiter, and in inexpensive restaurants or "Winestubes", the many charming wine bars found throughout the country, to try the house wines, many of which are served in pitchers at very reasonable prices.

To Read About Travelling and Dining Along the Rhine, Click Here.

© Daniel Rogov