Wine in Germany

The reference: thirteen German wine regions, their producers, and the context you need to sell them.
17
Aug

Hessische Bergstraße Producers

Griesel & Compagnie, Sekthaus Simon-Bürkle, Weingut Hessische Bergstraße: The Spring Garden →
17
Aug
The stylized "Traubenadler" (grape eagle), symbol of Germany's leading wine estates.

Germany's VDP

During Germany's "golden era" in the mid- to late 19th century, the finest Mosel and Rheingau wines fetched exceptionally high prices at auction, and German wines were among the most sought-after in Europe. The popularity of the finest German wines for those who could afford them stood in
5 min read
17
Aug

German Wine References

Downloads 2025 Draft Bill to introduce a nationwide system of vineyard classification Translated [English] → 1971 Wein-Gesetz (Bundesgesetzblatt) Fifth German
17
Aug
1971 Wein-Gesetz ("Fifth German Wine Law")

German Wine Law

The First German Wine Law, enacted on April 20th, 1892, was the first federal attempt to regulate production. It focused on hygiene and preventing the sale of "artificial" wine. The 1892 law prohibited the use of chemical additives but allowed the addition of sugar to compensate for the na
10 min read
17
Aug
Karl der Große. Charlemagne.

German Wine History

Around 16 BC, Trier became a massive Roman metropolis. The Romans first planted vineyards in Germany during the 1st Century AD, shortly after establishing military garrisons along the Rhine and Mosel rivers. Austere but safer than water, Roman soldiers were entitled to a daily ration of wi
10 min read
17
Aug
Looking for Flurbereinigung, Gutsabfüllung, Maischegärung? You'll find it here.

German Wine Glossary

The French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal invented the practice of enriching the grape must before or during fermentation in 1801. After a string of poor vintages in the Mosel during the 1840s, a German chemist named Ludwig Gall suggested Chaptal’s method of “Verbesserung” (improving)
6 min read
17
Aug
Floodwaters completely submerged Dernau in the Ahr in July 2021.

German Vintages

2024 saw record-breaking March temperatures in Germany, pushing budbreak two to four weeks ahead of normal. The ensuing April frosts and massive mildew pressure did significant damage in some areas, resulting in a 10% lower-than-average harvest volume. The wines generally lean towards ligh
10 min read
17
Aug
I'm no ampelographer, but in Württemberg, either Riesling or Kerner is a likely suspect.

German Grape Varieties White

Bacchus is a Silvaner x Riesling cross with Müller-Thurgau (Riesling x Madeleine Royale). It was developed by Peter Morio at the Geilweilerhof Institute in the Pfalz in 1933 and released for general cultivation in 1972. Bacchus is named after the Roman god of wine (Dionysus in Greece). It
5 min read
17
Aug
Soon-to-be-harvested red wine grapes near Mommenheim in Rheinhessen, Germany.

German Grape Varieties Red

Frühburgunder or Pinot Noir Précoce (aka Pinot Madeleine) is an early ripening mutation of Pinot Noir. The German word Früh and the French word Précoce mean the same thing: early, and the variety ripens around two weeks before Pinot Noir. Its exact place of origin is unknown; however, judg
3 min read
17
Aug
The famous Stein vineyard, overlooking the Main River and the rebuilt town of Würzburg.

Franken: Silvaner's Heimatland

Soils: Bundtsandstein (colored sandstone), Muschelkalk (shell-limestone), Keuper (marl-gypsum)
4 min read