Few other wine countries garner the passionate, cult-like following that Germany does. Its fans—us among them—dissect and detail every village and vineyard, every bottle and producer—and yet, strangely, it’s often misunderstood and underappreciated by the greater wine-drinking public.
Well, we’re not afraid to say it: Germany is one of the world’s greatest wine countries, and we’re here to show you why.
We set out to write this Flatiron Guide to German Wines to explain not just why the wine geeks go so nutty for all things Deutsch, and not just why German wines are among the best wines for the super-casual wine drinker.
Germany is invariably associated with Riesling, but the reality is that this country is home to a huge number of grape varieties and styles of wine. Part of that is thanks to Germany’s particular climate and terroirs, along with the country’s exceptional winemakers.
What is Riesling?
Riesling is a noble white grape that makes aromatic white wines.
Riesling grapes make a huge range of still, white wines ranging from bone-dry to unctuously sweet. Riesling is famously good at giving a taste of the terroir in which it is grown. So, for example, Riesling grown in France’s Alsace region will taste very different from Riesling grown in Germany.
