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German Wine Varietals

White wine
White wine accounts for 63% of the wine produced in Germany. Principal varieties are listed below; there are larger numbers of less important varieties too.

Riesling (Klingelberger) is the benchmark grape in Germany and is the most commonly produced. The drawback to Riesling is that it takes 130 days to ripen and, in marginal years, the Riesling crop tends to be poor.

Müller-Thurgau is an alternative grape to Riesling that growers have been using. Unlike the long ripening time of Riesling, this grape only requires 100 days to ripen, however this grape has a more neutral flavour than Riesling.

Silvaner is a variety of white wine grape grown in Alsace and Germany. It is best known as a component of Liebfraumilch and production boomed in the 1970s to the detriment of quality. On the other hand it is one of Alsace's five 'noble grapes', although its first Grand Cru vineyard was only designated in 2006, several decades after the other four varieties. This dichotomy is explained by the vigour of the Sylvaner vine and the grape's neutral flavour, which can lead to blandness unless yields are controlled. On the other hand it gives a blank canvas for the expression of terroir, and on good sites with skilled winemaking, Sylvaner can produce elegant wine. It has high acidity but is naturally quite sweet, so is often blended with other varieties such as Riesling or Elbling, and is sometimes made into a dessert wine.

Kerner The Kerner grape is an aromatic white grape variety that was bred in 1929 in Lauffen in the Württemberg region and named in honor of a local poet and physician, Justinus Kerner. It is a cross between a red variety, Trollinger (Schiava grossa), and a white grape, Riesling. This German white crossing is the most widely planted in the German regions of Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Württemberg and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, but it is also grown in Austria and Italy’s Alto Adige/Südtirol region. It was introduced into Alto Adige/Südtirol in the early 70s and awarded DOC status in 1993.In the 1990s it was the fourth most widely planted grape variety in Germany, now there are about 6,500 hectares planted only in Germany.

Bacchus white wine grape is grown in Germany and England. It is the result of an intentional cross between Riesling, Silvaner and Rivaner.

Scheurebe is a white wine grape variety created by Georg Scheu in Germany in 1915 as a cross between Silvaner and Riesling. In Austria it is known as Sämling 88 as well as Scheurebe, as seedling number 88 was the one selected from those propagated by Scheu. Unlike many Riesling crosses it retains quite a bit of riesling character, although it is a bit sweeter and less acidic. In fact Scheu's aim was to create a more resistant form of Silvaner as opposed to a superior version of Riesling. However to produce good wine it must be very ripe, unlike riesling which produces good wines when less ripe. It is also susceptible to Botrytis, producing dessert wines when affected.

Gewürztraminer (sounds like guh-VOORTS-truh-MEE-ner), sometimes referred to as Gewürz, is an aromatic white wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. The variety has high natural sugar and the wines are usually off-dry, with a flamboyant bouquet of lychees. Dry Gewürztraminers may also have aromas of roses, passion fruit and floral notes. It is not uncommon to notice some spritz (fine bubbles on the inside of the glass). Its aromatic flavours make Gewurztraminer one of the few wines that is suitable for drinking with Asian cuisine. It goes well with Munster cheese, and fleshy, fatty (oily) wild game. Smoked salmon is a particularly good match.

Grauer Burgunder or Ruländer (Pinot Gris) is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name ("gris" meaning "gray" in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance. The word "Pinot", which means "pinecone" in French, could have been given to it because the grapes grow in small pinecone-shaped clusters. The wines produced from this grape also vary in color from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink. The clone of Pinot gris grown in Italy is known as Pinot grigio. Due to the grape's rising popularity, ACNielsen research data predicts that Pinot gris/Pinot grigio sales will overtake White Zinfandel as the fourth best selling varietal in the US by the end of 2007.

Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanc) is a white wine grape. It is a clone or genetic mutation of Pinot gris, which is itself a clone of Pinot noir. This grape is grown in several countries. In Alsace, Germany, Italy and Hungary, the wine produced from this grape is a full-bodied white. In France, the grape is particularly found in Alsace, and in Germany where it is known as Weißer Burgunder or Weißburgunder, and in the United States it is mainly California. In the United States, many of the vines called Pinot blanc are actually a different variety, Melon de Bourgogne/Muscadet, that resembles Chardonnay when on the vine. This mistake was discovered around the mid 1980s by a French oenologist who was examining rootstock while visiting University of California, Davis, and now Pinot blanc purchased from a nursery will be the genuine article. The grape is also grown in Austria and Hungary as well as in Burgundy, France.Pinot blanc has also been confused with Chardonnay, and wineries often vinify it in a similar style, using barrel fermentation, new oak and malolactic fermentation. It can also be treated more lightly and made into a crisper wine that still has some ability to age.

Red wine
Red wine only accounts for 37% of the production of Germany but has increased in recent years.

Spätburgunder and Frühburgunder (Pinot Noir) ('pi no nwar) is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines produced predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the french words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the varietals' tightly clustered dark purple pine cone shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. In De re rustica, Columella described a grape variety in Burgundy in the 1st century A.D. that sounds like Pinot noir. It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.

Portugieser is a red wine grape variety found largely in Germany, Austria and Hungary, see Blauer Portugieser. Synonyms are Portugais Bleu in France and Oporto in Hungary. Despite the name it is not known in Portugal, and probably originated in Austria.It is very prolific and can be picked earlier, and makes a dark red wine, hence its popularity in northerly Germany and Austria.There are also grey, green and white variations, with Grüner Portugieser the most common in Austria, the others very rare.

Dornfelder is a red wine variety that was bred in Weinsberg, Württemberg in 1955 in order to give German vintners a dark red grape that would grow well in German vineyards. Traditionally, because of a climate that is cooler and less sunny than France or Italy, German wines had been primarily white. The reds of Germany were usually pale and light-bodied. Dornfelder, however, is a German wine that is full-bodied with plenty of tannin, and has become the third most grown varietal in Germany. It is also grown in England. It is quite unusual for a red wine because it is rather sweet. However, with its robust plum flavours, Dornfelder is better suited to spicy, heavy foods than to desserts.

Trollinger (or Schiava) is a light-red, late-maturing wine grape variety that was originally cultivated in South Tyrol or the Trentino. It probably reached the southern regions of Germany during Roman times. The variety is first mentioned under that name in fourteenth century documents, for example Martin Luther drank it according to a report of the papal legate Alexander around 1520. In the 1960s, it was crossed with the white grape Riesling to produced the cross Kerner. Today it is almost exclusively cultivated on steep, sunny locations in the Württemberg region of Baden-Württemberg.

Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier) is a variety of black wine grape most frequently used in the production of Champagne. It was first mentioned in the 1500's, and gets its name (meunier - meaning miller) from flour-like dusty white down on the underside of its leaves.

Lemberger (Blaufränkisch) (lit. blue Frankish) is the German name for the variety of wine grape that is used to produce dry, red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy, masculine character. The grape is grown across Central Europe, including Czech Republic(Moravia region), Slovakia (where it is known as "Frankovka"), Slovenia (where it is known as "modra frankinja"), Austria and Germany (where it is known as Lemberger, or Blauer Limberger). In Hungary the grape is called Kékfrankos (also lit. blue Frankish) and is grown in a number of wine regions including Sopron, Villány, Szekszárd and Eger (where it is a major ingredient in the famous red wine blend known as Egri Bikavér or Bull's Blood having largely replaced the Kadarka grape).

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Regions

There are 13 defined regions for quality wine in Germany:

1. Ahr - a small region along the river Ahr, a tributary of Rhine, that despite its northernly location primarily produces red wine from Spätburgunder.
2. Baden - in Germany's southwestern corner, across river Rhine from Alsace, and the only German region situated in European wine growing zone B rather than A, which means that it on average is the warmest and sunniest. Noted for its pinot wines - both red and white.
3. Franconia - around portions of Main river. Noted for growing many varieties on chalky soil and for producing powerful dry Silvaner wines.
4. Hessische Bergstrasse - a small region in Hesse dominated by Riesling.
5. Mittelrhein - along the middle portions of river Rhine, primarily between the regions Rheingau and Mosel, and dominated by Riesling.
6. Mosel - along the Mosel River and its tributaries, the Saar and Ruwer Rivers, and was previously known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. The Mosel region is dominated by Riesling grapes and slate soil, and the best wines are grown in dramatic-looking steep vineyards directly overlooking the rivers. This region produces wine that is light in body, crisp, high acidity and with pronounced mineral character. The only region to stick to Riesling wine with noticeable residual sweetness as the "standard" style, although dry wines are also produced.
7. Nahe - around the river Nahe where volcanic origins give very varied soils. Mixed grape varieties but the best known producers primarily grow Riesling, and some of them have achieved world reputation in recent years.
8. Palatinate - the second largest producing region in Germany, with production of very varied styles of wine (especially in the southern half), where red wine has been on the increase. The northern half of the region is home to many well known Riesling producers with a long history, which specialize in powerful Riesling wines in a dry style. Warmer than most other German regions, second only to Baden.
9. Rheingau - a small region situated at a bend in river Rhine which give excellent conditions for wine growing. A historically very important region where many German wine making practices have originated, and where many high-profile producers are situated. Dominated by Riesling with some Spätburgunder. The Rheingau Riesling style is in-between Mosel and the Palatinate and other soutern regions, and at best times combines the best aspects of both.
10. Rheinhessen - the largest production area in Germany. Once known as Liebfraumilch land, but a quality revolution has taken place since the 1990s. Mixed wine styles and both red and white wines. The best Riesling wines are similar to Palatinate Riesling - dry and powerful.
11. Saale-Unstrut - one of two regions in former Eastern Germany, situated along the rivers Saale and Unstrut, and Germany's northernmost wine growing region.
12. Saxony - one of two regions in former Eastern Germany, in the southeastern corner.
13. Württemberg - a traditional red wine region, where grape varieties Trollinger, Schwarzriesling and Lemberger outnumber the varieties that dominate elsewhere.
These 13 regions are broken down into 39 districts which are further broken down into collective vineyards of which there are 165. The individual vineyard sites number over 2,600.

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