A shortish guide to help you navigate the great wine regions of Germany

Germany’s wine world revolves around two iconic varieties: 

 (pinot noir). Beyond these, the country’s vineyards also yield 

While Germany has long been associated with sweeter wines, the shift towards dry styles has redefined its offerings. Today, a wide range of wines showcases the country’s evolving palate, from crisp whites to elegant reds.

GROSSES GEWÄCHS: GERMANY’S GRAND CRU WINES

The Grosses Gewächs (GG) label signals wines from Germany’s premier vineyards, championed by the VDP (a key growers’ association). These dry wines, often labelled with the GG insignia, reflect a focus on terroir, rivaling Burgundy and Alsace in complexity and prestige.


Germany’s spätburgunder has gained recognition on the global stage. Enhanced vineyard practices and minimal oak usage have elevated the quality of these reds, allowing them to stand alongside the finest pinot noirs in the world.

In regions like Mosel and Nahe, the ability to produce aromatic wines with as little as 7–9% alcohol appeals to health-conscious drinkers. These lighter styles offer vibrant fruit, elegance, and a balance rarely found elsewhere.

Deciphering a German wine label can feel like tackling a puzzle, but a few key elements can guide your choices:

: The grower or estate behind the bottle.

: The region or vineyard where the grapes were grown.

 (dry) or consult sweetness scales to decode residual sugar levels.

NB: German wine labels can be a particular challenge, so learning to 

decode the sometimes confusing German wine labels

Although Germany is famous for its sweeter rieslings, the majority of its wines today are dry. The 

 system categorises wines by ripeness at harvest, ranging from the light and dry 

. Vintage variation can influence sweetness, with warmer years yielding richer wines even at lower classifications.


, tend to be higher in alcohol (13% or more) due to fully fermented sugars. By contrast, sweeter rieslings are celebrated for their balance of acidity, lower alcohol, and aromatic complexity.

NB: To fully appreciate German wine's crystalline clarity, it's sensible to pay some thought to 

selecting the right glass to enhance your German wine experience

Germany’s top producers often adhere to the VDP system, which emphasises geography over grape ripeness. The classifications, displayed with the VDP eagle logo, are as follows:

: Estate wines from authorised grape varieties.

: Single-village wines offering excellent value.

: First-class vineyards producing refined, terroir-driven wines.

: Grand Cru-level sites yielding Germany’s most prestigious wines, including Grosses Gewächs (GG) bottlings.

Renowned for producing ethereal low-alcohol rieslings (7–9%), these wines balance natural sweetness with vibrant acidity. The slate-rich slopes of villages like 

 foster unparalleled elegance and age-worthiness.

 weaves light and lace where others build walls. While powerful in their own way, these Rieslings float like dragonflies—delicate, shimmering, ephemeral. Decades reveal their secrets, especially in Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich, where quince, pear, and honey emerge like dawn breaking through mist.

 sends roots deep into the vertiginous Mosel Terrassen. Matthias crafts Rieslings that balance ripeness with razor-sharp acidity—green apple meeting lime’s piercing bite. His single-vineyard Uhlen and Röttgen command £40–50, but his entry-level Riesling, often under £20, performs miracles.

 sees Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Künstler handcraft Middle Mosel poetry. Their meticulous touch yields Rieslings of breathtaking precision, each sip demanding contemplation, every nuance etched in light.

 owns the soul of Scharzhofberg—this legendary hill births Rieslings of unearthly power and purity. Citrus and green fruit strike like lightning, leaving a mineral echo long after the last drop. Even the memory tingles.

 watches Carl von Schubert unlock three vineyards’ secrets—Abtsberg, Herrenberg, and Bruderberg. Each tells a unique tale through Riesling’s lens, yet all share a savoury, electric core that ages as if time itself bends around them.

Home to some of Germany’s most valuable vineyards, including 

, the Pfalz region excels in producing dry, full-bodied wines with spicy undertones and impressive depth.


This diverse region is famed for its mineral-rich soils and intriguing aromatic wines. With rounded palates and long finishes, producers here continue to set new standards.

 pushed Nahe into modern prominence with wines of exquisite balance and precision. Rieslings like Hermannshöhle and Dellchen play tricks with time—seeming weighty before taking flight, or ethereal before revealing an iron core.

 sees Georg Rumpf writing new chapters where Nahe meets Rheinhessen. His bold expansion and replanting speak of ambition; his thrilling Rieslings prove its worth. Pittersberg and Burgberg explode with flavour and electric acidity.

 sees Caroline Diel elevate an already-great history. She teases subtle differences from three neighbouring Dorsheim vineyards—Goldloch, Burgberg, and Pittermännchen—each yielding wines united by a deep, rich stoniness.

Once a hub of church-owned vineyards, the Rheingau boasts steep, south-facing slopes along the Rhine. These sites yield structured, racy rieslings that are invigorating and long-lived.

 channels Josef’s boundless energy into bottles that hum with their own force. His marketing genius (Eins Zwei Dry at £15 converts newcomers daily) is matched by his dedication to the lower Rheingau’s legacy. His greatest works—Berg Roseneck, Rosengarten, Kaisersteinfels—stand among Germany’s finest.

 trained under Leitz but found her own voice. Her Rieslings dance with effortless grace, mineral cores wrapped in silk. From regional wines through village (Kiedrich, Lorch, Lorch Wisperwind) to single vineyards (Seligmacher, Krone, Schlossberg), each step reveals new depths.

 stands among Germany’s most celebrated estates. Their wines marry richness with purity, achieving citrus concentration without heaviness. Kiedrich Gräfenberg leads their single-vineyard charge.

As Germany’s largest wine region, Rheinhessen benefits from diverse soils and microclimates. Villages like 

 are home to some of the country’s top Grand Cru vineyards.

 leads Rheinhessen’s Riesling renaissance. Philipp Wittmann balances the region’s inherent power with masterful restraint. His wines walk the tightrope of austerity yet remain fresh, even thirst-quenching. All wines run dry; start with the village Westhofener Riesling.

 carries Jochen’s zeal in every bottle. Trained under Klaus Peter Keller, he bet everything on Riesling when fashion turned elsewhere. Now his breathtakingly racy, piercing wines prove his vision. Seek single vineyards Morstein and Kirchspiel, but his village Bechtheimer Riesling steals hearts at £25.

 ignited Rheinhessen’s modern era. Since taking the reins in 2001, he has crafted Rieslings of unprecedented density and power that somehow retain laser precision—like Formula One cars cornering at full throttle. Kirchspiel and Hubacker particularly dazzle.

Germany’s wine evolution showcases a fascinating mix of tradition and innovation. From the steely elegance of Mosel rieslings to the bold complexity of Rheinhessen reds, there’s a world of discovery waiting in every bottle. Whether you’re drawn to the allure of dry Grosses Gewächs or the balance of sweeter Kabinetts, German wine has never been more exciting—or accessible.

Ready to discover why sommeliers are obsessed with German wines? Experience Germany's finest with 

. Consider it as having a knowledgeable film buff mate who'll safely steer you to the Oppenheimers and their ilk while avoiding Jaws 3.