This year, Germany celebrated the 25th Anniversary of its reunifaction. At this occasion, the German “Bild Zeitung” issued a list of 25 German wines “die jeder schon mal getrunken haben sollte” (which everybody should have had already). This is an excellent list, representing very well the depth and the breadth of what Germany produces today. It includes expensive and inexpensive wines, white and red, still and sparkling.
If I had to do a tasting with the title “Introduction into German Wine of Today”, this would be a very good guide for composing the tasting list.
The list was compiled by Herbert Seckler of the Sansibar on the Sylt Island.
Here is the list, with prices and a combination of Schiller/Seckler comments.
Basically, it is all dry wines, except for 2 wines. This is how Germany thinks about its wines. Dry is the rule and sweet the exception. Many of the dry wines are ultra-premium Grosses Gewächs wines – top wines from top vineyards, mostly in the Euro 30 to 50 price range. Fruity-sweet (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese) wines remain popular in some export markets, including the US, but Germans have lost interest in drinking them. There are only 2 such wines in the list. There are also 4 red wines, with red wines accounting for more than 1/3 of German wine production today. There are also 2 Sekts; Germans love sparkling wine and drink ¼ of all sparklers produced in the world.
White
01 2013 Riesling von der Fels Klaus Peter Keller Rheinhessen trocken Euro 16,95 – Klaus Peter Keller, star winemaker (G-Max) from Rheinhessen.
See also:
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA
02 2014 Grauburgunder Markus Schneider Pfalz trocken Euro 8,80 – Great guy, great wines. His wines were served at the State Dinner when President Obama and Michelle Obama visited Germany.
See also:
Tasting the Wines, President Obama was Served: Visit of Weingut Markus Schneider, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
03 2013 Riesling Hermannshöhle Dönnhoff Nahe GG trocken Euro 59 – Among the top 10 Riesling producers in the world. GG stands for Grosses Gewächs, the new category of ultra-premium German dry wines.
See also:
Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
04 2013 Riesling Gräfenberg Robert Weil Rheingau GG trocken Euro 39,50 – Iconic winemaker from the Rheingau.
See also:
Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
05 2011 Riesling Erdener Treppchen Auslese Markus Molitor Mosel Euro 58,90 – A 100 Parker Points wine, a fruity-sweet wine.
06 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Fume Oliver Zeter Pfalz trocken Euro 14,90 – Sauvignon Blanc accounts for a small portion of the German wine production, but is increasingly planted.
07 2015 Weissburgunder Einzigacker Dreissigacker Rheinhessen Euro 35,50 – Jochen Dreissigacker is a rising star in Germany. His wines were also served at the State Dinner for President Obama and Michelle Obama in Berlin.
08 2014 Silvaner Escherndorfer Lump Horst Sauer Franken trocken Euro 14,50 – A typical, bone-dry Silvaner from Franconia. Asparagus wine.
09 2013 Riesling Ungeheuer Bürklin-Wolf Pfalz GG trocken Euro 34,50 – Chancellor Bismark used to say: Dieses Ungeheuer schmeckt ungeheuer (This Ungeheuer tastes amazing).
10 2013 Sauvignon Blanc 500 von Winning Pfalz trocken Euro 38 – A leading Sauvignon Blanc (and oaked Riesling) producer from the Pfalz.
11 2014 Riesling Hahn Toni Jost Mittelrhein GG trocken Euro 23,70 – An ultra-premium dry Riesling from the leading Mittelrhein producer.
12 2014 Riesling Hipping Lisa Brunn Rheinhessen trocken Euro 15 – Lisa Brunn is a young, up-and-coming female winemaker from Rheinhessen.
13 2014 Riesling Felseneck Schäfer-Fröhlich Nahe GG trocken Euro 38,50 – Schäfer-Fröhlich has become a top star in the past 5, 6 years.
14 2014 Riesling Kastanienbusch Rebholz Pfalz GG trocken Euro 40 – A top dry Riesling from the Pfalz.
See also:
Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
15 2014 Riesling Saarburger Rausch Geltz Zilliken Saar Kabinett Euro 13,90 – A prime example of a fruity-sweet Mosel wine, unique in the world.
See also:
Dorothee Zilliken, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken Presents her Noble Rieslings at Frankfurt/Wein in Frankfurt, Germany
16 2014 Riesling Silberlack Schloss Johannisberg Rheingau GG trocken Euro 39 – An ultra-premium dry wine from the oldest Riesling domaine in the world.
17 2014 Riesling Frauenberg Battenfeld-Spanier Rheinhessen GG trocken Euro 38 – The sister estate of Kühling-Gillot, both owned and run by H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot.
See also:
Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Rosé
18 2014 Clarette Rosé Knipser Pfalz trocken Euro 8,60 – From one of the best red wine producers in Germany.
19 2014 Spätburgunder Rosé Martin Wassmer Baden trocken Euro 7,30 – A Rosé from Baden.
Red
20 2013 Spätburgunder Cuvée Diehl Nahe trocken Euro 50,50 – Caroline Diel not only makes outstanding Riesling.
See also:
Tasting with Sylvain Taurisson Diel at Schlossgut Diel, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
21 2013 Das Kreuz - Rotweincuvée Rings Pfalz trocken Euro 38 – A world class blend.
22 2013 Blutsbruder Karl May Rheinhessen trocken Euro 12,50 – Ever heard of the author Karl May?
23 2011 Cuvée C Grosse Reserve Aldinger Württemberg trocken Euro 28,90 – Yu rarely find wines from Württemberg outside of Germany.
Sekt
24 NV Von Buhl Reichsrat von Buhl Pfalz brut Euro 14,90 - A “Champagne” from Germany. One out of four sparkling wines produced in the world is consumed in Germany (25% of world production).
See also:
Winemaker Dinner at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, Germany
25 NV Brut Cuvée Marie Luise Raumland Rheinhessen Euro 14 – Raumland is Germany’s leading producer for premium and ultra-premium sparklers.
schiller-wine: Related Postings
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany
Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Germany’s Grosses Gewächs GG Wines Released (2014 White and 2013 Red) - Notes from the Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
Approaches to Classifying German Wine: The Standard Approach (the Law of 1971), the VDP Approach and the Zero Classification Approach
Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Tasting the Wines, President Obama was Served: Visit of Weingut Markus Schneider, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Winemaker Dinner at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, Germany
Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Tasting with Sylvain Taurisson Diel at Schlossgut Diel, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Dorothee Zilliken, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken Presents her Noble Rieslings at Frankfurt/Wein in Frankfurt, Germany