Germany is planted to some 260,000 acres of mostly white varietals. The cool climate and shorter growing season dictate the style and types of wines produced. Because it is difficult for red varietals to attain full ripeness at latitudes this far north, white grapes are used for over 80% of the wines produced. However, ripening also presents challenges for white varietals. To help grapes achieve maturity, vineyards are generally planted with south-facing exposures on sloping hillsides.
Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner and Muller-Thurgau are the most common white varietals. Despite the challenging growing conditions, Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) has seen a marked increase in plantings in recent years.
German wines are generally light in alcohol, containing levels between 8 and 11%. They also feature high acidity levels, which helps preserve the wine from microbial spoilage.
Unlike geographically based appellation systems used to distinguish specific growing areas, Germany also separates the wines according to the ripeness levels of the grapes at picking.
Most wines are given the Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) designation. These inexpensive everyday wines must simply be from one of Germany’s thirteen growing regions. Chaptalization, or the addition of sugar to the must, is allowed during production.
The Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP) designation generally indicates a higher quality of wine made with native yeasts and without chaptalization. There are six QmP categories based on the ripeness level of the grapes at harvest.
Kabinett is a food friendly, usually dry, wine made from grapes during the normal harvest dates.
Spatlese is a late harvest designation wine that can be dry or semi-sweet.
Auslese is created from hand-selected clusters of very ripe grapes. The individual selection of the clusters generally increases the price of Auslese wines.
Beernauslese wines are created from hand-selected individual berries. The berries are often infected by Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot.
Trockenbeerenauslese or TBAs, the most distinguished category of wines, are also created from individually selected berries usually dehydrated from Botrytis. TBA designated wines are rare and priced accordingly.
Eisweins are created by allowing the grapes to hang on the vines until the clusters freeze.