Wine of the Month

-May-

Dönnhoff

Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spätlese 2003

-Nahe-

The Dönnhoff family has been involved in wine production in the Nahe wine-growing region for at least two hundred years. Helmut Dönnhoff has continued this tradition, having produced his first vintage in 1971, at the age of 22. Today the wine estate is legendary with Weingut Dönnhoff considered to be one of the most highly regarded producers in Germany.

The summer of 2003 yielded hot, unusually warm and sunny conditions to the point where grapes were reaching levels of ultra-ripeness. Too much richness and opulence are not good for delicate German wines because of the potential loss of balanced acidity. Dönnhoff realized the potential hazards with the vintage and strived to make wines that displayed elegance, fine acidity, and expressive minerality, typical of his style of winemaking. The results at the estate were spectacular, with the Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spätlese being a perfect example of Dönnhoff's brilliant talent.

A hint of peach and pear in the nose with a touch sun-baked stones comes through. On the palate the wine's bright citrusy fruit notes, hinting of orange rind, and spicy richness really come through. This is a beautiful Riesling defines the purity of the Dönnhoff style, powerful yet sleek and breathtakingly beautiful.

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Thanks to early bud burst and optimal autumn weather, German wine grapes had an unusually long growing season in 2007. This year’s harvest was relatively unhurried and took place over several weeks. Grape musts and young wines are showing well, with a fabulous wealth of aromas, high ripeness and extract levels, and a well-integrated, harmonious – yet marked – acidity. After last year’s small harvest, growers are also very satisfied with the size of this year’s crop: in all, estimated to be ca. 10.5 – 11 million hectoliters. A résumé of this year’s harvest in the 13 wine-growing regions, compiled by the German Wine Institute in Mainz, follows.

In the Ahr, the Frühburgunder (an early-ripening Pinot Noir) harvest began in late August and ended with the Riesling harvest during the second week of October. Yields – approaching 100 hl/ha – were quite satisfactory, and for this small red wine region, above average in size. The prognosis is for an overall quantity of 54,000 hl. Yields were higher for Portugieser, lower for Früh- and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). Must weights ranged mostly between 70 and 100 degrees Oechsle; Spätburgunder, in particular, achieved high must weights. Thanks to ideal weather conditions during the ripening period, the grapes were able to develop high extracts. The ratio of quantity to quality is described as optimal. The crop was healthy and there were no problems with fermentation. Vintage 2007 Weissherbst (rosé) will be bottled shortly to meet the high demand for this category.

In Baden, the harvest ended in mid-October and Baden vintners view 2007 as a very good vintage. The harvest itself and its results are described as a “dream of a harvest.” Equally wonderful were the weather conditions – a golden October – calm autumn weather with cool nights and sunny days that fostered the development of a spectrum of aromas. Wine lovers can look forward to outstanding wines from the 2007 vintage. According to a local wine-growers’ advisor: “Across the board, regardless of variety, the aromas and color of these wines are extraordinary. We haven’t seen the likes of this for quite some time.” Not only were there impressive must weights for Spätburgunder and Riesling, but also specialties, such as Gewürztraminer or Gutedel, showed well. After the first tastings of the young wines, cellar masters are describing the vintage as remarkable for its grandiose wealth of aromas, as well as its perceptible, yet well-integrated, wine acidity. They expect red wines with great depth of color and longevity. Not only is the high quality welcome, but also the quantity harvested – to help alleviate shortages after several small crops. In all, Baden’s 16,000 ha yielded a crop of ca. 1.2 million hl, with an average yield of 85 hl/ha – more than in 2006.

The harvest in Franken started in early September – but growers with patience were rewarded with a sunny October. After a damp summer, very selective harvesting was necessary in order to achieve (ultimately) quite satisfactory results. The first Müller-Thurgau wines of 2007 are aromatic, fresh and fruity; Silvaner, another important varietal in Franken, is showing a fine, elegant note. Only Bacchus grapes had a lower-than-average yield, due to sunburn. About three quarters of the wine musts reached Prädikat wine levels; the average must weight was a remarkably high 87 degrees Oechsle. The region’s 6,000 ha of vineyards yielded somewhat more than half a million hl, with an average yield of 85 hl/ha. This is a seven percent increase in quantity over the year before, which will help replenish low stocks prior to the harvest.

The Hessische Bergstrasse, Germany’s second smallest wine region, is known above all for its Rieslings, but other varieties are at home there, too. At the end of August, for example, the Frühburgunder harvest began. In mid-October, after the Riesling harvest, the last Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were gathered. Growers willing to postpone the start of their harvest were able to achieve considerably higher qualities, particularly with their Riesling grapes. For the first time, red Riesling was harvested. This rarity is believed to be a forerunner of the white Riesling we know today. Spätburgunder must weights were remarkably high; Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) required a very selective harvest and yields were disappointingly low. Overall, the crop was a good 35,000 hl, with an average yield of 85 hl/ha – significantly more than in 2006, when quantities barely met supply. For this reason, the first bottlings of 2007 are expected on the market in early November.

The harvest in the Mittelrhein began in mid-September with a few early-ripening varieties, but the main harvest didn’t end until the last week of October. Both quantity and quality are remarkable in this Riesling region. The overall yield is somewhat above the long-term average and considerably above the year before. In all, some 40,000 hl are expected, equal to a yield of 90 hl/ha. Riesling, in particular, benefited from the long growing season, with optimal proportions of sugar (average of 100 degrees Oechsle) to acidity. Red grapes, such as Spätburgunder, were also harvested in a healthy state, at up to 100 degrees Oechsle, with a slightly higher acidity than the year before.

Due to the northerly location of the region and the significance of the late-ripening varietal Riesling, it comes as no surprise that the Mosel growers are among the last to start harvesting. Müller-Thurgau and Elbling (ancient white variety, cultivated primarily in the upper Mosel, along the border with Luxembourg) were picked in the second half of September; the Riesling harvest began in October and – in estates with holdings in steep sites, where harvesting can only be done by hand – lasted the entire month. Ideal weather, with mostly dry, sunny autumn days as well as cool (at times cold) nights, made for a stress-free harvest. These weather conditions enabled growers to harvest their crop at an optimal ripeness level. The 2007 wines from the valleys of the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer are expected to be particularly rich in minerals and extracts. Steep-site Riesling grapes had considerable time to absorb minerals from the slate soil – ultimately reflected in a wine’s aroma and flavor. This year’s growing season (the time between blossoming and harvest) was particularly long: 100 days is the norm; in 2007: 120 to 150 days. Consumers can expect well-structured wines with straightforward fruit aromas/flavors. Must weights primarily reached Prädikat levels, often 100 degrees Oechsle and above. The region’s nearly 9,000 ha yielded an estimated 925,000 hl and thus, some 85,000 hl more than in 2006.

The Müller-Thurgau harvest in mid-September marked the start of the harvest in the Nahe, ending with the Riesling harvest in the second half of October. Patience was rewarded – particularly for Riesling, which achieved must weights of 90 to 95 degrees Oechsle. Cool October nights slowed down a reduction in acidity in the white wine varietals, and the young wines have a harmonious ratio of ripeness to crispness. Red varietals, too, profited from a later harvest: Spätburgunder grapes reached Oechsle levels well over 80 degrees. In all, a considerable amount of Prädikatswein is expected. Yields: 100 hl/ha – good news for Nahe growers. An estimated 430,00 hl were harvested – a fourth more than in the preceding year.

Earlier than usual – mid-August – some growers in the Pfalz harvested grapes for Federweisser (fermenting grape juice) and the last of the new wine was sold at the end of October. The harvest in the Pfalz usually takes place over months – unlike the stressful and hectic circumstances a year ago. In contrast to the year before, this year’s sunny autumn led to a considerable increase in must weights for both white and red varietals, which in turn, has led to an exceptionally high niveau of red and white wines. Acidity values are higher than in the “esteemed” vintage 2003 – particularly good news for Riesling wines. The harvest was relatively large – 2.5 million hl – and is welcome to meet demand. Quality is also well above average. Growers had time to harvest at the optimal time of ripeness, taking into consideration the various growth periods of different varietals, and could fill their portfolios accordingly. Consumers can expect a great selection of very good wines at all quality levels.

Rheingau growers began harvesting in mid-September, with young wines showing a prominent acidity. A month later, the Rieslings were more harmonious and riper, with higher must weights. Export-oriented wineries that specialize in lusciously sweet wines harvested until the end of October. Already in October, a traditional wine estate achieved a record must weight of more than 300 degrees Oechsle. In some vineyards, grapes are still hanging – in hopes of an Eiswein harvest. Under ideal autumn weather conditions, every grower could harvest exactly what was needed for his/her portfolio. The end of the growing season was particularly favorable for the most important grape variety of the Rheingau, Riesling. It’s said to be a “typical” Riesling vintage. The region’s most important red variety, Spätburgunder, also achieved high ripeness levels at the hand of patient wine-growers. Growers welcome the above-average crop – many a wine on a price list was sold out. The yield was above 80 hl/ha, in all at least a total of 250,000 hl. The excellent quality of vinage 2007 is also reflected by increased demand for bulk wines.

In Germany’s largest wine-growing region, Rheinhessen, this year’s harvest is described as quite good, often compared with the 2002 and 2004 vintages. Many a grower is not sparing with superlatives, such as “wonderful qualities after an ideal autumn” or “sensational vintage.” Grapes were picked throughout September, but it was primarily the grapes harvested in October that achieved the above-average ripeness levels that are the hallmark of this vintage. As such, the growing season for some vines stretched over 140 days rather than the necessary absolute minimum of 100 days. This was optimal for Riesling, which showed its best with an average must weight of 85 degrees Oechsle, as well as for Rheinhessen’s other traditional varietals, e.g. Silvaner (80 degrees Oechsle) and Pinots, which for the most part, were harvested with 90 degrees Oechsle. Warm days and cold nights yielded elegant wines with brisk acidity, fruitiness, and an expressive play of aromas. Harvest yields are estimated at 115 hl/ha, well above average, for a total yield of 2.9 million hl.

Although the vineyards suffered damage due to weather conditions – late frost in May, sunburn in July – the size of the crop in Saale-Unstrut is about that of last year’s good level. About 42,000 hl are expected, or a third more than usual. Since the development of the grapes was ahead of schedule, growers were able to start harvesting in early September. Some estates waited until the second half of October. The crop was healthy and posed no problems for cellar masters. Thanks to the long growing season, the wines are quite aromatic, very fruity, and marked by a lively acidity. With regard to quantity and quality: a good to very good vintage.

In Sachsen, more than two weeks earlier than usual, the harvest began in August, with the region’s early-ripening specialty, the rare Goldriesling (a Riesling x Courtillier Musqué crossing). For the most part, the harvest had ended by mid-October, not least because several rainy days prompted growers to quicken their pace. A primarily healthy crop was brought in, before the damp weather could lead to rot. Ripeness and acidity levels were, respectively, satisfactory and quite good – this bodes particularly well for Gewürztraminer. Overall, the wines of Germany’s smallest wine-growing region – less than 500 ha/1,235 acres – are rarities and regularly sold out, even at relatively high prices. Despite the good quantity harvested in 2007, this situation is not likely to change. Estimated quantity: 20,000 hl.

The harvest in Württemberg – a six-week period of picking that ended in the second half of October – yielded good qualities and a marketable quantity. Yields are estimated to be 110 hl/ha, with an overall quantity of 1.2 to 1.3 million hl. Württemberg’s strength lies in the red wine sector (ca. 75 percent of the harvest), with varieties such as Trollinger, Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier), and Lemberger (Blaufränkisch). Yields for Trollinger and Lemberger were slightly above average, whereas yields for early-ripening white varieties, such as Kerner or Müller-Thurgau, fell short of the long-term average. The Riesling crop, however, was larger than last year and will help alleviate supply problems for the region’s most important white varietal. The overall harvesting period was able to be extended, thanks to mild weather, influenced by high pressure. In addition, this fostered both an increase in must weights and the development of ripe aromas – reflected in the first bottlings of white wines of the new vintage.

GermanWineEstates displayed impressive growth in viewer readership for the year 2007, reaching record levels in several categories which the website uses for statistical analysis. Two of the most relevant gauges used for audience awareness were up significantly. These are number of viewers and unique readership. The annual number of visitors increased by a factor of 66% over the 2006 level and unique readership surpassed the 2006 figure by 47%.

Our vistors came from 73 different countries, with the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia and Italy representing the top five foreign countries. I am also happy to report that GermanWineEstates maintains a high level of returning viewers from around the world which signifies that the information found on these pages offers information which has proven to be useful in the various aspects of German wine appreciation.

The weather was exceptional: Early spring with heat in April, very early blosseming, then cold and wet in May, followed by a heat-wave in July and finally a wonderful autumn. Thanks to a very careful pre-selection of all damaged grapes, I harvested ripe and healthy grapes, which give clean and brilliant Riesling. The must-weight was predominantely between 90° and 100°, which is typical for the Spätlese and Auslese level. The acidity is round and mature.The first degustation of young wines show elegance, fruitiness and fascinating minerality with balanced acidity.

The vintage 2007 will include the broad spectrum from charming “Riesling Classic” through successful Kabinett, fine Spätlese up to wonderful Auslese and the famous “Erstes Gewächs”, toped by a rare Beerenauslese.The range includes the modern dry style as well the traditional sweeter Riesling.

For many of the 200 Prädikatswein wine growing estates in Germany it was the earliest harvest in memory. When the grapes were harvested they had already undergone an unusually long vegetation period, enabling them to mature optimally. And even more importantly, they remained healthy right until the very end of the harvest. Now the aromatic musts are fermenting in the cellars, and Germany's top vintners are very pleased with the result: prickling, fresh estate wine and the finest wine from classified sites promise to provide real revelations and gustatory experiences for wine enthusiasts. The harvest volume is about 30% higher than the previous year but only slightly more than the long-term average of VDP estates, which traditionally concentrate on "quality" instead of "quantity".

Following the premature summer in April, the actual meteorological summer was much wetter than usual, even though the temperatures were average. However, all in all these were ideal, stress-free growth and development conditions for the grapevines. Graf Adelmann (Württemberg): "Although it wasn't a summer for lounging in deckchairs, it turned out to be a surprisingly good year for German winegrowing."

Toni Jost (Mittelrhein) commented: "For the first time in many years no irrigation was necessary. The grapevines remained healthy and productive for a long time, and assimilation was possible until mid-October with a green canopy." The ideal water supply at all times led to a high uptake of minerals in the grapevines - a guarantee for complex wines. Cool temperatures, particularly at night, produce stable fruit acids and delicate aromas in the berries.

The vintners regard the occurrence of new problems which were previously unknown as a challenge - for instance sunburn, which damages the grape skin and hence prevents further maturing. Also pests, such as grape leafhoppers, leaf sucking insects which destroy the leaves, or esca, a fungus that causes the grapevines to die within a few weeks and hence also destroy the potential of old grapevines, have to be controlled. In particular organic winegrowers, who enjoy overproportional representation in VDP, are here faced by special challenges. The estates report that there is up to 20 % damage at the affected vineyards.

The grapes ripened as early as they did in 2003, the so-called "once in a thousand years" summer. Consequently the regions began harvesting one to three weeks earlier than usual. However, in contrast to the lightning harvest of the previous year, the "relaxed" harvest lasted for almost 8 weeks, accompanied by good weather. The grapes on the vines were aromatic and healthy, but some ripened at different rates, which meant the vineyards had to be harvested manually in up to four stages. During this selection work the grapes that ripened early had to be harvested and damaged and rotten berries had to be removed to enable the remaining grapes to reach full maturity. Although this amount of work is a matter of course for Prädikatswein wine growing estates, which operate at a very high level and produce excellent wines, it is roughly twice as much work per hectare compared to the effort usually required for manual harvesting.

Grapes that are harvested early, such as Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner, had a very pithy skin and high pectin content this year, which resulted in a low juice extraction. The initially relatively high acid levels perfectly balanced themselves out perfectly during the ripening process. And for good measure an ideal supply of nutrients in the musts ensured a rapid and even fermentation.

Hansjörg Rebholz (Palatinate) made an interesting observation: "This year there will be "September and October wines". By the end of September we already had very high sugar values (and high acid values), but the grapes were not "physiologically ripe". They first ripened during the warm and wet weather from October 1st to 3rd. From then onwards the grapes tasted proper and the acid was more normal. From the "October wines" in particular I expect great wines with enormous development potential. Annegret Reh-Gartner, Reichsgraf v. Kesselstatt, emphasized these impressions: "First of all there was a great deal of citrus, but then later cassis, ripe pear and peach."

The musts already have an intensive taste with a very fine hint of fruit acid. This indicates wines with a complex structure. And this is combined with not too high alcohol contents, although many vintners are talking about very good must weights: "Nothing below 95° Oechsle!" enthused Gerhard Gutzler (Rhine-Hesse): "I can imagine the Spätburgunder in five years time - simply delicious with its own powerful and very typical taste. Horst Kolesch, head of the Juliusspital winery in Würzburg, envisages that the big winners of this year's vintage will not just be the various types of Burgundy wines but also Silvaners and Rieslings. And he added: "Today good sites will clearly produce wines a cut above the rest."

The real icing on the cake for the perfect vintage was the Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese with wonderful fruit acids that had not been possible in many regions for years. Enthusiasts and collectors of these exquisite sweet wines can certainly look forward to the traditional VDP auctions, where the best wines come under the hammer every year. 60 harvesters at the Wegeler estate at the Rothenberg site in Geisenheim managed to gather the tenth highest must weight ever measured in Germany: 21 liters of a highly concentrated Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese with 312 degrees Oechsle. But many VDP winegrowing estates are still gambling with the weather, hoping to crown the vintage collection with a rare ice wine.

After the Prädikatswein winegrowing estates were by no means able to cover demand with the extremely small harvest in 2006, this year the yields are 30 % higher compared to the previous year and 7% higher than the long-term average for VDP (65 hl/ha). However, they are still 30 % below the general German average. The classification of the wines is divided into in 50% estate wines, 35% from classified sites and 15% wines from ERSTE LAGE sites.

The Prädikatswein winegrowing estates will maintain their price level. At the most slight increases are planned for covering increased material and energy costs. The average price level achieved in VDP winegrowing estates is currently around nine euros. There is general agreement that the sales opportunities are very good to excellent. For years now the estates have enjoyed increasing demand and particularly high increases for ERSTE LAGE wines . German wine is still one of the most favorably priced top wines in the world, and German vintners have an inimitable competence for producing Riesling.

The upshot of the new VDP president Steffen Christmann is euphoric: "It promises to be a really great year. We are delighted that 2007 is a year with the unusual constellation where increased quality and quantity come together. After having only been able to produce the required qualities with great effort during the past few years, particularly in 2006, this year it was possible to make the most of excellent prerequisites. Now it is up to the 200 vintner personalities in VDP to use their experience and creativity to use the natural quality to produce excellent quality wines."

GermanWineEstates has a new look! The design is neat and fresh which includes a new color scheme and beautiful new logo, giving the website a cleaner, more attractive look. The features are all the same, providing information on all aspects of the German wine industry, as well as the GWE-Wine Club where members can buy fine German and Austrian wines, all of which have been individually tasted and selected to offer the best value and highest quality available from each country. I hope that you will like the fresh look of GermanWineEstates and will visit regularly to check out what's new.

It was one of those surreal dream-come-true moments. I had just returned from vacation in July, still jet-lagged, when I came back to work and was presented with an overstuffed envelope. What could this be? Tearing it open, I found e-tickets to Frankfurt and back, dated September 1 to September 12, 2007, courtesy of my boss. I love my job.

Our group consisted of two wine distributors - one from Mississippi, one from South Carolina; two sommeliers - one from Hawaii and one from Atlantic City; two retailers - one from Manhattan, New York, and me from Long Beach, California; and finally, two national sales representatives from Rudi Wiest Selections.

Our first destination was in Franken, on the very Sunday we landed. This green rolling countryside is known for its dry wines, and it was this dry wine theme that would carry us through the tour. Though German wines are known internationally for being sweet, the locals sing the praises of dry wines, for they pair best with European cuisine. Perhaps in the U.S., dry German wines will someday surpass the popularity of sweet German wines.

In Franken, the grape varieties of the most importance are Riesling, Silvaner, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), primarily all fermented dry. Traditionally bottled in the flat, onion-shaped Bocksbeutel, Franken wines are increasingly found in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Riesling bottles for the export market.

Our first estate to visit was Rudolf Fürst in the town of Bürgstadt. The town is small, like many winemaking villages, and my first thought was how different it is from visiting wine estates in California, where one takes a long driveway to the winery which has gardens and lots of free land. Here, in this small town, it seemed more like we were driving up to a house than a winery. The winery was tucked between other houses - I was to see this was often the pattern - a top estate would appear as an unassuming house in a picturesque village.

Established by Rudolf Fürst, the winemaker has been his son Paul Fürst for decades, but the reins have been recently transferred to his son, Sebastian, the third generation. Sebastian, young, friendly, and passionate about his wines, led us through a tasting of 2006 vintage white wines and 2005 vintage reds. This estate is known for its Pinot Noirs, or Spätburgunder. These two terms are used interchangeably in reference to this now international grape, and though labels still say Spätburgunder.

Fürst owns 17 hectares of land in the western part of Franken, with primarily red sandstone soil, and with over 55% planted to Pinot Noir, with the rest devoted to Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, and another variety that I only learned about on this trip called Frühburgunder, or "early ripening Pinot Noir." As the name suggests, it is like Pinot Noir but ripens earlier, and while tasty, tends to lack the depth and age-worthiness of Pinot Noir. The Fürst wines struck me as being very elegant, with pristine fruit and minerality, and an overall delicacy rather than excessive power. One does find it difficult not to compare its wines with those of Burgundy, for they really possess the soul of the land.

The two top vineyard sites owned by Fürst are the Klingenberger and the Centgrafenberg. Klingenberger is planted to 20 to 30 year old Pinot Noir vines and produces the most sexy, Volnay-like Pinot Noir with a most heady aroma. Centgrafenberg is a Grosses Gewächs ("Grand Cru") vineyard planted to both Riesling and Pinot Noir.

Planted on colored sandstone is a field blend of Riesling and Silvaner. These two varieties are harvest together and treated as one, fermented and aged together, producing a delicious fruity yet dry white wine with smoky bacon undertones likely coming from the ripe Silvaner, while the Riesling lends the wine some fresh acidity. A very nice discovery.

This entry level Pinot Noir is made in the traditional method by aging in large old oak barrels, not to impart any oak flavor to the wine, but instead to allow the wine to mature with the small amounts of air exchange through wood. The nose reveals earthiness and smoke, while the palate is of medium body and tastes of cherry fruit and earth.

Our next stop in Franken was to the town of Iphöfen, where resides the estate of Hans Wirsching, another specialist in dry wines. Their two famous vineyards are the Kronsberg ("crown hill") and Julius-Echter-Berg, which are both steel slopes having the soil type called gypsum marl. The estate is well known for its Silvaner, Riesling, and Scheurebe, which are made in several style including an entry level estate style, and Kabinett and Spätlese trocken styles.

Our host at Wirsching was winemaking intern Max von Kunow is the son of the owner and winemaker at Weingut Von Hövel in the Saar region. So what was he doing far from home down in Franken? What he is doing is learning to make dry wines at Wirsching. As a soon-to-be a graduate of the enology school at Geisenheim University in the Rheingau, he is also active in the VDP as a leader of a new Younger Generation Winemaker's Group, where he advocates for the sharing of ideas among the new generation of winemakers, many of whom have grown up in winemaking households and have been the first generation to attend school for winemaking. Charming, funny, and completely enthralled by German wine, he is a fine example of what the future of German wines hold.

Scheurebe is a difficult wine to make dry, so many other estates make a sweet one. Wirsching is known for its special treatment of Scheurebe, creating a dry wine that also shows off its fruit and fine minerality. On the nose, there is aromatic sweet melon, and on the palate, there is fresh acidity, white stones, grapefruit and melon, while dry. Anyone who likes Sauvignon Blanc will love this wine.

This is the best Silvaner produced by this estate, hence the Grosses Gewächs designation. The nose is subtle with stone fruit (this wine needs to open up, it is so young). The palate suggests just a hint of residual sugar, creating a wonderful roundness in the mouth that is full of honeydew melon and orange.

This is the Riesling planted in the same Grosses Gewächs vineyard as the above Silvaner. The nose is rich in ripe peach and spice. The palate is higher in acidity than the Silvaner, with lime, minerals and tons of extract, Granny Smith apples, and baking spices. At 6 grams of residual sugar, this is a halbtrocken with 14.5% alcohol.

After tasting all those dry wines, we got to experience something very delicious, and very interesting. This was a sweet Auslese made from Silvaner, something I had never really experienced before. Poured from the Bocksbeutel, it showed delicate and fresh stone fruits on the nose, and on the palate was a gorgeous mouthful of ripe pear, red apples, yellow nectarines, all unctuous and ripe, like those summer fruits you bite into and the juice gushes down your chin. That's how delicious this Silvaner is. And to top it off, it ages incredibly well, as we were about to see in a special aged bottling of this same wine, which came next.

Same wine as the 2006 we just tried, just - let me think - 24 years older! Who said Silvaner is not a noble grape and cannot age? No one in Franken, that's for sure. In Franken, Silvaner ranks up there with Riesling as a vin de garde. The nose on this aged wine showed rich honey. The palate was round, balanced, complex, with not much sweetness, just a hint of spice and honeycomb. Over its 24 years, it has developed from a dessert wine to a food wine, ready to pair with hearty dinner dishes. It made us appreciate the potential of the 2006 in terms of its longevity. And according to Rudi Wiest, the 2006 vintage is superior to the 1983 (though 1983 was a good year in Germany).

The next stop was the neighboring region of Württemburg to the south. This historic region is home to the city of Stuttgart, as well as being primarily a red wine region dominated by co-operatives. Co-operatives, or co-ops are winemaking organizations that buy the grapes of the growers in the local area and produce the wine in large quantities. Co-ops came about through the centuries and allowed growers to have steady income and a supply of wine, which at times could be requested from one's own grapes. The most commonly made red wine of the region is Trollinger, a local variety that makes light red wines from large black grapes that grow abundantly. The region loves its Trollinger, and for centuries, there was no reason to grow anything else. However, outside of the region, the wines are not known for their high quality. Until recently, however, when a few renegade winemakers are proving that the vineyards here are capable of finer wines that can grace the wine lists of high-end restaurants, and have been tearing out much of the Trollinger and replacing it with varieties such as Pinot Meunier (called Schwartzriesling here), Pinot Noir, Lemberger (the same grape as Blaufrankisch in Austria), and Riesling.

In Württemburg, we met up with a real up-and-coming winemaker, Rainer Schnaitmann, who has come from a long line of winegrowers who had sold their grapes off to co-ops for the past 500 years. He is the first of his family to stop selling off his grapes to co-ops and to make his own wine. For the past decade, he has been huge strides in quality, experimenting with making Trollinger with lower yields and using better vinification techniques, making crosses, and planting not only Lemberger, Riesling, and Pinot varieties, but also Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. His wines are small production, and he sells out locally to people who visit his winery, as well as to restaurants around Germany. His wines are not currently exported to the United States, but he is definitely on Rudi's radar screen, and he is an up-and-comer with ambition, drive, energy, and the intelligence and resources to make it all the way to the top.

We had dinner with Rainer and his fiancé at a modern American-styled restaurant located above a modern art museum high above the city of Stuttgart, and we drank his wines with each course. Our first evening in Germany was ironically not with German food, but instead a fusion-styled sashimi appetizer and a filet mignon main dish, but we were nonetheless basking in German hospitality, wine, and culture.

We hit two regions on the first day of our arrival, and on the second day, we were already on our way to the third region, the region of Baden. Baden is also known for its red wines, and its dry white wines. So far, we had not really experienced the sweet or fruity styles for which German wines are typically known for - those would be more concentrated in the Mosel region, which was later in the tour.

This estate was founded by Dr. Max Heger in 1935 and is now owned by Joachim Heger. We were taken on a tour of the cellar and led through the tasting by one of his winemakers, Markus, who had not only great English skills, but technical flair and a great sense of humor. Our tasting was of the estate's Silvaner, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, and Spätburgunder. Of those, I found the simple yet delicious estate Pinot Noir to be one of the most delicious.

There was a bit of a drive to reach the town of Schweigen one sleepy morning when the sun was shining upon the Pfalz. We passed a number of road signs pointing us to "Strassburg," the German spelling for the French city of Strassbourg. We knew we were very close to Alsace. When we finally reached the Schweigen, there was the pretty Friedrich Becker estate, and we found ourselves early for their annual customer appreciation party, the Jazz Brunch. Family members and staff seemed to be busily preparing for the day's celebration. Four jazz players set up on one side of the pretty courtyard, while on the other side, a chef in whites put out a chalkboard sign displaying the day's fare. A couple of children played a game on one of the picnic tables, while the other tables, set tablecloths and flowers, remained unattended. They were setting up for their big day, and after a bit of a wait, we were shuttled to their cellar room to do our tasting. I hadn't fully woken up yet, even by that time, until I tasted the wines. Expecting something ordinary out of this dry wine estate I barely knew, I was taken aback when I began to taste one wine after another. They were sensational! Delicious, singing in my mouth, waking up my senses. They were wines I definitely did not need to convince myself to like. Everything from their dry whites to their gorgeous, fruit forward reds were wonderful.

A brief intro to the winery's work was given by Fritz Becker Jr., who has been making the estate's wines since only 2005. Prior to this, his father, owner Fritz Becker Sr, had been making the wines for almost three decades, the first of his family to stop selling grapes to the co-operative and take his vineyard's prized grapes into his own hands, making the Becker estate one of the most highly regarded red wine producers in Germany.

A couple of interesting facts were shared about the Becker vineyards and the specific labeling of the wines. First, the Becker vineyards are on the French side of the border, just a couple of hundred meters from the winery. So this estate makes German wines from grapes grown technically in France. Second, vineyards are of sandstone and limestone soil, very similar to that of Burgundy. As for the labels, the dry wines produced by this estate do not go by the German Wine Laws which name wines by their Pradikat labels, such as Kabinett, Spätlese, and Auslese. They do not care to name their wines by the ripeness level of the grapes at the time of harvest; instead, they classify all their wines as Qualitätswein, and name the wines in a more international fashion, that is, by a three-tiered system whereby the entry level wines are called Estate, the mid-tiered wines given another name, and the reserve, single vineyard, Grosses Gewäch wines given that specific designation. Only a few of the sweet wines produced specify Spätlese or Auslese.

"Let it do what it wants" is the name of this Riesling, which was first made by Fritz Becker Jr. by mistake when he let this wine's fermentation go unchecked, but serendipity made this wine a complete best seller, so "my dad let me make it again the next year, on purpose!" This Riesling was picked at Auslese level (but is sold as a Qualitätswein), fermented with natural wild yeasts in two-year old barrels, aged with long yeast contact, and undergoes malolactic fermentation, producing this fresh, medium-dry, medium-sweet wine with notes of ripe pears and apples and a creamy mouthfeel.

The "B" stands for barrique, the small French-style barrels, but these barrique (all old, no new in this cuvee) are made from German oak. 2005 was a spectacular year for red wine, so this wine's nose is deep, with red and black fruits and savory, rich notes. The palate is full of red and black fruits, toasty oak, but not overwhelming.

This is a single vineyard Pinot Noir from "Chamber Hill," referring to this vineyard's history as providing some reserve wines drank by monks in the chamber. This is a south facing vineyard on the French side, with 40-year old vines. The wine was made unfined and unfiltered, aged in 80% fine-grained German new oak. The nose: elegant and toasty, suggestive of the oak aging; the palate: rich, toasty, big, and looking toward a New World style.

This is the best vineyard owned by the Beckers, the Saint Paul, of which they have 0.6 hectares. Compared with the Kammerberg, this vineyard is more steep and sloping, and the soil is poorer, forcing the vines to struggle more to obtain water. This Pinot Noir is like a powerful Burgundy, with New World richness and Old World elegance wrapped up in one.

Owner and winemaker Hansjörg Rebholz hosted this tasting for us of his dry, dry, and I mean DRY wines. His wines are statuesque and border on lean, and are meant to be drunk a few years after the vintage so their parts integrate and mellow out. He has a great range of wines, and we started out with some sparkling that he makes in partnership with Volker Raumland of Sekthau Raumland, and went through his range from Muscateller all the way through his best single vineyard Rieslings up to his Spätburgunders.

This curious sparkling wine is 50:50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, hence the name. Made from Rebholz fruit and made at Sekhaus Raumland, it has received critical acclaim, which Hansjörg proudly shared with Volker Raumland. The sparkler spends two years on lees, and is yeasty, bready, dry, with notes of freshly baked brioche and cinnamon/apple pie spice.

In contrast to Becker, Hansjörg labels his wines the old fashioned way - Kabinett Trocken for example. He shared that Muscateller may have had its origins in Iraq, then migrated to Old Europe. The nose on this wine is definitely Muscat, with orange blossom, exotic fruits, and flowers. The palate is light, dry, lean, high in acidity, though definitely fresh and hinting toward citrus.

Harvested at a brutally low 15 hl/ha, this wine is made from the Im Sonnenschein ("in sunshine") Grand Cru vineyard that is second only to Rebholz's famous Kasteinebush vineyard. This Riesling is also puckeringly dry but has a full mouthfeel and a richness of fruit in the midpalate owing to the minute 5 grams of residual sugar that Hansjörg allowed to remain in this wine. But worry not - this wine finishes bone dry.

Here's the top vineyard showing its stuff in this Grand Cru Riesling, again harvested at a mere 15 hl/ha. The wine is a golden straw color like a white Burgundy aged in oak; the aroma is off orange sections and orange blossom. The palate is rich, full, juicy, suggesting some residual sugar, but certainly not much. There is component in the wine that reminded me of sweet crab meat - savory salinity integrated with sweetness.

Just bottled the previous week, we tasted this famous Pinot Noir, which showed some pretty floral aromas and red cherries and raspberries on the nose. On the palate, the wine is high in acid, some ripe fruit but also some astringent wood tannins, suggesting that this is a vin de garde that simply need some years in the cellar before drinking.

I had heard of Tim Fröhlich before, but had never met him, so I assumed he was a mid-40s guy. He has a celebrity reputation in Germany for making some of the most cutting edge wines in all of Germany today, not just the in the Nahe, rivaling super-celebs such as Dönnhoff. When we finally met him, I was surprised that he looks about 30, maybe even younger, with a Tom-Cruise-in-Top-Gun look, angular features and a seriousness about him that almost doesn't fit in the small, charming, and somewhat old-fashioned town of Bockenau in which his family's winery is located.

There's pretty much nothing old-fashioned about Tim Fröhlich. Unlike many of his generation, he is self-taught, did not attend Geisenheim, but instead seems to make his wine from instinct and simply being around wine since birth. His first vintage was 1995, and since then, he has been written up and lauded extensively in publications across Europe for his modern style of winemaking.

Like many of the leading winemakers in Germany, his passion is making dry wines that appeal to the Germany market and internationally. His single vineyard Spätlese Trocken is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he is able to do with dry vinification. He also makes fruity wines such as the Nahe Estate Kabinett Riesling and single vineyard Spätlese, which both have a racy structure and pure fruit. The noble sweet wines from this estate are also among the best in Nahe.

Hand selected, raisin by raisin, this wine is made from botrytized grapes giving a honeyed, caramelized pears flavor that Sauternes cannot hold a candle to. Finesse and elegance comes to mind when drinking this wine - this is as noble a sweet wine as noble sweet wines can get, with bright acidity balancing the natural sweetness. For autumn, this wine is a perfect ending to a harvest feast.

Germany's wine country is a fascinating place, full of dynamic producers and breathtaking vineyards. The regions are diverse, but have a common thread, joined in the pursuit of making some of the purest wines on the planet. Not only do the most delicate sweet and fruity wines hail from this corner of the world, but so do dry white and red wines that rival the very best. And, though wine has been made in Germany for 2000 years, the world is just beginning to see the range of what its vineyards and its vintners can do.

Nancy Deprez, formerly Nancy Ling, began her professional wine career in 2005 working for the retail firm The Wine Country, located in southern California in the city of Signal Hill. Prior to being in wine, she worked for over a decade as a dietitian in the health care field, and thus has an extensive background in food science. Now in her third year at The Wine Country, she currently manages the German department as well as buying wines for Austria, the rest of Central Europe, and the Southern Hemisphere. She has traveled to several wine producing regions including Germany, Champagne, Napa and Sonoma Valleys, Santa Barbara county and Paso Robles. Her passions in wine include German Rieslings and Pinot Noirs, Champagne, Burgundy, and Rhone reds.

Handpicking began in our vineyards as usual on October 4th. This late start, as well as the earliest bud break ever, makes the vintage 2007 a very unique one for our Rieslings. We had the longest ripening time ever and a great balance of ripeness and acidity! The 2007 Rieslings will be very complex with lots of mineralities and interesting aromas due to this long ripening time.

After last year’s small harvest, growers are also very satisfied with the size of this year’s crop: in all, estimated to be ca. 10.5 – 11 million hectoliters. A résumé of this year’s harvest in the 13 wine-growing regions, compiled by the German Wine Institute/Mainz, follows.

In the Ahr, the Frühburgunder (an early-ripening Pinot Noir) harvest began in late August and ended with the Riesling harvest during the second week of October. Yields – approaching 100 hl/ha – were quite satisfactory, and for this small red wine region, above average in size. The prognosis is for an overall quantity of 54,000 hl. Yields were higher for Portugieser, lower for Früh- and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). Must weights ranged mostly between 70 and 100 degrees Oechsle; Spätburgunder, in particular, achieved high must weights. Thanks to ideal weather conditions during the ripening period, the grapes were able to develop high extracts. The ratio of quantity to quality is described as optimal. The crop was healthy and there were no problems with fermentation. Vintage 2007 Weissherbst (rosé) will be bottled shortly to meet the high demand for this category.

In Baden, the harvest ended in mid-October and Baden vintners view 2007 as a very good vintage. The harvest itself and its results are described as a “dream of a harvest.” Equally wonderful were the weather conditions – a golden October – calm autumn weather with cool nights and sunny days that fostered the development of a spectrum of aromas. Wine lovers can look forward to outstanding wines from the 2007 vintage. According to a local wine-growers’ advisor: “Across the board, regardless of variety, the aromas and color of these wines are extraordinary. We haven’t seen the likes of this for quite some time.” Not only were there impressive must weights for Spätburgunder and Riesling, but also specialties, such as Gewürztraminer or Gutedel, showed well. After the first tastings of the young wines, cellar masters are describing the vintage as remarkable for its grandiose wealth of aromas, as well as its perceptible, yet well-integrated, wine acidity. They expect red wines with great depth of color and longevity. Not only is the high quality welcome, but also the quantity harvested – to help alleviate shortages after several small crops. In all, Baden’s 16,000 ha yielded a crop of ca. 1.2 million hl, with an average yield of 85 hl/ha – more than in 2006.

The Hessische Bergstrasse, Germany’s second smallest wine region, is known above all for its Rieslings, but other varieties are at home there, too. At the end of August, for example, the Frühburgunder harvest began. In mid-October, after the Riesling harvest, the last Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were gathered. Growers willing to postpone the start of their harvest were able to achieve considerably higher qualities, particularly with their Riesling grapes. For the first time, red Riesling was harvested. This rarity is believed to be a forerunner of the white Riesling we know today. Spätburgunder must weights were remarkably high; Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) required a very selective harvest and yields were disappointingly low. Overall, the crop was a good 35,000 hl, with an average yield of 85 hl/ha – significantly more than in 2006, when quantities barely met supply. For this reason, the first bottlings of 2007 are expected on the market in early November.

The Müller-Thurgau harvest in mid-September marked the start of the harvest in the Nahe, ending with the Riesling harvest in the second half of October. Patience was rewarded – particularly for Riesling, which achieved must weights of 90 to 95 degrees Oechsle. Cool October nights slowed down a reduction in acidity in the white wine varietals, and the young wines have a harmonious ratio of ripeness to crispness. Red varietals, too, profited from a later harvest: Spätburgunder grapes reached Oechsle levels well over 80 degrees. In all, a considerable amount of Prädikatswein is expected. Yields: 100 hl/ha – good news for Nahe growers. An estimated 430,00 hl were harvested – a fourth more than in the preceding year.

In Germany’s largest wine-growing region, Rheinhessen, this year’s harvest is described as quite good, often compared with the 2002 and 2004 vintages. Many a grower is not sparing with superlatives, such as “wonderful qualities after an ideal autumn” or “sensational vintage.” Grapes were picked throughout September, but it was primarily the grapes harvested in October that achieved the above-average ripeness levels that are the hallmark of this vintage. As such, the growing season for some vines stretched over 140 days rather than the necessary absolute minimum of 100 days. This was optimal for Riesling, which showed its best with an average must weight of 85 degrees Oechsle, as well as for Rheinhessen’s other traditional varietals, e.g. Silvaner (80 degrees Oechsle) and Pinots, which for the most part, were harvested with 90 degrees Oechsle. Warm days and cold nights yielded elegant wines with brisk acidity, fruitiness, and an expressive play of aromas. Harvest yields are estimated at 115 hl/ha, well above average, for a total yield of 2.9 million hl.

In Sachsen, more than two weeks earlier than usual, the harvest began in August, with the region’s early-ripening specialty, the rare Goldriesling (a Riesling x Courtillier Musqué crossing). For the most part, the harvest had ended by mid-October, not least because several rainy days prompted growers to quicken their pace. A primarily healthy crop was brought in, before the damp weather could lead to rot. Ripeness and acidity levels were, respectively, satisfactory and quite good – this bodes particularly well for Gewürztraminer. Overall, the wines of Germany’s smallest wine-growing region – less than 500 ha/1,235 acres – are rarities and regularly sold out, even at relatively high prices. Despite the good quantity harvested in 2007, this situation is not likely to change. Estimated quantity: 20,000 hl.

As this year's grape harvest comes to an end, wine-growers in all 13 German wine-growing regions are thoroughly satisfied. Monika Reule, managing director of the Geman Wine Institute/Mainz, is glad that “everything went well this year” and added that “not only are this year's qualities above average, but also the quantities harvested _ currently estimated at 10.5 to 11 million hectoliters _ are reason to be pleased, not least because this will enable us to better meet the increased demand for German wines at home and abroad than was possible the past year.” At this writing, the 2007 grape must harvest is some eight percent greater than the ten-year average, and well above the 9.1 million hl harvested both in 2005 and in 2006.

This year's harvest was less fraught with stress than those of recent years. Thanks to the good weather and the healthy state of the grapes, growers were able to fine-tune their picking to wait for just the right moment of ripeness for each grape variety. Furthermore, extremely early blossoming enabled development to begin by the end of May, thus providing the grapes with the longest overall period of vegetation ever recorded. As such, typical varietal aromas are quite pronounced _ particularly so in late-ripening varieties, such as Riesling and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). The long growing season also fostered high quality and ripe tannins in red varieties, which bodes well for full-bodied, velvety red wines.

At the same time, sufficient water supplies released considerable quantities of mineral nutrients in the soil, and these could be absorbed by the grapes. This usually yields wines that are rich in extract and that reflect the influence of their site-related “terroir.” According to Monika Reule, “We anticipate outstanding wines from vintage 2007 in all quality levels, from uncomplicated, everyday wines to top-quality wines with a fine balance of ripeness and fruity acidity as well as great aging potential. These wines will have a great following at home and abroad.”

According to the president of the German Wine-growers’ Association/Bonn, Norbert Weber: “If the current stable and relatively dry weather pattern holds, and thanks to the early ripening of the grapes, growers have time to decide on the optimal time to harvest in order to maximize the aromas in the grapes.”

As the German Wine Institute/Mainz explained, wine lovers can expect full-bodied wines with a pronounced fruitiness in 2007. Furthermore, there will be sufficient quantities available. The overall expected yield in Germany is ca. 10 million hectoliters, some 5% more than the 10-year-average and 13% more than the year before. “After two years of relatively small harvests and a concomitant increase in demand for German wines at home and abroad, cellar stocks are nearly depleted,” says Monika Reule, managing director of the German Wine Institute/Mainz. “All involved in the wine market would welcome the anticipated yields and qualities.”

Due to short supplies this year, wine estates could not always fully fulfill customers’ wishes. As a result, direct sales at wine estates decreased by 15.8% during the first half of 2007 compared with the first half of 2006. Nevertheless, with a market share of 46.2% in terms of volume and 51.9% in terms of value of all wines purchased in Germany, wines of German origin remain by far the market leader in the domestic market.

Monika Reule is confident that the good market position of German wines will continue. “If the current vintage delivers what it promises at this stage, the 2007 wines will effortlessly join the ranks of the good to very good vintages of recent years. Consumers will then be able to look forward to German wines with a typical varietal character, available at an attractive price-pleasure ratio.”

The extraordinarily warm weather in spring 2007 led to a rapid development of the vines and an extremely early blossoming. According to Ernst Büscher of the German Wine Institute, Mainz, the first vines in Germany, have blossomed about a week earlier than ever before. The earliest recorded blossoming to date was in the Rheingau on June 2, 1993. On average, blossoming takes place in mid-June.

Actually, the flower clusters of grapevines are rather inconspicuous. Botanically, the clusters are panicles – loose, irregularly branched flower clusters – with individual flowers, or blossoms, on the end of each branch. If successfully fertilized, these blossoms ultimately develop into grapes. Grapevines are “practical” in that many have the ability to self-pollinate, and thus are not reliant on outside help from insects or animals. The overall number of clusters provides an early prognosis in terms of potential yield – with emphasis on “early.” Much can happen between blossoming and harvest, in terms of pests and disease, to totally change this first outlook.

It’s understandable that vintners follow the flowering period quite closely, and in some villages, there are “blossoming festivals.” From the end of blossoming, it is about 95 days until harvest. The “baby” berries continue to develop from late June until early July and begin to ripen in mid-August. Actual development depends on grape variety, as well as weather conditions and microclimate within a site. Blossoming is the “birthday” of the new grapes, and thus the start of 2007 vintage.

Originally, grapevines grew in forests and climbed up trees, as “creepers,” members of the high-climbing woody vines known as liana. The earliest findings of grape seeds stem from the early Tertiary Period (ca. 80 million years ago). Wild grapes of the species vitis silvestris and vitis caucasica still thrive in the Upper Rhine, Switzerland and Balkans. Today’s wines stem from the species vitis vinifera that are the result of specific breeding, accidental crossings and natural mutations. About 8,000 different varieties are known. Grapes grow in the Northern Hemisphere between the 30th and 51st degree of latitude and between the 30th and 40th degree of latitude in the Southern Hemisphere.

Vines have flower clusters, each with several individual blossoms that form a closed “cap.” The cap falls off during blossoming, the individual flowers appear, and glands in the vine lend a fine aroma to the air. The measuring of the blossoming period begins when about 25% of the flower clusters have blossomed (i.e. caps have fallen off) and ends when about 90% of the caps have fallen off. In all, this phase can last from five to ten days, depending on weather circumstances.

From generation to generation, the family has worked hand in hand according to the estate’s philosophy: “Being down-to-earth, tradition, and continuity are not to be confused with being outdated or antiquated. We associate these values with progress, onging development, and being forward-looking.”

Some 90% of the estate’s 10.5 ha (26 acres) are planted with Riesling. Other varieties include Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), with 6 and 4 percent, respectively. The grapes grow on weathered Devonian slate in the steep sites of the Bopparder Hamm (from the Latin hamus, meaning hook or curve), the Rhine’s longest loop (ca. 7 km/4.4 miles) as well as the region’s largest contiguous stretch of vineyards. In addition to the tiny site Engelstein – which straddles the boundary between the suburb Bopparder Hamm and Spay – the estate has holdings in the sites Feuerlay, Mandelstein and Ohlenberg. When natural conditions permit, the wines ferment spontaneously. The family’s favorite wines of a vintage – exceptional, very individualistic Rieslings that are rich in character – are labeled “Edition MM,” which stands for the initials of Matthias and Marianne Müller, and is “symbolic of partners who perfectly complement one another.”

Their constant efforts to achieve the best quality possible have been regularly recognized by all of Germany’s best-known wine guides and magazines that annually publish lists of leading estates. The estate is no longer an insider’s tip – it was named “discovery of the year in 1998” in the Gault-Millau guide.

With bated breath German winemakers and German wine enthusiasts await the annual publication – traditionally, in November – of the well-known German wine guides “Gault Millau WeinGuide” and “Eichelmann Deutschlands Weine.” This year marks the 14th edition of Gault Millau and the 8th for Eichelmann. Both guides offer a wealth of information about German wine estates and individual wines, and every year the subjective evaluations of the authors become the premium reference of Germany’s finest wines and wineries. Together, the guides comprise some 1,600 pages of reviews by Armin Diel & Joel Payne and Gerhard Eichelmann, who sample thousands of wines during the year preceding publication.

Gault Millau WeinGuide 2007 pays tribute to more than 800 German winemakers, whose achievements are rated with grape clusters (one to five). An additional 260 estates are listed as “recommended” – candidates for “grape cluster status” in coming years. Wines are awarded up to 100 points. There is many a discovery to be made among the some 7,100 wines rated in the new edition, not least among the 150 top-quality wines listed as “bargains.” Fewer than a dozen estates qualified for the top ranking (five grape clusters):