Why Germany matters
Germany is one of the world's coolest serious wine countries — and that's its superpower. The cool climate makes whites of dazzling purity, acidity and ageability, above all Riesling.
- Riesling reaches its global peak here — from bone-dry to lusciously sweet.
- The best vineyards are steep, sun-catching river slopes that ripen grapes this far north.
- German reds are rising too — especially Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).
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Key idea: ripeness = sweetness scale
Germany's traditional labels grade wines by how ripe the grapes were at harvest. Riper can mean sweeter — but many top wines are now fermented fully dry (trocken).