German Grapes

Nikhil Agarwal reports from his recent tour to wine regions on the outskirts of Frankfurt.

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Germany has given the world some of the best of what the Riesling grape variety can offer. It ranges from bone dry wine to a deliciously sweet fermented juice However, it isn’t all Riesling and it isn’t all white wine either here.

The country has been producing wines as far back as 100 BC, and the vineyards were established by the Romans as they had done in various other European countries. During my study on the wines from this region, I learnt that at one time, the best of German wines commanded a higher price than those of the opulent Bordeaux Chateaux.

While Riesling is largely synonymous with Germany, the producers here make exceptional wines with grape varietals such as Weis Burgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Grigio) and Silvaner too. Germany’s whites win you over with their freshness and purity, a reflection of the climatic conditions in which they are made.

Pinot Noir, locally called Spätburgunder, leads red wine production here, with relatively less famous grape varietals like Dornfelder. It was created by a German grape breeder in 1955. Today, this varietal is most commonly found in the regions of Palatinate and Rheinhessen.

If you like red fruit-driven, lighter style wines, you will enjoy the Pinot Noir from Dornfielder. Some producers age their red wines in oak to offer complexity and weight, which is more to my liking.