Germany - famous primarily for the world-class Grape/riesling">Riesling produced in its Mosel region - is entering a New phase in its wine history. At the beginning of the 21st century, the country's winemakers are convincingly proving that they are good for more than just Mosel Riesling. High-quality German Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) is now emerging from various regions, including Baden, the Palatinate and even the tiny Ahr Valley.
Overlooking a much lesser period of glory - the 1970s and 1980s - Germany has a Long and illustrious history of viticulture.
The Romans established the country's first Vineyards along the banks of the Moselle River near present-day Trier. In the third century AD, plantings spread to several neighbouring valleys, mainly those of the Moselle's tributaries. During the Middle Ages, the Christian church, especially the Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries, had a great influence on the development of viticulture and the production of quality wine in Germany. Two of the most famous names in German wine - the Rheingau vineyards Schloss Johannisberg and Kloster Eberbach - were established as monasteries and have been producing wine for almost 900 years.
Germany's largest grape variety, Riesling, was first documented in the Rheingau in 1435, and found its way to the Moselle shortly afterwards. In 1720, Johannisberg Castle became the first large vineyard to be planted exclusively with this "superior" variety. In the mid to late 18th century, botrytised wines developed, and by the 19th century, Rhine wines were selling at prices higher than those of the first growths of Bordeaux.
The German wine industry lost its way in terms of quality during the 20th century, expanding plantings to less favourable sites and increasing yields to levels where quality was severely compromised.
Intraspecific crossing obtained in Germany in 1929 by August Karl Herold (1902-1973) between the blue Portuguese and the limberger. This variety can still be found in Germany, South Africa, etc. In France, it is practically unknown.
sweet wines from the region of Germany go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, shellfish or spicy food such as recipes of pork cheeks confit in cider, pasta with vongoles (flat clams) or lamb tagine with prunes and almonds.
On the nose in the region of Germany often reveals types of flavors of citrus, citrus fruit or black fruit and sometimes also flavors of spices, vegetal or dried fruit. In the mouth in the region of Germany is a powerful with a nice freshness.
The Francs de Pied (Ungrafted Vines) group, which last met two weeks ago at Pasquet’s Liber Pater winery in the Graves, consists of a growing circle of vignerons who work with ungrafted vineyards planted to native varieties. The list includes Francs de Pied president Loïc Pasquet himself, vice-president Egon Müller (Mosel), and secretary Andrea Polidoro of Cupano (Montalcino) and Contrada Contro (Marche); as well as Gocha Chkhaidze of leading Georgian winery, Askaneli; Thibault Liger-Belair (Bur ...
Sealwood Cottage Farm in Derbyshire, central England, has been put up for sale with a guide price of £1.4m ($1.66m). A five-bedroom, Grade II-listed cottage is the focal point for the 8.68-hectare (21.44 acres) estate, but it also features a vineyard of around 1.6ha established by the current owners, John and Elisabeth Goodall. Listing agent Fisher German said the Swadlincote-based estate’s guide price doesn’t include ‘any apportionment of the [wine] business’, but the owners would be ‘open to s ...
Jon Wyand has been crowned Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year after impressing the judges with his beautiful shot of a Burgundian vineyard worker gathering prunings. The photograph was taken on a crisp winter’s day at Montagne de Corton Hill in the Côte de Beaune. ‘The winning image evokes with stark beauty the reality of wine growing – you are always at the mercy of nature,’ said wine writer Joanna Simon, one of the judges. ‘But there’s an extra element here: is he scruti ...
