German Riesling Wine: Classification, 10 Splendid Bottles To Buy In 2024, Prices
Hailing from the Rhine river region, German Riesling wines are some of the world’s most famous white wines.
Contrary to popular belief, not all German Riesling wines are sweet! These highly versatile grapes can produce a range of wines - from bone dry to lusciously sweet, still to sparkling.
The wines also have a meticulous classification system, which could be a bit tough to navigate.
But, read on to demystify these classifications, the best bottles to buy, investment potential, food pairings, and the regions where German Riesling wines are made.
Further reading
- Take a look at the Popular Riesling Wine Regions and Styles, including Alsatian Riesling, Australian Riesling, Austrian Riesling, and more.
- Also, explore some other German White Wines, including the best bottles you can get your hands on!
German Riesling Wine Regions
The Riesling grape accounts for 20% of Germany’s production of white wine, with the best grape vines planted along the banks of the Mosel river.
There are 13 German wine regions, but the major Riesling wine regions are:
- Mosel
- Rheinhessen
- Rheingau
- Pfalz
- Franken
- Nahe
Rieslings from these regions show unique characteristics.
For example, Mosel German Rieslings have delicate blossoms and apple expressions, grounded with earthy slate and steel notes, while the wines from the Pfalz wine region have a distinct Mango and citrus flavor.
If you're in the UK you can get a case of fine Mosel Riesling at VinoSelect.
German Riesling Wine Classification
German Riesling wines are classified into three:
- Qualitätswein (Quality Wine From A Specific Region)
- Prädikatswein (Superior Quality Wine)
- Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP)
1. Qualitätswein (Quality Wine From A Specific Region)
Just above the table wine quality is Qualitätswein (QbA). These wines are produced from the Riesling grape variety sourced from one of the 13 wine regions.
Grapes are harvested at low ripeness and are allowed to undergo chaptalization for added sweetness and higher alcohol content. Also, the wine must have a minimum of 7% ABV.
Based on their level of sweetness, the wines can be labeled as:
- Trocken: A dry wine with ~9 g/l RS or less
- Halbtrocken: A half-dry or slightly sweet wine with up to 12 g/l RS
- Liebliche: A sweet wine with up to 45 g/l RS
- Süß or Süss: A very sweet wine with more than 45 g/l RS
2. Prädikatswein (Superior Quality Wine)
High-quality, top-class German wines are classified as Prädikatswein, which translates to ‘quality wines with specific attributes.’ These wines can’t be chaptalized and must come from one of the classified Bereiche (appellations under the wine regions.)
They are further classified based on the ripeness of the harvested grape clusters:
- Kabinett: Kabinett wines are the lightest Riesling wines with dry to medium-dry body and crisp acidity.
- Spätlese: Spätlese means late harvest, and the grapes are picked at least a week after the Kabinett ones. Due to the high sugar content, these wines can be semi-sweet.
- Auslese: Meaning ‘select harvest’, these wines are produced from hand-harvested and extremely ripe grapes. It is typically semi-sweet to sweet wines, but there are some dry Riesling wines as well.
- Beerenauslese (Select Berry Harvest): They are sweet dessert wines made from overripe grapes that have achieved noble rot.
- Eiswein: Eiswein (or ice wine) is produced from naturally frozen grapes similar to those used in Beerenauslese but without noble rot. The wines are concentrated and sweet.
- Trockenbeerenauslese: Translates to ‘dry berry select harvest.’ These are the rarest wines of the group and are made from raisined grapes that dry out in the vineyard, producing luscious dessert wines.
3. Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP)
Created specifically for top quality sweet and dry German Riesling and some other wines, this classification includes sweet and dry wine bottles from the Rheingau wine region.
Based on where the grapes are grown, this category is further classified and labelled as Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage or Grosses Gewächs.
Eager to buy the best German Riesling wine?
10 Glorious German Riesling Wines
Here’s a list of the top 10 German Riesling wines you must try:
- 2018 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
- 1976 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Beerenauslese
- 1945 Graf von Schönborn-Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
- 2004 Weingut Keller G-Max Riesling Trocken
- 1949 Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
- 1959 Staatsweingut Kloster Eberbach Erbacher Steinberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
- 2018 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Beerenauslese Goldkapsel
- 2016 Schloss Johannisberg Grunlack Riesling Spatlese
- 2019 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
- 2019 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
1. 2018 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese ($17,957)
This German wine gives off citrus and petrol aromas with peach and apricot flavors and edgy acidity.
2. 1976 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Beerenauslese ($7,806)
This sweet wine has distinct honey, sherry, and tonic notes with a perfectly balancing acidity.
3. 1945 Graf von Schönborn-Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese ($6,504)
This great wine from Rheingau has persistent apricot, raisin, and acacia blossom notes.
4. 2004 Weingut Keller G-Max Riesling Trocken ($4,041)
This Rheinhessen wine offers an intense nose of peach, pear, and white chocolate with a palate of mango, pepper, and lime.
5. 1949 Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese ($3,903)
This rare Pfalz vintage offers a velvety palate perfectly balanced with marmalade and dried apricot notes.
6. 1959 Staatsweingut Kloster Eberbach Erbacher Steinberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese ($2,708)
This Riesling from Nahe is a dessert wine with beautifully balanced acidity.
7. 2018 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Beerenauslese Goldkapsel ($1,099)
This wine has candied lemon and grapefruit peel notes that balance the wine’s richness and sweetness and offer a mouthwatering finish.
8. 2016 Schloss Johannisberg Grünlack Riesling Spätlese ($49)
This sweet wine is medium-bodied and has a nose of stone fruit, honey, and mild petrol (a sign of excellent quality.)
9. 2019 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ($41)
This Riesling wine from Mosel is sweet yet fresh with a fantastic balance between fruit, honey, and minerality.
10. 2019 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett ($40)
This slightly sparkling German Riesling wine displays a vivid green apple flavor with hints of peach and apricot and a long finish.
Investing In German Riesling Wines
Most of the Riesling wines have a great aging potential. While dry German Riesling wines can age for 10-20+ years, some exceptional dessert wines can last for 100 years!
They also tend to command high prices. For example, in a 2020 iDealwine auction, five German wine bottles were sold for above $1000. This included:
- A bottle of Egon Müller’s 1998 vintage Eiswein sold for $2,486, and
- A bottle of Keller’s 2006 vintage Riesling G Max auctioned for $1,312
Other wines have received great critical acclaim. The 2018 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese has been lauded as the best available German wine by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
Sign up with Vinovest, a reputed wine investment company that will help you select, source, and store the best German Riesling and other fine wines from around the world.
Food Pairings With German Riesling Wines
You can indulge in a German Riesling wine with all different types of food, especially spicy food - making it a star in the culinary world.
Spicy Asian food, pork, cured meats, shellfish, and poultry go delightfully well with these wines.
Enrich Your Collection with a Splendid German Riesling Wine
Whether you want to show off at a party or invest in fine wine - a German Riesling wine has got you covered.
But how do you ensure that you’re investing in the right wine?
It’s not a hassle when you team up with a genuine wine investment platform like Vinovest. You can buy, store, and sell fine white wine (like a German Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc), a Pinot Noir, or any other wine from anywhere across the globe.
