Wines of Germany and the European Union Showcase Top European Rieslings at The FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen

“Destination Riesling” Booth Appears at Grand Tasting

June 12, 2008 (New York, New York)

Wines of Germany and the European Union will present top European Rieslings at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado from June 13-15. For 26 years, Food & Wine magazine has hosted this highly exclusive and popular industry retreat, shaping it into the premier food and wine festival in the U.S. The event will cater to a targeted group of 5,000 wine enthusiasts and VIP members of the trade and media, including industry stars such as chefs Bobby Flay, Tom Colicchio, Emeril Lagasse, Jacques Pepin, and the winner of this season’s Top Chef TV program.

At the Classic’s Grand Tasting, Wines of Germany and the European Union will showcase wines from 16 top Riesling producers from Germany, Alsace and Austria in its “Destination Riesling” booth. Aldo Sohm, wine director of renowned New York restaurant, Le Bernardin, and recently named the “Best Sommelier in the World 2008” by the World Sommelier Association, along with Paul Grieco, partner, general manager and wine director of renowned New York restaurants Hearth, Insieme and Terroir Wine Bar, will appear at the Destination Riesling booth and host a private reception offsite highlighting Riesling’s unique ability to pair with food.

The Destination Riesling presence at the Classic is part of a three-year campaign, underwritten by Wines of Germany and the European Union, to market European Rieslings in the U.S. The campaign seeks to increase interest and awareness for European Riesling among consumers and the trade.

U.S. consumers are waking up to the pleasures of Riesling. Between January 2006 and January 2008, Riesling sales have grown 98 percent in retail outlets tracked by The Nielsen Company in the U.S. ¹ In addition, overall imports of German wine to the U.S. experienced an increase of 28% in 2007 ² - in part thanks to this unique varietal.

About Wines of Germany
Wines of Germany, formerly known as the German Wine Information Bureau, is the exclusive U.S. office of the Deutsches Weininstitut. Wines of Germany is focused on creating greater awareness to further enhance the image and increase sales of wine in the U.S. through educational and promotional activities. It is the primary information source on wines deriving from the 13 German wine growing regions for members of the wine trade, the media, and U.S. consumers. The promotional and educational efforts of Wines of Germany focus primarily on Riesling, the most famous German grape variety.

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¹ Tinney, Mary-Colleen. “Retail Sales Report: Riesling A Key Drives in Sales Growth.” Wine Business News. April 15, 2008.
http://www.winebusiness.com/SalesMarketing/webarticle.cfm?ref=rn&dataId=55225.

² The Gomberg-Fredrickson Report for September 2007, Volume 27, Number 9, “Imported Wine Shipments by Country of Origin,” p. 24.