Every month, our 5 to Try series showcases five examples of stellar wines from varying wine styles, grapes, and Germany’s 13 winegrowing regions.
So far this year, we’ve presented some of Germany’s best-known white wines – Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc – but for this month’s edition, we’re showcasing some of the lesser-known German white wine varieties that make up the more than 140 different kinds of wine grapes grown in Germany.
White varieties thrive throughout all 13 wine regions and can be found in a range of styles and price points. One common factor between them all is well-structured freshness and acidity, thanks to the country’s cooler climate, which enables grapes to ripen slowly and benefit from the nutrients in the soil.
Among this list are some grapes you’ve probably seen before like Sauvignon Blanc, while some are more traditional ones native to Germany like Elbling and Gutedel. Beyond the grapes explored below, Germany is the birthplace of a number of other important white grapes like Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus, and Kerner.
Before you call it a wrap on summer, indulge in these “other” white wines from Germany.
1. Von Winning Sauvignon Blanc II, Pfalz
Try a German version of this classic white! Planted in Baden as early as 1830, about 1,500 hectares are growing Sauvignon Blanc in Germany today, mainly in Baden, Rheinhessen, and the Pfalz (where this one is from!).
Some of today’s German Sauvignon Blanc wines have received high marks internationally. The unmistakable characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc is the strong aroma of grass, herbs, and green fruits and as many fans of Sauvie B know, it goes well with seafood, pasta, or salads.
Von Winning’s organic Sauvignon Blanc from Deidesheim offers ripe aromas of passion fruit and fresh acidity, and the winery recommends serving it alongside oysters.
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2. Hild Elbling Trocken, Mosel
One of Europe’s oldest white grapes, Elbling is refreshing, pure, energetic, bone-dry, and a must-try. Historians believe the Romans brought Elbling to Germany more than 2,000 years ago. During the Middle Ages, this was one of the most widely planted grapes in Germany.
Today, Elbling is a specialty cultivated primarily in the Mosel. The Hild estate, which produces this bottling, is credited as single-handedly trying to save old, terraced parcels of Elbling in the Mosel, where Riesling dominates. They also offer a sparkling Elbling Sekt that is a must-try for sparkling wine lovers!
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3. Gertie & Max Gutedel, Baden
Known as Chasselas in France and Fendant in Switzerland, this ancient white variety makes fruity, fresh, easy-drinking wines that are best enjoyed young. Cultivated primarily in Germany’s warmer regions, this climate and terroir brings out rich melon, herbaceous, and minty notes in German versions of the wine.
Likely brought from Turkey or the eastern Mediterranean, the grape’s earliest presence in Germany dates back to the early 17th century. Today it is primarily cultivated in the southernmost portion of Baden near the Swiss border, with small amounts grown in Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, the Pfalz, and Rheinhessen.
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4. Borell-Diehl Gewürztraminer Kabinett, Pfalz
Gewürztraminer is a monument to Germanic wine culture that has thrived in Europe for centuries. From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, it was widely spread in central and eastern Europe. Today in Germany, it’s primarily planted in the Pfalz, Rheinhessen, and Baden – though it can be found in just about all of Germany’s wine regions.
Known in some places as Roter Traminer, the grape has a reddish skin but produces a white wine. It can reach high levels of ripeness and produce fine, perfumed wines. Gewürz is known for being mild in acidity and very aromatic.
This Kabinett-designated selection from the Borell-Diehl winery has a touch of sweetness and would be delicious with spicy food like Indian curry or Buffalo wings.
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5. Geil Bechteimer Scheurebe Kabinett, Rheinhessen
Last but not least, Scheurebe was originally bred in Rheinhessen by Georg Scheu in 1916. Initially, Scheurebe plantings were widespread across Germany and covered 4.4% of vineyard area, yet today it represents only 1.4%, mostly in its birthplace of Rheinhessen. That said, in recent years it appears to be making a comeback! Until 2012, Scheurebe was thought to be a crossing of Riesling and Silvaner, yet DNA profiling revealed it to be Riesling and a wild grape Bukettrebe.
One of the most popular aromatic varieties in Germany, Scheurebes are typically fuller-bodied with pronounced acidity and a pronounced bouquet and flavor profile. It can be fermented as a noble sweet wine, but bone-dry versions are leading the surge in popularity of late.
This one, another Kabinett, lands in the middle of the spectrum and represents an off-dry style. Geil’s selection, organic and cold-fermented in stainless steel, is exotic and tropical in flavor. It would be an unbeatable companion to a variety of strong cheeses or spicier cuisines but is also mouth-watering on its own.
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