5 to Try: Talkin’ Trocken - Dry German Riesling

Every month, our 5 to Try series showcases five examples of stellar wines from varying wine styles, grapes, and Germany’s 13 winegrowing regions. This month, we’re bringing it back to Germany’s number 1 stunner, Riesling!

We can’t say it enough: Not. All. Riesling. Is. Sweet!

In fact, over 60% of all wine made in Germany is classified as dry or off-dry, and Riesling is no exception! While German Riesling can create world-renowned sweet wines, today it’s more commonly used to create bone-dry styles with electric acidity. To shop for dry German Riesling, look for these terms on the labels:

“Trocken” – the German word for “dry
“Grosses Gewächs” – a classification term that always denotes a wine that’s dry in style
“Dry” – yes, some German winemakers are using more English words on labels for the U.S. market 😉

How can one variety achieve such range? A big factor is the grapes’ ripeness. If a grape is picked when it’s just fully ripened, it will typically have lower sugar content. The longer grapes are left to ripen on the vines, the more sugar content will develop in the grapes, which is why some sweeter styles are referred to as “late harvest.” That said, wines from grapes picked later can still be vinified dry, if the vintner lets the yeast keep fermenting the natural sugars into alcohol.

The 5 selections below are all exceptional examples of dry Riesling from Germany. Rock on with Trocken Riesling!

1. Dreissigacker Bechtheimer Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen