Some famous grapes are celebrated on arbitrary dates, such as Sauvignon Blanc Day or Pinot Noir Day. However, the ultra-efficient Germans are far too sensible to simply pluck a random date out of thin air. They chose 13 March, as it marks the anniversary of the first written reference to Riesling.
On 13 March 1435, a winery in Rüsselsheim invoiced Count John IV of Katzenelnbogen for six vines of Riesling. Six centuries later, Riesling is firmly established as Germany’s flagship grape, cherished by wine lovers and professionals across the globe.
However, selecting a bottle of German Riesling can be a daunting and somewhat mystifying process if you don’t know how to read the label. For example, you might be shopping for a bone-dry Riesling to pair with a starter, but you may end up accidentally buying a lusciously sweet dessert wine.
This guide will explain how to decipher German Riesling labels. You will discover the different classifications, and we will explain how to determine the sweetness level of each wine, which should help you to find the perfect bottle to celebrate German Riesling Day.
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Understanding German Riesling labels
Some wine labels are reasonably straightforward. For instance, if you pick up a bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc or Argentinian Malbec, you know what to expect.
That isn’t the case with German Riesling. This versatile grape produces a broad spectrum of wines, ranging from dry to sweet, and the level of quality can also vary significantly from one bottle to the next.
How to read a German Riesling label
Here are the key features to look out for when browsing a German Riesling label:
- Region: The key regions are the Mosel, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Nahe. Each region has distinct terroir, which impacts the wine. For example, the Mosel tends to offer a blend of lightness and complexity, while supple Riesling with focused minerality often hails from the Rheingau.
- Producer: Famous names like Weingut Keller, Clemens Busch and Wittman are renowned for their dry Rieslings, while Egon Müller, JJ Prüm and Willi Schaefer make some of the world’s most sought-after sweet wines.
- Vintage: The best German Rieslings can age for at least a decade without losing their refined elegance. Many experts regard 2019 and 2023 as the best vintages for dry German Riesling in recent years.
- Quality classification: You will see terms like Qualitätswein or Prädikatswein, which indicate the wine’s quality level. Prädikatswein wines are broken down into various levels, including Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese. We have explained what these terms mean below.
- Sweetness level: Some German Riesling labels indicate sweetness with terms like “Trocken” (dry) or “Halbtrocken” (off-dry). In the absence of these terms, the Prädikatswein classification – Kabinett, Spätlese and so on – will provide clues about the potential sweetness of the wine.
Key labelling terms and their meanings
Here are some key labelling terms to look out for when examining German Riesling wine:
- Trocken: This term indicates a dry wine with minimal residual sugar, and it often features crisp acidity. These wines can have no more than 4g per litre of residual sugar (or up to 9g if residual sugar doesn’t exceed total acidity by more than 2g).
- Halbtrocken: An off-dry wine, with a slight touch of sweetness that balances the acidity. These wines can contain between 4g and 12g of residual sugar per litre (or up to 18g if residual sugar doesn’t exceed total acidity by more than 10g per litre).
- Lieblich: Medium-sweet wines with between 12g and 45g residual sugar per litre.
- Süss: Sweet wines with more than 45g of residual sugar per litre. Just bear in mind that the acidity will also impact how sweet the wine tastes. For example, a Riesling with high acidity will likely taste drier than a Müller-Thurgau with medium acidity, even if they have the same level of residual sugar.
- Feinherb: This term usually indicates an off-dry or slightly sweet wine. Feinherb isn’t legally defined, but some producers use it as an alternative to halbtrocken, which has historically been associated with some lower-quality wines.
- Goldkapsel: Some producers use a gold capsule to denote higher-quality wines, which often have higher concentration of ripeness.
What does Grosses Gewächs mean?
This is a highly prestigious classification that indicates dry wine made from a top-class vineyard. Only the very best German Riesling wine achieves Grosses Gewächs status. It roughly translates as “great growth,” and it is comparable to Grand Cru in Burgundy.
An association of elite German wine producers called Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) uses the Grosses Gewächs designation. To qualify, a wine must adhere to very strict criteria. For example, the grapes must be selectively handpicked from a single vineyard or a smaller parcel within a classified site. Yields are limited, and the wines are subject to specific release dates, plus rigorous, independent testing.
What does Grosse Lage mean?
This term is applied to wines of outstanding quality, with great ageing potential. There are four categories of VDP wine: VDP Gutswein, VDP Ortswein, VDP Erste Lage and VDP Grosse Lage.
Grosse Lage wines come from the best parcels in the top vineyards. The term means “great site.” Dry wines in the Grosse Lage category are designated Grosses Gewächs.
Quality levels and styles of German Riesling
Most German Riesling falls into the Qualitätswein category, which means it must come from one of 13 designated winegrowing areas.
Within Qualitätswein, there is a sub-category called Prädikatswein. In general, these wines must be made from grapes with higher sugar levels (must weights) than other Qualitätswein. There are six Prädikat levels, which correspond to the ripeness of the grapes and the resulting wine styles:
Kabinett
These are the most delicate wines in the Prädikatswein category. They are produced from the grapes with the lowest must weights. Some find that Kabinett is the best German Riesling wine for beginners.
Spätlese
Spätlese means “late harvest.” A Spätlese Riesling is produced from fully ripened grapes, which have typically been picked around two weeks later than Kabinett grapes. The best Spätlese Riesling offers a strong balance of fruitiness and acidity.
Auslese
Auslese wines are made from individually selected bunches of extra-ripe grapes. They are richer than Spätlese wines, and some may be affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), which adds complexity and depth.
Beerenauslese (BA)
This is a sweet wine made from individually selected grapes that are either fully ripe or affected by noble rot. Most BA wines are botrytized. These wines are only produced in certain years. Yields tend to be low, and their rarity makes them highly coveted and valuable.
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
TBA is typically the rarest and most expensive of all German Riesling styles. Yields are very low, so these wines are made in tiny quantities – rarely exceeding 100 bottles at a time – and only in certain years. They must be made from extremely high must weights, so noble rot is essential, and these shrivelled grapes produce highly concentrated, ultra-sweet wines.
Eiswein (ice wine)
This wine is made from grapes that are harvested while still frozen, at temperatures below -7°C (19°F). The frozen grapes are pressed while still solid, resulting in a sweet, concentrated juice. These wines are genuine rarities.
Characteristics and taste profiles
No other grape variety can match the kaleidoscopic brilliance of Riesling. A producer’s winemaking style, the region and the vintage will have a major impact upon the characteristics and taste profiles of each wine. However, these are some of the typical characteristics to expect from Riesling wine from Germany:
Dry Riesling
Refreshing wines characterised by crisp acidity, with flavours of green apple, lemon and lime.
Medium-sweet Riesling
Wines that strike a balance between sweetness and acidity, often producing flavours of peach, apricot and honey, with a softer mouthfeel than their dry counterparts.
Sweet Riesling
Rich wines, with complex texture and flavours of dried fruit, candied citrus and honey.
Kabinett
Crisp acidity, green apple, citrus and delicate floral notes, which work well as an aperitif and pair nicely with light seafood dishes and salads.
Spätlese
These wines offer ripe stone fruit, honeyed tones and tropical notes, with balanced acidity, and pair well with spicy foods and soft cheeses.
Auslese Riesling
Typical flavours can include dried apricot, honey and caramelised apple, with deep, layered complexity, pairing well with rich desserts, foie gras and strong blue cheese.
Beerenauslese
You might expect intense honey, dried fruit, candied peel, flowers and exotic spice, and it can pair well with strong cheese and fruit-based desserts, but it is often enjoyed without food.
Trockenbeerenauslese
The richest and most concentrated German Riesling, offering notes of very ripe, dried stone fruit on the palate.
Eiswein
Wine that offers pure fruit intensity and a fine balance between sweetness and crisp acidity, often bringing flavours of stone fruit and/or citrus fruit.
Riesling is widely regarded as the chameleon of the wine world. This noble grape can express itself differently from region to region, and even from one vineyard to the next, due to variations in soil and climate.
The flavours can vary dramatically, from delicate and floral to intense notes of peach and honey, but part of the fun lies in opening a new bottle and discovering the myriad wonders inside.
This guide was prepared by drinks journalist Martin Green.
