German Riesling: Why the World's Most Underrated Wine Deserves Your Attention

If you asked a panel of the world's most knowledgeable sommeliers and wine critics to name the single most underrated wine in the world, the answer would almost certainly be German Riesling. No other wine combines such extraordinary aromatic complexity, electric acidity, remarkable longevity, and such a wide range of styles — from bone-dry to nobly sweet — in a single grape variety. And no other wine of comparable quality is so consistently overlooked by the general wine-drinking public.

At Blanco & Gomez, German Riesling occupies a special place in our collection. This guide is designed to explain why it deserves your attention, how to navigate the bewildering range of styles and regions, and which producers and wines are worth seeking out.

Why Riesling is extraordinary

Riesling is one of the world's most terroir-transparent grape varieties — meaning it expresses the character of the soil and site in which it grows with unusual clarity and precision. A Mosel Riesling from slate soils tastes distinctly different from a Rheingau Riesling from limestone, which tastes different again from a Pfalz Riesling from sandstone. This sensitivity to terroir, combined with the grape's naturally high acidity, makes Riesling one of the most intellectually fascinating wines to explore.

That same acidity is also the key to Riesling's extraordinary ageing potential. Well-made German Riesling — particularly from the Mosel, Rheingau, and Nahe — can age for decades, with the finest examples developing over thirty to fifty years. A twenty-year-old Mosel Auslese, with its electric acidity, complex petrol-like aromas, and layered fruit, is an experience unlike almost anything else in wine.

The sweetness spectrum — understanding German wine labels

German wine is classified primarily by the ripeness level of the grapes at harvest, expressed through a series of Prädikat designations that indicate increasing levels of natural sweetness. Understanding these designations is essential to navigating the category.

Kabinett — the lightest and most delicate style, made from normally ripe grapes. Can be off-dry to medium-sweet but always feels light and refreshing, typically with 7-9% alcohol. Outstanding as an aperitif or with delicate fish dishes.

Spätlese — made from late-harvested grapes with greater ripeness and concentration. Can be dry or off-dry to medium-sweet. More body and complexity than Kabinett.

Auslese — made from selected, very ripe grape bunches. Rich and honeyed, with significant sweetness balanced by Riesling's characteristic acidity. Exceptional with foie gras or rich desserts, but also compelling on its own.

Beerenauslese (BA) — made from individually selected botrytised (noble rot affected) grapes. Very rare, very expensive, and extraordinarily complex. The sweetness is intense but always balanced by acidity.

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) — the apex of German wine. Made from individually selected, desiccated botrytised grapes. Extraordinarily rare and expensive — produced only in exceptional years from the finest sites. These wines can age for a century or more.

Eiswein — made from grapes harvested while frozen, typically in November or December. The freezing concentrates sugars and acidity. Like BA and TBA, a rare and precious wine.

Trocken (dry) and Halbtrocken (off-dry) — terms that indicate the finished wine's sweetness level rather than the ripeness of the grapes. Modern dry German Riesling — particularly the Grosses Gewächs (Grand Cru equivalent) category — is some of the most exciting and food-friendly white wine produced anywhere in the world.

The regions

The Mosel is Germany's most celebrated Riesling region — a dramatically winding river valley where vines cling to near-vertical slate slopes above the river. Mosel Rieslings are the most delicate, aromatic, and elegant in Germany — with hauntingly beautiful floral and mineral character, naturally low alcohol, and extraordinary ageing potential. The greatest vineyards — Bernkasteler Doctor, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr — are among the most famous in the wine world.

The Rheingau is Germany's most historic Riesling region — home to legendary estates including Schloss Johannisberg (where Spätlese was reputedly invented) and the great Rüdesheimer Berg vineyards. Rheingau Rieslings tend to be more structured and powerful than Mosel, with a firmer backbone and greater weight.

The Pfalz is Germany's warmest and most southerly Riesling region, producing wines of greater ripeness and generosity than the Mosel or Rheingau. Dry Pfalz Riesling — particularly from the Mittelhaardt's great vineyards — is extraordinary with food.

The Nahe sits between the Mosel and the Rheingau in both geography and style — wines of great mineral precision and elegance, particularly from the Niederhauser Hermannshöhle and Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube vineyards.

Producers worth seeking out

Mosel: Egon Müller, J.J. Prüm, Weingut Loosen, Reinhold Haart, Fritz Haag, Clemens Busch.

Rheingau: Robert Weil, Leitz, Georg Breuer, Künstler.

Pfalz: Müller-Catoir, Bürklin-Wolf, Dr. Bassermann-Jordan, A. Christmann.

Nahe: Dönnhoff — one of Germany's greatest estates, producing Rieslings of incomparable precision and beauty.

How to serve and store German Riesling

Serve dry Riesling at 8-10°C — slightly cooler than most white wines. Off-dry and sweet styles can be served slightly warmer, at 10-12°C.

Store carefully: German Riesling, particularly sweet styles, is among the most age-worthy white wine in the world. A cool, dark cellar or wine fridge is ideal. Don't be afraid to lay down even a Kabinett for five to ten years — the transformation is remarkable.

At Blanco & Gomez, our German wine selection spans the full breadth of what the country produces — from accessible Kabinett to rare Auslese and beyond. Browse our collection online at bgwm.co.uk or visit us at 410 King's Road, Chelsea.