Tag Archives: Fine Wine

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The German Wine Trail

Vineyard

While German wine may not be as heavily marketed as wines from other destinations, Germany is actually one of the top producers of fine white wines in the world. With 13 different official wine regions to choose from, here are some of the best parts of the German wine trail.

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Considered to be the king of German wine regions, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer encompasses steep hillsides that meander along the Mosel River. With some of the steepest vineyard slopes in the world, as well as a predominantly cool climate, the Rieslings created here are crisp and elegant, with a beautiful balance of sweetness and acidity. The wines from Mosel are also known for being some of the lightest in Germany, usually containing less than ten percent alcohol. While the Mosel wine route boasts numerous world-class vineyards and wineries, the very best can be found around the village of Bernkastel, so do make this your first stop.

Franken
While Franken produces quite a wide variety of wines, from the Pinot Blanc to the Riesling to the Silvaner, its most distinctive feature is the way in which its finer wines are bottled, making use of round Bocksbeutel flasks rather than standard wine bottles. The spicy Domina grape variety has become more popular in Franken in recent years, and this is well worth tasting, along with the various cuvees that are produced from the sumptuously sweet white Bacchus grapes.

The Rheingau
The Rheingau area runs for about ten miles along the Rhine, and while it may be small, with just three percent of Germany’s vineyard plantings, it is one of the few German wine-producing regions that is known for a variety other than the Riesling, with the Spatburgunder being quite prominent here. This variety was brought over from France, where it is known as the Pinot Noir, and it has since thrived in the Rheingau. Another point of interest in the region is Schloss Johannisberg, which is a Benedictine monastery and vineyard, and is said to be the place from which the idea of a late harvest originated. This late harvesting technique means that the sugar level in the grapes is significantly higher, giving the wines quite a distinct taste.

Pfalz
Pfalz is the top-producing German wine region, even though it is just a relatively narrow area of land. Pfalz is home to the German wine Road, which was established in 1935 as a way to connect all of the local villages, and this is still a great route to take to explore the region further. With a warm and calm climate, harvest time is later in the fall here, and kicks off the largest wine festival in the world, Wurstmarkt, which is held each September in Bad Durkhelm.

The best time to set off on a German wine adventure is between April and the summer, and then again immediately after harvest season, when you will find several wine festivals and tastings. The German wine trail is an enjoyable one to follow, because in addition to visiting the numerous vineyards, you will also be rewarded with fascinating pockets of German history, culture and hospitality.

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Woodinville Wine Country

Closeup of grapes in a vineyard

Located just half an hour’s drive from Seattle, Woodinville Wine Country is home to more than 100 different wineries and tasting rooms. Thanks to the warm and arid climate of Washington’s Columbia Valley, protected from Seattle’s marine climate by the Cascade Mountains, as well as its sandy, gravelly soil, the region is ideal for planting and growing grapevines, resulting in world-class fine wines that attract wine enthusiasts from all over the globe.

Chateau Ste Michelle
Chateau Ste Michelle is one of the two largest wineries in Washington, and combines Old World winemaking traditions with New World innovations. With two state-of-the-art wineries, Chateau Ste Michelle splits their production between the two, with their red wines coming from their winery in Eastern Washington, and their whites coming from Woodinville Wine Country. The winery has won numerous awards for their wines and production techniques, as well as for their brand as a whole, and offers complimentary tastings and tours for those who want a behind-the-scenes look at exactly what goes into these premium wines.

DeLille Cellars
A boutique artisan winery that was founded in 1992, DeLille Cellars uses a combination of fruit from their own vineyards, as well as others from the Yakima Valley, picking only the very best fruits for their wine production. Wine tastings are held in the winery’s tasting room, with a tasting menu that changes each day, but always features exceptional vintages.

Kestrel Vintners
With a 126-acre estate vineyard, Kestrel Vintners puts a focus on growing exceptional fruit, correctly believing that this will then lead to the finest of wines. The majority of the wines produced here are reds, from Cabernet Franc to Malbec to Merlot to Syrah, while some of the white varieties include Old Vine Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Kestrel Vintners also produces blends, beautifully crafted from a mix of specific varietals, and always different each year. For those who want to know all about the production of wine from grape to glass, Kestrel offers a one and a half hour comprehensive tour, which includes tasting some of their most popular, and some of their most unusual, wines.

Stevens Winery
Founded in 2002, the Stevens Winery specializes in producing wines that have a distinct and individual character, with fruits that have been grown in the Yakima Valley. Currently, the winery produces six red varieties and two whites, with one of their most popular being the 2012 BlackTongue Syrah, which, after being aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, is powerful, juicy and truly unforgettable.

Being home to two of the largest wineries in Washington, Woodinville Wine Country attracts a constant stream of visitors, who are also interested in taking a look at the smaller, boutique wineries in the area. With distinct and delicious wines, and spectacularly picturesque surroundings, Woodinville Wine Country is a must-visit for any wine enthusiasts that are visiting Washington. There are a number of tours offered that take visitors through a few of the different wineries, with enough time for tastings allocated to each one, and these are definitely worthwhile if you want to explore the extraordinary variety of wines that the region produces.