The Secret Behind German Winemaking
I have a confession to make.
But before I get to that I must tell you about my day with German wine makers.
Germany's Vineyards are Greatly Influenced by Soil and Microclimate.
I was lucky to attend a tasting today where German winemakers from the Mosel, Pfalz, Nahe, Rheingau and Rheinhessen showed several wines from their individual portfolios. If you have not familiarized yourself with German wine, I suggest you get out there and do it immediately.
My sommelier education has taught me the importance of soil to viticulture, and to this point most of my understanding has come from books. So it was a treat to taste wines from one vineyard to the next experiencing the vivid influence that soil and microclimate play in German wine making.
I tried a wine from one vineyard that due to the soil type was incredibly austere, racy and vivacious. Just one vineyard over- and a slight change in soil- and the experience was a more aromatic, fruity and mouth-coating wine.
So here’s my confession:
Every time someone asks me to name my favorite wine from around the world, I have one answer “All of them”. Clearly, if you decide to become a sommelier you certainly have a passion for wine. In my experience, asking a sommelier to name their favorite wine region is like asking a mother which child is her favorite- I love them all for different reasons.
While this answer is quite true on my part, the confession I must make is that German wine holds a special place in my heart. This could be due to the fact that my mom lived in Franconia for the past four years and the time I spent visiting her was incredible.
However, there’s so much more to it. Both sides of my family emigrated to the U.S. from Germany in the late 1800’s and all I really have left from their influence is a couple of German words passed down from generation to generation. We have lost touch with the relatives we have in Germany and I have no idea what city they came from.
That being said German wine, for me, connects me to my origins.
I was told by a German winemaker today that research of pips found at ancient Roman sites in the Pfalz show that the Romans planted Riesling and Pinot Noir there over 2000 years ago. It makes me question if at any time during the past 2000 years if my family took part in winemaking. Are they making wine today? These are the questions that go through my mind when I drink wine from Germany, creating quite the vivid experience.
My question of the day: Is there a wine region or style that stands out for you, and why? I’d love to hear your ideas!
