Not long ago, German wine, with its flowery label and medieval font, was viewed as old-fashioned. Its name, based on sweetness level at harvest – Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese further added to the confusion. The result? Consumers shunned German wine save the well-established brands and flocked to the more modern and drier New World wine. To revive the image of German wine,
German Wine Institute (Deutsches Weininstitut DWI) initiated
Generation Riesling in 2006, and how much things have changed since then!
Generation Riesling is a platform for Germany’s young winemakers under 35 years old, who are committed to contribute and change the image of German wine, to showcase their products to both domestic and international markets. The first presentation was on 8th June 2006 with 25 young winemakers in London. To date, it has 530 members from all 13 German quality wine regions. Members at their 36th birthday will be given birthday cards and retire from the group. Generation Riesling is dynamic, cosmopolitan and innovative. Over 60% of its members have made wine overseas from Austria and France to New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, and 30% of the members are female. Their wines are mainly dry style with simple and modern labels, a far cry from the traditional German wine.
According to wine critic and writer Stuart Pigott, who is also an advocate of German wine, about 50% of Generation Riesling members are from families with generations of winemaking history. The older generations in the 60s to 90s did not share ideas with neighbours and would try their best to block their children to change anything when they took over. In contrast, young winemakers in the past 10-15 years believe in sharing and exchanging experiences. Their motto is ‘We are stronger than I can ever be’. For them, wine is a part of pop culture. They gather in groups and present wines together in serious settings with quiet music in background but the events will eventually turn into parties with pop music. This attitude was carried through at Generation Riesling 10th birthday celebration. We (an international press group) were invited for the more serious seminar led by Stuart Pigott followed by a walk-around tasting with wine presented by 30 members, including nine founding members (a
ka older than 35 years old). For us, the tasting ended promptly at 6:00pm and we had to make way for their after-work party, which featured wine bars, food stations and DJ until the small hours!
Generation Riesling is not only about Riesling. While 55% of wine is Riesling, around 24% is devoted to the Pinot family – Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder and Weissburgunder (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc). Not many people are aware, Germany is the Pinot Paradise – it ranks #3 in Point Noir planting after France and the USA, #2 in Pinot Gris planting after Italy and #1 in Pinot Blanc! They are followed by Silvaner, Lemberger (Blaufränkisch in Austria) and the fast demanding Sauvignon Blanc.
What is also great about German wine, be it Riesling or Spätburgunder, is its versatility and paring with Asian cuisines. The high acidity balances well with the fattiness in food while the fruity aromas compliment the fragrance of Asian spices. The relative low alcohol is an added bonus that makes diners feel less tiring at the end of the evening.
We visited eight Generation Riesling wineries, partied at the famous annual
Roter Hang Festival (the famous vineyard slope in Rheinhessen with red soil) with a Riesling Lounge, and attended the Generation Riesling 10th birthday party. All the wines we tried were excellent. Here are a few that I have the most impressions:
Sekt-und Weingut Winterling, Niederkirchen, Pfalz:
Susanne Winterling is the cheerful winemaker and also the German Wine Princess in 2007/2008. Her specialty is sparkling wine but her Sauvignon Blanc 2015 and Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker Riesling Spätlese Trocken 2015 are equally impressive.
Weingut Gaul, Grünstadt-Sausenheim, Pfalz
An all female winery with Dorothee being the winemaker, Karolin responsible for export, assisted by mother Gaul and the family she-dog. The father sadly passed away a few years ago but the ladies managed to modernise the winery with a new logo and a state-of-art building that housed the tasting room on ground floor and Dorothee’s home on first and second floors. The 2015 Sausenheimer Hütt Riesling Trocken Zugpferd, equivalent to Gold Capsule and not bottled yet when we tried, is intense with citrus and yellow stone fruits showing great ageing potential. The 2015 Sausenheimer Grauburgunder Trocken is a pleasant wine that will go well with Thai green curry.
Juwel Weine, Weingut Eller, Alsheim, Rheinhessen
Another modern winery run by sister duo Juliane and Katharina Eller. Juliane is the winemaker and though only 26 years old, she is determined and has a clear vision of how she wants to make the wine. Her wine, like the logo, is clean, elegant and fresh with a good balance of acidity and minerality. Unfortunately, most of the wines were sold out but the even basic level, Gutsweine (estate wine), we tasted showed very well the talent of Juliane.
Weingut Schätzel, Nierstein, Rheinhessen
Kai Schätzel is a serious winemaker. He is one of the newest VDP members (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter, the oldest national association of fine winegrowing estates anywhere in the world) and the Winemaker of the year 2015. His winemaking philosophy is less alcohol, less exuberant fruit, more minerality and a more distinctive flavour profile. Even his VDP Grosses Gewächs has only 11-11.5% alcohol; but its lack of power is more than compensated by the elegance and precision. Kai is also one of the few young winemakers, together with Keller and Gunderloch, who go against the trend and promote the off-dry style Kabinett. He explained it was the calling from the vineyards. His 2014 Nierstein Riesling KabiNett – P Magnum, from the most legendary and steepest vineyard in the region, Pattenthal, is retailed at a whopping €99!
Weingut Sinß, Windsheim, Nahe
Energetic winemaker Johannes Sinß is proud of his wine and keen to show us the terroir by presenting different colour of slates and stones from his vineyards alongside the wine. His 2015 Weissburgunder Windesheim S is a perfect example of what a Pinot Blanc can be.
Weingut Hörner, Hochstadt, Pfalz
Playing with his name, Thomas Hörner designed three different labels of horns to differentiate the wine. His 2014 Grauburgunder Widder has ample fruits supported by lifted acidity. His rosé, an unusual blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, is well balanced and delicious. It is definitely worth a try if you don't mind asking for it – it is called Horny Rosé.
Weinbau der Lebenshilfe Bad Dürkheim, Bad-Dürkheim, Pfalz
This is part of a bigger life coaching social project. All workers are disabled, either physical or mental, and winemaker Jan Hock, found suitable roles for all of them in the vineyard or winery. The vines are organically grown and wines are made in traditional method. Teamwork is the key and everyone is proud of being a part of the family. Their ortswein (village wine), 2015 Sylvaner Dürkheimer and 2015 Riesling Wachenheimer are good representatives of wines at this quality level. What’s more, we feel good drinking the wine because we know it is for a good cause.
Generation Riesling is by no means the only young winemaker group but it is the biggest and most organised. There is another one called
Generation Pfalz where members are being nominated every year by a panel and an even smaller group called
Wine Changes with only 12 young winemakers from villages near Neustadt Weinstrasse in Pfalz. Nevertheless all these groups are like-minded – they are passionate and creative. They are inspired to find new ideas and ways to breathe new life into their regions. Their wines are true to the land but without the stiffness. They are the ones who will make German wine fashionable again.
Weingut Schätzel is available from
The Juicy Grape
Weinbau der Lebenshilfe Bad Dürkheim is available from
JOYVINO
Sure Riesling is Germany’s most well known wine but Spätburgunder (aka Pinot Noir) is quietly catching up. Joel Payne, nicknamed Mr German Wine by Karl Bachmair from Bachmair Wines, guided a full house of sommeliers and media to taste nine such fine wines from five German wine regions recently.
Spätburgunder is nothing new in Germany. Like most grapes in Europe, it was brought from Burgundy and planted by monks at least in the 4th century although it was only first documented in 14th century. However, because of poor ripening, the wine was a hit and miss and the majority was rosé rather than red wine. But things have changed in the past couple of decades. Climate change, clonal selection, improved viticultural practice and experience in winemaking technique all propel Spätburgunder to today’s height.
Germany offers different styles of Spätburgunder. Its climate is similar to Burgundy and there is no shortage of Burgundian style Spätburgunder. The 2015 Malterdinger from Weingut Bernhard Huber in Baden we tasted is one of them. Bernhard Huber began estate bottling in 1987 after he took control of the family’s vineyards and slowly increased planting to around 26ha. His son Julian inherited the estate after he passed away and continued Bernhard’s legacy. According to Joel, his wine is often mistaken by professionals, including respected French wine critic Michel Bettane, as Burgundy Pinot in blind tastings. Julian believes in small is beautiful and less is more. His goal is to only make Grand Cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 
Baden and Pfalz, the two Southernmost wine regions in Germany, have the most plantings of Pinot Noir but the variety is also grown in Württemberg and Rheinhessen, as well as the warm pockets in Ahr and Nahe. Its planting area, at 11, 784 ha, ranked the third in the world after France and the USA; and is more than New Zealand and Australia combined.
