German viticulture is characterised by a large number of different grape varieties.
Riesling and Müller-Thurgau dominated until 2021, accounting for around 23% and 11% of the total area under cultivation respectively. Other important grape varieties are Pinot Noir with around 12% and Silvaner with around 5%. In addition to these main varieties, there are also a number of other grape varieties in Germany, such as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Dornfelder and Kerner.
The climatic characteristics that influence winegrowing in Germany include the temperate climate with cooler temperatures, sufficient rainfall and fewer hours of sunshine compared to warmer winegrowing regions.
The quality classifications of German wines are based on the 1971 wine law and divide wines into two main categories:
Prädikat wines represent the highest quality level and are divided into various sub-categories based on the natural sugar content of the grapes and ripeness at harvest. These include Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein.
