1976 vintage guide for Germany

drink soon

An excellent vintage with very ripe, rich wines

5/5

Weather Conditions

Cool rain in March and April delayed the budding but the extremely warm weather which followed allowed a successful flowering in June. Then a spell of tropical heat and drought set in to make this the hottest summer for 100 years! A few showers at the end of July were unable to replenish the shortage of water in the soil. August was warm and sunny and in September autumn mists encouraged the development of botrytis which then spread like wildfire while the sunny weather continued right through to the end of the vintage.

Best Appellations

Some growers made heavy sweet Ausleses which lacked acidity and are now well past their best, but the best estates in all the classic regions made wines with great concentration and harmony, which will live and give joy for many years to come.

Best Producers

Among these are the stars of Mosel/Saar/Ruwer, Egon Muller, Zilliken, Fritz Haag, J.J. Prum: from the Rheingau, von Simmern and H.H. Eser: and from the Pfalz, Burklin-Wolf.