German whites beyond Riesling: Panel tasting results

Caro Maurer MW, Svetoslav Manolev MS and Marcel Orford-Williams tasted 40 wines, with 4 Outstanding and 9 Highly Recommended.

German whites beyond Riesling: Panel tasting scores

40 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 4

Highly recommended 9

Recommended 18

Commended 4

Fair 5

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release, dry white wines from any region in Germany, single varietal or blend (in which Riesling could be included, but not as the dominant variety)

Riesling casts a large shadow in German vineyards. With some 24,400ha planted (DWI/Statistisches Bundesamt data for 2023), the German flagship variety occupies a quarter of the 103,687ha of vineyards (which are about two-thirds white varieties).

Though less recognised, other white grapes do exist – and can certainly produce top-class wines. This was demonstrated in the 40 wines reviewed at this panel tasting.

Scroll down to see the top results from the German whites beyond Riesling panel tasting

Germany is the world leader in plantings of Silvaner (4,330ha in 2023) and Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder in German, 6,318ha). Although Silvaner originally comes from Austria and Pinot Blanc from France, both varieties seem to be more integrated into German vineyards than in their homelands.

Pinot Gris (or Grauburgunder, 8,372ha) and Chardonnay (2,912ha) also make their quality contribution to this selection of German whites, with the latter featuring in four of the 13 wines scoring 90 points or more.

Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, the German variety Scheurebe and Gutedel (also known as Chasselas), as well as Viognier and Marsanne and the rare Faberrebe (a cross between Chardonnay and Müller-Thurgau), were also on show. The wine styles varied from fruity and fresh to serious and highly complex.

Rising quality

Chardonnay, in particular, demonstrates a class of its own, as illustrated by the two wines achieving 95 points or more. Svetoslav Manolev MS saw an opportunity for German Chardonnays, especially as the prices for the wines from Burgundy continue to rise steeply.

‘Germany today offers very good natural conditions for Chardonnay: cooler than Burgundy and warm enough for the variety to fully ripen,’ he said. Climate change certainly plays a role in this – and in general a positive role for Germany as a whole, so far.

Marcel Orford-Williams agreed, adding that over the last 15 years the quality of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris from Germany has also improved significantly – although the management of wood in the winemaking can be an issue.

‘German wine-growers first had to learn to understand the right relationship between wine and barrel,’ he said.

See all the wines from the German whites beyond Riesling panel tasting

Promising Pinot Blanc

Both experts are convinced that Pinot Blanc is the country’s most promising white grape beyond Riesling. As Orford-Williams put it: ‘Today, Chardonnay is available from almost every wine-growing region in the world. Pinot Blanc from Germany, on the other hand, is unique.’

In Alsace, Pinot Blanc doesn’t have the status as a noble grape, yet in Germany wine-growers are making top-notch dry wines with the variety – namely those originating from Grosses Gewächs sites (literally ‘great growths’, or equivalent to grand cru in France) as classified in regions such as Baden and Pfalz under the regulations of the VDP assocation (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter).

Silvaner, on the other hand, is all too easily overlooked when bottled on its own. The grape variety doesn’t leave much of an impression at first glance – green apple is typical of its flavours, but the same can also be said for several other varieties.

It seems it may be more palatable than Riesling for some wine lovers, however, according to Orford-Williams, as reflected in The Wine Society’s ‘successful’ Ruppertsberg Pfalz Trocken blend of the two (2023, £7.75 The Wine Society).

Manolev added that Silvaner is ‘particularly popular with customers who have more wine experience’, especially if it comes from from a Grosse Lage (VDP classified vineyard), he added – ‘then it reflects its origins’.

German whites beyond Riesling panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Caro Maurer MW is a German food and wine writer, and a WSET- and MW-level educator. A DWWA Regional Chair, she also contributes to Bonn’s daily newspaper GeneralAnzeiger and food and wine title Der Feinschmecker.

Svetoslav Manolev MS is London regional sales manager for merchant Berkmann Wine Cellars. The first Bulgarian to qualify as a Master Sommelier, in 2019, he is also a DWWA judge for categories including Austria and Germany.

Marcel Orford-Williams is a wine buyer for The Wine Society, covering southern and regional French wines and Germany. He is a longstanding DWWA judge, and was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole for services to French wine.

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