Winterlandschaft Gluhwein

Germany’s best vineyards are the world’s northernmost – as far north as grapes can be persuaded to ripen. Many vineyards are on land unfit for normal agriculture; if there were no grapes, it would be forest and bare mountains. All things considered, Germany’s chances of producing some of the world’s best white wines might seem slim.

And yet, the best German wines have a racy elegance that cannot be duplicated anywhere else. The secret is the balance of sugar and acidity. Sugar without acid would be flat; acid without sugar would be undrinkable. In good wines, the two are so finely balanced that they have the certainty of great art.