Why is it, then, that German wines have a poor reputation outside their native land? Politics. The commercial bottlers are politically stronger than the vineyard owners. The result is a flood of cheap, low-quality wines made from every grape except the Riesling.

Another reason for their lack of popularity is the misconception that all German wines are sweet. A good Troken Kabinett, for example, has no trace of sweetness. (Troken means dry. Kabinett is the ripeness level.) Similarly, a good Spätlese has only a hint of sweetness and can be enjoyed with almost any meal or as an apertif. Fear not, fine German wines can be found in foreign markets.

What does it all mean?

So, pay attention…the next few paragraphs will give you the knowledge you need to buy a great bottle of German wine. Since German wine law makes no distinction between vineyards, Germans classify wine according to ripeness, natural sugar levels or must weights, and quality.

The lowest quality wine is Tafelwein, which literally means table wine. It rarely carries the vintners' name and is rarely seen in the US.

Qualitatswein bestimmer Anbaugebiete, abbreviated QbA, is a quality wine that originates from one of the main regions. These wines are often chaptalized to increase alcohol content and sweetned with süssreserve, a portion of the natural grapejuice that is set aside for this process. Liebfraumilch and other generic, estate bottled wines belong in this category.

Qualitatswein, which means quality wine. You'll most likely see this on a bottle of Liebfraumilch or Gewürztraminer. Neither will have any special designation except the bottler and region.

Qualitatswein mit Pradikat, QmP, literally means quality with attributes. This is “the good stuff.” These wines cannot be altered—the vintner cannot add sugar. They are rated according to sweetness and time harvested. The QmP levels are as follows;

Kabinett – highest alcohol content, semi-dry, light, and made from grapes harvested at the normal time. (Troken Kabinett is very dry.) This wine class is good with a meal or even with fine cheeses and breads.

Spätlese- literally translated means late picking. This slightly sweet to dry wine is made of grapes that were picked later than the normal harvest. This gives the wine more body and a slightly sweeter, more intense flavor. This wine class is great with any meal or as an apéritif.

Auslese – means out picking. These grapes are selected out of the really ripe bunches left after the normal harvest. This yields an even fruitier, fuller wine. The Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region produces a delightful Auslese that balances acidity with sweetness. This wine class would be great after dinner, or just for sipping on a lazy day in the park.

Beerenauslese- this means late out picked berries. These grapes are picked individually and very late in the season. This yields the very delectable dessert wine for which Germany is famous. A Beerenauslese might only be vinted every ten years. However, It’s well worth the wait.

Trokenbeerenauslese – This fine wine is made of grapes left on the vine until they are almost dry like raisins. This process produces a fabulously rich, sweet, fruity wine. This is among the most expensive German wines.

Eiswein – The most obvious definition of Eis is ice. It also means ice cream. That should give the reader a clue as to the purpose of this wine. This rare, sweetest of the sweet, wine is made of frozen grapes left on the vine well into the winter which are not allowed to thaw before they are pressed. Despite their time on the vine, they are required to possess at least the same quality as those used to make a Beerenauslese. The result is a mouth-watering desert wine.

What to look for in a good German wine

Now that you know what the quality levels are, it is important to know what to look for in a good bottle of German wine. First, look for the region where the wine was vinted. There are four regions that outshine the rest; Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, and Rheingau. Next, look for the village. Some important villages are; Urzig, Bernkastel, Johannesburg, Oppenheim, and Dürkheim. Bernkastel wines are among the finest. Then, see if the label says Reisling. German Reislings produce the best quality, and the best tasting wines. Try to go with a reputable grower like Weingut Joh.Jos.Prüm or Weingut Fritz Haag. A good source for a list of growers is the Gault-Millau Guide to german Wine. Finally, trust your tastes.