Germany can provide the more unusual wines today’s consumers are looking for

German wines have a fairly bad reputation in the UK. Not many people have got beyond Liebfraumilch, one of many overly sweet, bland wines that don’t go well with food and are just plain outdated. It’s a perennial problem and one that many people are not inclined to address by exploring further. But fast-growing online wine retailer Rude Wines are on a mission to erase this image and provide their customers with some truly memorable German wines.

Sales Manager Deborah Guest told us “From speaking to our customers, they are on the look-out for something a bit different. They are bored of drinking so-called international grape varieties like Chardonnay and Merlot and want something unusual, made with indigenous grape varieties. Many are surprised when we point them to German wines, but I really believe it’s a source of great value, interesting wines and this really piques their interest.”

“We don’t stock those big brand, artificially sweetened German styles. Our buyer Gerald will tell you it’s worth digging below the surface to discover the best of Germany’s wines”.

Indeed, Riesling is a great place to start as it’s generally considered the finest and most noble German white wine grape.

Deborah tells us “Riesling (pronounced ‘Reece-ling’) can produce wines with amazing character, that really express the character of the place they are made. Modern German wines tend to be on the drier side to cater to today’s consumer, but a wide range of sweetness is available so there is something for everyone and to match every type of food”.

“Rude Wines are big fans of German wine and are in the process of expanding their range to cater to today’s current trends for more unusual wines made with indigenous grape varieties”.

We asked Rude Wines wine advisor Eben to pick out some of his favourites.

“If you’re new to German wines or are not sure whether they are your thing, start with a very affordable dry white like Walt Riesling from the Pfalz region of Germany. Currently on offer at £8.99, it’s a great introduction to a modern German winemaking style. Dry and crisp, it’s seafood-friendly with its zingy grapefruit and lime flavours. I personally love this with mackerel and tuna based sushi as well as smoked salmon as it brings a freshness to oily fish”.

“Pinot Gris is another popular German grape variety, you may have tried the Italian version, Pinot Grigio. German versions tend to be lighter in body and more aromatic with bags more character. Perfect with pork or fish, Villa Wolf Pinot Gris (on offer at £10.39) also from the Pfalz region, is dry but with plenty of pear and peach character. This is the perfect Friday evening wine. It’s such good quality it feels like a real treat.”

What about if you’re after something a little sweeter for the Christmas period? Eben recommends Louis Guntrum Oppenheimer Herrenberg Riesling Auslese (on offer at £18.50). “Louis Gutrum is one of the top winemakers in Germany with the 11^th generation of the family now running the wine estate. The term ‘Auslese’ signifies a sweeter style of wine whereby grapes have been allowed to ripen longer creating more sugar in the grapes. This very special wine is perfect for drinking with cured meats and will even go with Stilton or your Christmas Pud. I’m a great fan of drinking late-harvest German wines with cheese, they go amazingly well together.”

Rude Wines are an independent online wine merchant who has set out to discover some of the world’s ‘off-the-beaten-track’ wines. Stocking wines from countries as diverse as Peru, Uruguay, and Israel, as well as delving deeper into the more familiar wine territories.