Hi, I’m Juliana, and I’m always on the lookout for new sights and experiences. I absolutely love discovering amazing new places in Germany, Along the way, I meet people who embody Germany’s huge diversity, and I’m fascinated by traditional crafts. I fall under the spell of history as I wander picturesque old town centres and soak up the incredible atmosphere of this country, with its kaleidoscope of scents, colours and tastes. Join me on a journey through Germany: it’s just waiting to be discovered.
Exquisite taste – we meet sommelière Nancy Grossmann
Today I’m going to be visiting the woman whom the Gault-Millau Restaurant Guide recently named their ‘Sommelière of the Year 2020’. She lives and works in Berlin. Home to almost four million people, the metropolis is a true cultural melting pot. Its nightlife, bars, people and, last but not least, its culinary landscape are defined by an incredible diversity and openness. This is a place of superlatives – higher, faster, further, better. And more exclusive, too. After all, Berlin has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in Germany. Nancy works at Rutz, a restaurant with three Michelin stars. She has agreed to tell me all about the special characteristics of German wine.
Wine is a passion, but it’s also a science.
First up, I learn that not all wines are equal, but that ultimately they are luxury consumables, so the important thing is to enjoy them. As a top sommelière, Nancy can pick out subtle nuances like sweet, bitter and salty, and the right acidity. Her path to becoming a wine expert extraordinaire began when she was already a trained restaurateur. She was one of the first women in Berlin to attend the German School of Wine.
Organic German wines achieving top quality
Light, lively and fruity – these are all adjectives often used to describe German wines. Nancy explains that the hugely disparate climates and soil conditions of the country’s 13 wine regions create a wide variety of wines that are highly specific to their place of origin. She is especially pleased that organic winegrowers from Germany, who once came in for ridicule, have now become trendsetters. More and more organically grown German wines are holding their own against the international competition. She puts this down to the fact that even the greatest wines are produced merely from the resources that nature provides. The harder a vine has to work to absorb nutrients from the soil, the better its taste, because it is unadulterated and does not need any added flavourings. As I continue on my way, Nancy gives me a very welcome tip: she prefers to taste wines where they are made, at the winemaker’s vineyard. I’m ready for the next stage of my journey across Germany.
“After completing my training as a restaurateur, I did a lot of travelling around Europe – from Portugal to Austria and Switzerland, before ending up back in Berlin!”
Wines in Germany
Particularly in the wine regions, charming landscapes, culture, hospitality and a love of the good things in life all combine to wonderful effect. There are a total of 13 wine regions scattered across Germany: Ahr, Baden, Franconia, Hessische Bergstraße, Mittelrhein, Mosel, Nahe, Pfalz, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen and Württemberg. Germany offers optimal climate conditions for growing the Riesling grape. The Mosel regions produces the finest Riesling wines.
Discover the taste of Germany!
The tastes of Germany are as varied as the country itself. Discover the must-eats on your journey across Germany.