German Wine 101
The German Wine Road
In the southwest corner of Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, an 85-kilometer route winds through vineyards, almond orchards, and medieval villages. This is the Deutsche Weinstrasse — the German Wine Road — established in 1935 as the world's first designated wine route.
But the wine culture here goes back much further. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Roman legions realized that the sun-drenched slopes of the Haardt Mountains were perfect for viticulture — an excavated Roman winery near Bad Dürkheim still has its original grape-treading troughs, and the Romans were growing some of the same grape varieties cultivated there today. Protected by the Palatinate Forest, the Pfalz is Germany's sunniest corner, often called the "Tuscany of Germany." Fig trees, lemons, and almonds thrive in this Mediterranean microclimate, alongside some of the finest wine grapes in the world.
At the heart of the Weinstrasse sits Neustadt an der Weinstrasse — literally "new town on the wine road" — a city so devoted to wine that it hosts the German Wine Harvest Festival and crowns the German Wine Queen every autumn. Just up the road in Bad Dürkheim, locals celebrate the Wurstmarkt, officially the world's largest wine festival. If you visit, you won't find wine in delicate, stemmed crystal; it's poured into a Dubbeglas — a heavy, half-liter glass covered in round dimples, historically designed so a butcher's greasy hands wouldn't drop his drink.
This is where the Old Stein Inn's story begins. When our founders brought their traditions from Neustadt to Maryland, they brought a wine culture as rich and deeply rooted as the food.
Riesling, Rescued from Its Reputation
Riesling is Germany's noble grape, and the truth is that most German Riesling today is dry — crisp, mineral, and electric with acidity. The sugary styles that flooded American shelves in the 1970s (looking at you, Liebfraumilch) were cheap exports, not the true tradition.
While regions like the Mosel are famous for slate, the Pfalz features an incredibly complex matrix of limestone, loess, and red sandstone soils. This gives a dry Pfalz Riesling a rounder body, sunnier fruit flavors of green apple and lime, and a distinct, rich minerality. It may be the single most food-friendly white wine in the world, cutting through rich food the way a squeeze of fresh lemon does — which is exactly why it evolved alongside a cuisine of schnitzel, sausage, and pork roast.
The Rise of German Reds
While whites rule the river valleys, the Pfalz has quietly become a powerhouse for world-class red wines. Our best-kept secret is Spätburgunder — German Pinot Noir. Because of the region's warm microclimate, these cool-climate reds offer the elegance of a French Burgundy but with a bright, wild-berry acidity and earthy undertones. It is an absolutely beautiful match for duck, wild game, or a rich sauerbraten.
How to Read a German Wine Label
German labels look intimidating but follow a strict, logical system. A few words worth knowing:
Trocken means dry. If you see it, expect a crisp, clean finish, not sweetness.
Kabinett, Spätlese, and Auslese refer to the ripeness of the grapes at harvest, in ascending order. Riper grapes can make richer or sweeter wine — but a Spätlese trocken is a dry wine made from incredibly ripe, complex grapes, and it is often spectacular.
Pfalz, Mosel, and Rheingau are the regions. Pfalz wines tend toward fuller, riper, and sunnier profiles than their northern neighbors.
What to Pour Tonight
The classic pairings write themselves: dry Riesling with a crispy schnitzel, an off-dry Riesling with anything spiced or smoked, and a glass of Spätburgunder with your favorite hearty tavern dish.
Next time you're in, ask about the German bottles on our list. There's a wine on our shelves right now that grew up just a short bicycle ride from where our family's story started. Join us for dinner and taste the history of the Weinstrasse for yourself — or ask about custom wine selections for your next catered event. Prost!