In the 13th edition of our Falstaff Wine Guide Germany, we showcase the country’s finest wines and most outstanding winemakers — with nearly 4,000 wines tasted from more than 500 wineries.
Over the past twelve months, Germany’s winemakers have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges: a political climate that offers little to celebrate, and a health-policy campaign that is — to put it politely — irritating. Having to defend wine culture against a narrative, that disregards the human desire for joie de vivre and reduces human health to mere cellular processes, has been hard to bear.
However, nature's forces continue to represent the greatest threat to our favorite indulgence. Winemakers across nearly every German region experienced this fact firsthand in April 2024, when temperatures dropped below zero on two consecutive nights. The resulting frost damage left many wineries with a decrease in yields in the range of 30%-80%!)—despite the same painstaking work required in the vineyards.
Despite these challenges, Germany has once again produced outstanding wines. The white wines exhibit impressive juiciness and are often highly concentrated. Meanwhile, the 2023 reds keep the strong streak of the years before, offering lots of texture and well-pronounced fruitiness.
Let’s savor life, stay curious, and raise a glass whenever the moment calls for it.
As you read through our guide and discover the wines displayed in it, take a moment to toast the German winegrowers who, despite so many obstacles, continue to work passionately. They refine their classics, explore new paths, and—most importantly—maintain an unwavering enthusiasm for wine in all its facets. We should do the same: enjoy life fully, stay curious, and indulge in a great glass of wine whenever we please.
Over the past months, around 4,000 German wines from more than 500 wineries and winemakers' cooperatives were tasted by a 14-member Falstaff panel led by Ulrich Sautter, Editor-in-Chief Wine Germany. Falstaff—the leading magazine for culinary lifestyle—now presents the results of these tastings, alongside in-depth evaluations and portraits of each winery, in the 13th edition of the Falstaff Wine Guide Germany 2026.
While no wine reached the maximum score of 100 points this year, the top ratings climbed as high as 99 points—awarded to a single wine: the 2024 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling from the winery Georg Breuer (Rheingau). Three wines achieved outstanding 98+ scores, all Rieslings from the latest 2024 vintage:
• Forster Pechstein GG, Acham-Magin (Pfalz)
• Oestricher Lenchen Eisberg Trockenbeerenauslese, Josef Spreitzer (Rheingau)
• Bernkasteler Doctor Spätlese (Auction), Schloss Lieser (Mosel)
Looking beyond the top score, one thing is undeniable: 2024 delivered exceptional white wines despite unpredictable weather conditions, while the 2023 red wines impressed the panel with their high quality. In total, 286 wines received 95 points or more—the highest number of top ratings in the 13-year history of the Falstaff Wine Guide Germany.
The best wines and winemakers in the country can be found in the “Falstaff Wine Guide Germany 2025.” 4,000 German wines from over 500 wineries were tasted.
24.90 euro
