Celebrate Riesling’s 587th birthday this March 13th with a glass of this wonderful wine elixir in your hand. The homeland and birthplace of the Riesling grape is Germany and this area has a deep history of winemaking that dates back to ancient Roman times.

Riesling has long been considered Germany’s most celebrated grape. One of the first authenticated documents which mention growing the Riesling grape in Germany is an invoice from a winery in Rüsselsheim to the Count of Katzenelnbogen for “six vines of Riesling planted in the vineyard”, dated March 13th, 1435. So it is on this day every year wine lovers celebrate the birth of the beloved grape.

Riesling is now known as the ‘Queen of German wines’ and is currently planted in all of Germany’s 13 wine regions – particularly in its river valleys, whose heat-storing capacity is especially well suited to grow this grape variety. Thanks to German immigrants, Riesling has also made its way into other countries around the world, such as Italy, Australia, Canada, United States, and New Zealand.

Riesling comes in a wide spectrum of profiles from bone dry to lusciously sweet and everything in between. With a cooler climate to grow in, the wines have delicate aromas and develop a great backbone of acidity for structure. Riesling wines are a great addition to your wine rack, wine cellar and can also age for a very, very long time. German Rieslings are wines with great class, elegance and offer depth and complexity as they age. In fact, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on these bottles for them to age gracefully and appreciate their change in taste and profile.

Here are six German Rieslings you can buy to celebrate #RieslingBirthday. On March 13th, around the globe, Wines of Germany is encouraging Riesling fans to celebrate the versatility and unique characteristics of this beloved variety with a German Riesling toast! Share your photos, tasting notes, and favourite German Riesling memories with the hashtag #RieslingBirthday on social media and join in on the fun!