This episode is your grounding for Germany’s “why.” Everything that feels confusing on a German label starts making sense once you understand the constraints: a cool, northerly latitude, the heat-moderating role of rivers, the ripening advantage of steep south-facing slopes, and the constant pressure of wet summers driving canopy management and disease control. Listen for the through-line: site and season decide ripeness, ripeness decides must weight, and must weight has historically shaped both planting choices and style outcomes—especially the rise, fall, and return of Riesling as viticulture improved and ripening became more consistent.
