Germany: General information on regions most widely planted varietals

Germany's total amount of land under vines 102.489 hectares

White varieties: 67.663 hectares (66%)
20,2% Riesling 20.770 hectares
15,6% Müller-Thurgau 16.078 hectares
5,7% Silvaner 5.820 hectares
4,9% Kerner 5.053 hectares

Red varieties: 34.826 hectares (34%)
10,7% Spätburgunder 11.022 hectares
7,5% Dornfelder 7.686 hectares
4,8% Portugieser 4.931 hectares
2,5% Trollinger 2.597 hectares

By Region:

Rheinhessen 26.171 hectares
18% Müller-Thurgau (71% white)
13% Dornfelder (29% red)
10% Silvaner

Pfalz 23.394 hectares
20% Riesling (62% white)
12% Dornfelder (38% red)
13% Müller-Thurgau

Baden 15.944 hectares
35% Spätburgunder (59% white)
21% Müller-Thurgau (41% red)
10% Grauburgunder

Württemberg 11.459 hectares
22% Trollinger (31% white)
19% Riesling (69% red)
17% Schwarzriesling

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 9.533 hectares
57% Riesling (92% white)
16% Müller-Thurgau (8% red)
7% Elbling

Franken 6.005 hectares
36% Müller-Thurgau (86% white)
21% Silvaner (14% red)
12% Bacchus

Nahe 4.221 hectares
25% Riesling (77% white)
16% Müller-Thurgau (23% red)
10% Dornfelder

Rheingau 3.167 hectares
78% Riesling (84% white)
13% Spätburgunder (16% red)
2% Müller-Thurgau

Saale-Unstrut 652 hectares
22% Müller-Thurgau (76% white)
12% Weißburgunder (24% red)
9% Silvaner

Ahr 529 hectares
61% Spätburgunder (12% white)
11% Portugieser (88% red)
7% Riesling

Mittelrhein 495 hectares
69% Riesling (87% white)
8% Spätburgunder (13% red)
7% Müller-Thurgau

Sachsen 446 hectares
21% Müller-Thurgau (85% white)
16% Riesling (15% red)
13% Weißburgunder

Hessische Bergstraße 444 hectares
51% Riesling (84% white)
9% Müller-Thurgau (16% red)
8% Grauburgunder


Source: German Federal Bureau of Statistics (Statistisches Bundesamt)

Carbon footprint of shipping wine from various regions...up with high quality box wine?

This came to me via Dr. Vino's blog but this was also published in the month's National Geographic magazine. Up with high quality box wine?

sshhhh! back to the red wine cures all illnesses stories!!!!

Random Trivia

Wine Trivia Facts

1. According to scientist Bill Lembeck there are approximately 49 million bubbles in a bottle of Champagne.
2. The word Alcohol is derived from the Arabic language (al kohl or alkuhl). Consider the fact that a large proportion of the Arabic population is forbidden from consuming alcohol for religious reasons.
3. The largest cork tree in the world is known as 'The Whistler Tree'. This tree is located in the Alentejo region of Portugal and averages over 1 ton of raw cork per harvest. Enough to cork 100,000 bottles of wine.
4. The average number of grapes it takes to produce a bottle of wine: 600.
   
5. Dom Perignon did not invent champagne, it had existed for several years. What he did invent was the mushroom shaped cork and wire cage that allowed the sparkling wine to be safely bottled. Previous attempts had all ended with popped corks.
   
6. In Fairbanks, Alaska, it's illegal to feed a moose any alcohol beverage
   
7. The first commercial U.S. winery, established in 1823, was located in Missouri.
   
8. During prohibition, an interesting product called the 'Grape Brick' was sold to thousands of wine-parched households across America. Attached to the 'brick' of dried and pressed winegrape concentrate was a packet of yeast, and the stern warning, "Do not add yeast or fermentation will result."
   
9. The corkscrew was invented in 1860
10. Most popular varietals in Napa Valley (in order of popularity)

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Chardonnay
• Merlot
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Pinot Noir
• Zinfandel