Germany's Burgunder grapes. The Pinot family, the German way.

What does Burgunder mean?

Burgunder literally means 'of Burgundy'. Pinot is one of the oldest domesticated grape varieties, and Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are clonal offspring: they share the same DNA yet behave differently. In Germany they are called Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc). Records show the grape was already valued by the nobility and the church in eastern France and southern Germany by the 14th century.

Germany grows nearly 140 grape varieties across 13 official wine regions, called Anbaugebiete. German producers have worked hard to make serious dry wines from the Pinot family, in a style that differs from northern Italy or Alsace.

Spätburgunder: Germany's Pinot Noir

Spätburgunder roughly translates as 'late-ripening grape from Burgundy', though compared with all varieties it actually ripens fairly early. It likes cool conditions and a long growing season, and it reflects its soil so clearly that it is rarely blended. The five regions to know are Baden, the Rheingau, Rheinhessen, the Pfalz and the small Ahr Valley.

Expect strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit, sometimes a hint of black currant. Oak aging can add cinnamon, light vanilla and a smoky, slightly meaty note. And these wines can age: Andreas Larsson describes tasting a 1920 Spätburgunder from the Rheingau's Assmannshäuser Höllenberg in the cellars of Kloster Eberbach, the monastery where Cistercian monks brought the grape from Burgundy.

Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder and Silvaner

Grauburgunder has reddish-grey skins but counts as a white grape. Its wines range from pale yellow to copper and smell of peach, quince, nuts and almonds, developing honey, biscuit and hay with age. It is usually dry; a label saying Ruländer generally signals a deliberately sweeter style.

Weissburgunder is more neutral in aroma but higher in acidity, with notes of pear, white peach and fresh nuts. Germany has the largest plantings of this grape in the world, and the dry, crisp versions from the Pfalz and Baden are made for the table. The episode also takes a detour to Silvaner, Germany's fourth most planted vine, with peach and herbal notes and an oily texture. Look for it from Franken, where it is a real treat, although most of it is drunk in Germany itself.

As a rule, all three Burgunder grapes need sun and warm, dry exposures to ripen fully, which is why the warmer southern regions such as Baden and the Pfalz are so important for them.

The experiment: what color tells you

Christy Canterbury MW and Andreas turn to the first step of any tasting: appearance. Is the wine clear or hazy? Does it have tears, or legs, running down the glass, a hint of higher alcohol or residual sugar? In red wines, color depends largely on the grape: thin-skinned Pinot Noir, Grenache and Nebbiolo are pale, while thick-skinned Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon are deep and dark.

Rosé gets attention too. A pale salmon color usually means a crisp, light wine; deeper shades bring more fruit and richness. See how much Christy can tell from color alone before she even takes a sip.

Food pairings and blind tastings

Andreas brings a 'love story' wine, the Hand in Hand Grauburgunder made by Meike Näkel and Markus Klumpp, partly fermented in new oak with lees stirring for a creamy texture. He pairs it with a seared pork chop with caramelized onion and tart apple. Later, a Spätburgunder meets roast duck with a cherry and gingerbread-spice sauce, an echo of the spice in the wine.

Two blind tastings test the hosts on the Pinot family. Find out which clues point to Weissburgunder rather than Grauburgunder, and how soil can show up in the glass. The episode helps you prepare for WSET Level 3 with grapes, regions, label terms and tasting technique explained.

Go furtherTo explore the estates, vineyards and wines of Germany further, the wein.plus wine guide is a great resource.