This column could’ve alternatively been titled “Understanding German Wine (Part 1 of a Million).” Germany is among my favorite wine- producing countries but I still need to reference multiple resources to fully understand what is in a bottle before I open it. Don’t let dotted letters, ambiguous wine terms, or lengthy words (they are usually just compound words) stop you from drinking some of the most distinguished and delicious wines produced today.

To understand German wine, we must first understand riesling, the most-grown grape in the country. It is important to note that there are many styles in which the wines are made. Though the sourcing of grapes among the patchwork of diverse vineyards and climates is important, the following selections allow us to highlight the most misconstrued aspect of riesling: sweetness.
During fermentation, yeast consumes sugar and produces alcohol. There is an intentional decision made by the winemaker to halt the process (at any point during fermentation) or to let the yeast do its thing until all the sugar is consumed (fermented dry).

Therefore, to get a general sense of how sweet the finished wine might be, inspect the back label for the alcohol by volume (expressed in a percentage). The lower the alcohol the more sugar remains, the higher the alcohol, the less sweet the wine will be. Keep in mind, while this generally works, this oversimplification does not consider acid (which balances sweetness), potential alcohol of the grapes during harvest and other winemaking tricks. Like I said, Germany can be difficult to understand.

It is entirely worth the extra effort when you come upon a producer like Haart, a family whose winemaking history on the romantic Mosel river is documented since 1337. It has maneuvered skillfully throughout the centuries and is widely considered some of the most delicious and age-worthy wine in the country today.

Here are three of its rieslings with varying levels of sweetness and vineyard specificity (and therefore price points) to seek out on your next wine run.

Haart, Estate Riesling, Medium-dry
This bottle contains grapes sourced across all 22 acres of its steep estate vineyards and tastes like pineapple, peaches and honeysuckle. This is the bottle that the winery stakes its name on, as it will be the introduction for most, so it makes sense that this is the “Goldilocks” style, as it pertains to sugar levels, clocking in at 10.5% alcohol by volume. Haart also makes a dry style in this same price tier, but this is the bottle to drink made for our cuisine and climate. Try it with kalua pig sliders at your next cookout, Chinese takeout for your next night in or any food that features ginger.
Cost: $24/bottle.

Haart, Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett
“Piesport” is the name of a municipality on the Mosel River, and the “er” just means that the following word (Goldtröpfchen) is a vineyard that lies within the boundaries of the town. The Haart family estate is merely steps away from this historic vineyard which translates to “drops of gold.” This means all the grapes used for this bottle come from the famous vineyard. You can expect similar notes as the estate riesling with more concentration. “Kabinett” indicates a lighter style of wine (all things being equal). This bottling clocks in at 8.5% ABV and carries a touch more sweetness.
Cost: $35/bottle.

Haart, Goldtröpfchen Riesling, GG
The grapes used in this bottling come from Goldtröpfchen, but the town’s name is dropped, and “GG” is added. This is to indicate the theoretically “highest” level of wine made in Germany (called Grosses Gewächs). All wines in this style must adhere to stricter regulations and be made in a dry style. While much of the beautiful fruit and flowers are still present, the concentration of this wine is undeniable and comes across as almost spicy, herbaceous and smoky. This bottle is 13% ABV and represents a little-known style of German riesling that is beginning to demand some attention.
Cost: $72/bottle.

Chris Ramelb is an award-winning master sommelier, and director of education and restaurant sales manager of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Hawaii. Follow him on Instagram (@masterisksomm).