Berlin comes to downtown Toronto for three months from August 1st when Wines of Germany Canada launches its “Coolest Wines on Earth” campaign at the city’s stackt market. Canada’s largest shipping container market will feature a pop-up bar with an outdoor courtyard and a range of the finest still and sparkling wines Germany has to offer by the glass or bottle. The wine list will change each month, a tasty menu will be available to accompany your Pinot Blanc, Silvaner, or Riesling, and there’ll be a DJ creating a vibe the first Friday of the month. If you fancy a summer cocktail, the stackt team is preparing a range with German wines. Enjoy the pop-up “Berlin Bar” until October 31st! Prost!

Summertime means there’s always an excuse to crack open the sparkling wine! Luckily, German wine producers can help out with a range of fine, refreshing Sekts that are perfect for the heat and pair beautifully with a range of cuisine. With the VDP.Prädikatsweingüter bringing in a new classification for German bubbly – VDP.SEKT.STATUT – featuring finetuned guidelines on production of top-quality, handmade Sekts, what are you waiting for? Find your next favorite bubbly from a VDP producer!

As wine producers assess the damage in flood-stricken Germany, the VDP has launched a donation-funded aid package for the badly affected Ahr Valley Region. The aim is to protect the coming harvest with resources for equipment and premises for those wineries that have been devastated by the disaster. How can you help return Ahr to its former glory?

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the hospitality sector hard which is why the Wine Enthusiast “50 Wine Restaurants We Love 2021” list is so inspiring. It shines the spotlight on restaurants across America that not only serve excellent food and top-tier wine but managed to harness the limitations imposed by the epidemic – and to overcome. From serving outdoors in the heat to QR-coded wine lists, using the talents of guest chefs to opening up relief kitchens, many adopted practices worked so well, they’re here to stay. COVID-19 meant that, in 2020, Wine Enthusiast didn’t compile its top restaurant list, so enjoy 2021’s highlights even more!

As clean-up operations begin in Germany and Belgium following deadly flooding that has shocked the world, renowned wine critic and writer Jancis Robinson is hosting an appeal spearheaded by German wine specialist Michael Schmidt for donations to help vintners who have been badly affected by the disaster. Producers in the Ahr region, in particular, have been very badly hit by the deluge which started a week ago and has not only wreaked havoc but claimed nearly 200 lives. We have full details about the scale of the damage to Ahr vintners, how the appeal is being run, and how you can donate.

Congratulations to VDP Weingut Kreuzberg in Ahr for its “Best in Show” at Decanter World Wine Awards win in London. Its “harmonious and beautifully vinified” Devonschiefer R Reserve Spätburgunder garnered 97 points at the prestigious competition emerging as one of 50 wines from around the world to take the accolade. A great showing for Kreuzberg and for German VDP wines! Cheers!

You don’t have to look too far in Germany to find a Strausswirtschaft, a cozy, informal tavern that serves impromptu local grub and refreshing, delicious regional wines. You can come across such a spot on a hike in the countryside, in the city, or along the waterside, each boasting a familiar and unique atmosphere. If you’re going to be in Germany any time soon, we recommend you seek out these comfy, welcoming places and order a glass. If not, you can recreate the Strausswirtschaft ambience yourself with some good music, some tasty snacks, and, of course, plenty of good wine! Cheers to the summer!

Hope you’re enjoying the Wines of Germany USA Prost Every Moment Campaign held to encourage consumers to make the most of every moment big or small with a fine German wine – be it Riesling, Spätburgunder, Pinot Gris, or an array of cool climate wines. The campaign includes everything from an information hub and quiz for perfect pairing discoveries to promotional events across the US. How about pairing Riesling to perfection with tasty recipes like Seared Scallops with Apple Slaw and Lemon Butter Sauce dish? Whatever you’re celebrating…Prost!

Wines of Germany, Canada is putting the iconic Riesling grape in the spotlight with its annual ‘31 Days of German Riesling’ program held coast-to-coast in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver, and Calgary throughout the month of July. Venues are putting on bespoke events that put the versatile German Riesling grape in the spotlight so get ready to head to independent wine merchants for seminars held by celebrity wine educators and to select restaurants for dishes specially prepared for pairing with Riesling. It looks like there’s some fine cuisine on the pairing menu as seen by this dish from Teatro Restaurant in Calgary! Cheers!

The prestigious WINE100 Competition in China has announced details of the 2021 winners and, German wines have scooped three of the top spots marking a first for the event! VDP Ahr member Weingut Burggarten won not one, but two awards with its 2018 Spätburgunder “Walporzheimer Kräuterberg”: “Best Red of the Year” & “Best Wine of the Year”. Not a VDP member but a winner just the same, Weingut Kerpen from Mosel won “Best White of the Year”. The German wins mark the first time in WINE100’s ten-year history that labels from a single country have been garnered the top trophies! Prost to that!