The German wine-making tradition is long and illustrious, dating back to as early as AD 800. And for a country just slightly smaller than Montana, Germany produces and consumes a great deal of wine (it's the seventh-largest producer and sixth-highest consumer).Germany is situated at the most northerly latitude at which grapes can ripen; the winters are cold and the growing season short, all of which, incidentally, are nearly identical to the Finger Lakes Region of New York. Most of its wine regions are situated in central and southwestern Germany. The most significant are the Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Rheinpfalz, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Nahe, Franken and Baden.The Riesling grape is king in Germany, even though it represents only 20% of total plantings: Müller-Thurgau (a Riesling-silvaner cross) has the most, followed by the red grapes Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Dornfelder. In good years and in the care of master winemakers, Riesling makes one of the greatest white wines in the world, with a perfect balance of sugar and acid, exquisite fruit and fragrance and with considerable potential for aging.