Forget Liebfraumilch - the Germans make amazing dry wines. They have done for decades, but until now no-one tasted them over here. Wine writers agree that dry Riesling is the most haunting, entrancing white wine in the world. It’s about complexity. Elegance, power and penetrating. An electric, exhilarating helter-skelter ride in the mouth and refreshing, tingly acidity in the finish. It’s about slate, and geologically rich soil from marginal regions like the steep, loopy Mosel or the Rheingau, the full south-facing slope overlooking a magnificent twist in the Rhine to the west of Frankfurt.

The concept of “terroir” (the unique combination of geology and microclimate at a specific place) is never clearer than in German Riesling. You can taste the herby minerals and sense the savoury crystals that run through the slate. Riesling works with any food. Mild or spicy. Red or white meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, anything. It’s a wonder wine! I am going to focus on the picturesque river Mosel in this piece. From the old Roman town of Trier, the Mosel winds north-eastwards up to Koblenz where it tips into the Rhine.

Clemens Busch, looks a bit like Jesus and has become something of a guru to young winemakers coming through the ranks. He was the first to show people that it was possible to make world-beating dry wine on the Mosel. He was also one of the first to show it was possible to make organic wines in this marginal climate. His house by the river in the pretty village of Punderich looks up at the towering wall of vines on the opposite bank. There’s a convent, the Marienburg, above the vines at the hill crest from which you can see the next loop of the Mosel going downstream. You can stand in his front garden while he and his wife Rita point out their parcels in the vineyards opposite. Here’s a bit with grey slate…there’s a parcel of very old vines on blue slate. There’s a parcel with red slate, rich in iron, unusual in this part of the Middle-Mosel, which gives the wine a wild, spicy, exotic perfume. Try his tingly, nervy Riesling Kabinett trocken 2007 £13.99 or the serious, complex Riesling Spatlese trocken *** (three star) 2006 at £17.99.

...leather waistcoat, Scholl footwear, is another Eco-warrior...and poet. His father came back from the Russian front after the war with half a leg missing, so Rudi had to do all the spraying and then had an allergic reaction to the chemicals. This got him thinking about ecology and he founded the Ecovin association for organic German wine-makers in the 1970s. Poet that he is, Rudi calls one of his dry Rieslings Schieferblume (“slate flower”). Grown on the steep, slate slope on the opposite side of the river from his home, this is smoky and savoury, with a penetrating, dry finish. Schieferblume Riesling trocken 2007 £13.99.

These wines are almost impossible to find in the UK, so you’ll need to either visit this beautiful river valley (hotel and restaurant tips to follow next month) or go to The Winery in London. The key word to look out for is “trocken”, which means dry.

Liebfraumilch is dead – long live dry Riesling!

David Motion of The Winery

www.thewineryuk.com

Gallo Family Vineyards and the Affordable Art Fair return to Battersea Park this autumn

Gallo Family Vineyards will be the official drinks sponsor of the Affordable Art Fair for the second time this year, continuing a two-year-long association with the Fair.

...which runs from 23 to 26 October, will play host to a wide selection of affordable art from paintings and prints to sculpture and photography together with the exclusive Gallo Family Vineyards Wine Bar.

The Wine Bar, which will be situated at the centre of the venue within Battersea Park, will be the ideal place for visitors to ponder purchases, discuss the works and relax together over a glass of award-winning wine.

... will be free to enjoy samples of the specially-crafted Turning Leaf wines to further complement their experience. The vintages on offer will include the deliciously crisp Sauvignon Blanc, the light and spicy Pinot Noir and the fruity Shiraz Rosé.

Furthermore, Gallo Family Vineyards wine expert, Sylvain Removille, will be available for special wine tasting sessions to bring to life the ''Art of winemaking''. The twenty-minute sessions will include an introduction to wine, a tasting of a selection of Gallo Family Vineyards wines and an explanation of the winemaking process. Each tasting will end with an open Q&A session where participants will be invited to ask anything they wish about wine. The sessions are free of charge to visitors and will take place at the private view on Wednesday 22 October between 5.30pm and 9.30pm and again at the drinks reception on Thursday 23 October between 5.30pm and 9.30pm.

... to the Turning Leaf range, the Gallo Family Vineyards Coastal Vineyards and popular tier range will be available to buy by the glass at the Wine Bar - so there is a wine to please every palate.

Iain Newell, European Marketing Director for E&J Gallo Winery, said: "With 75 years of wine heritage behind us, we see wine as an art form in itself and so we are delighted to be sponsoring the Affordable Art Fair again.

"Wine is perfect for sharing with friends and family, helping to make any occasion more memorable. We hope that the Gallo Family Vineyards Wine Bar will, yet again, be a great place for people to reflect on what they''ve seen and unwind together."