Records of German wine shipments date back to the early 13th century—and yet, despite the fact that Germany’s wines are rich in history and renown, a large proportion of the wine-drinking public still looks down upon them. Multi-award-winning author Stephen Brook addresses the strange and complex question of why this has been so, focusing in on some controversial German wine laws and issues such as vineyard classification. In addition, he guides wine lovers to the top vintages and producers and the best vineyard sites, and discusses a wide range of grape varieties and lesser-known wine styles.