Saale-Unstrut is a region (Anbaugebiet) for quality wine in Germany[1], and takes its name from the rivers Saale and Unstrut. The region is located on various hill slopes around these rivers. Most of the region's 663 hectares (1,640 acres) under vine in 2006[2] is situated in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, with around 20 hectares in the state of Thuringia.
Saale-Unstrut is the northernmost of Germany's wine regions, and is therefore one of Europe's northernmost traditional wine regions. The wines from the Memleben Abbey were mentioned in the literature already in the year 998 AD.[1] Because of the cooler climate, yields are low, and Spätlese or Auslese can be produced only in exceptionally warm years and yields are generally low.
The most common grape varieties are the white varieties Müller-Thurgau, on 19.2% of the vineyard surface in 2006, Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) on 11.6%, and Silvaner on 8.7%.[2] White varieties make up 73% of Saale-Unstrut's plantins. Wines such as Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner, which elsewhere are considered to produce wines of more mediocre quality, are sometimes considered to give better wines in the cold climate such as Saale-Unstrut's. The wines are labelled varietally, as most German wines, and are generally vinified dry with a refreshing acidity, resulting from the cool growing conditions.
