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The "Collections of the Year" are no longer always about the company with the absolute best series in the respective area. In some regions, this led to a lot of repetition in the past; both with the readers and with the producers themselves, the recurring titles slowly and understandably lost their value.

Today, we also give the award to those wineries that have recently caught our eye in a particularly positive way and that convince us with especially independent wines and ranges - and of which we are certain that they are in the process of establishing themselves at the absolute top of the region.

The "Discovery of the Year" is awarded to those wineries that have recently attracted our attention with the greatest leap in quality in the respective region and which we can only recommend to every wine lover who wants to get to know new, not yet universally known top winemakers.

Whether or not we can award a prize also depends on how representative the wine entries from the respective region turned out to be, but also on how complete the eligible wineries submitted and how good the overall level is. So we may have no award winners at all for some areas, and possibly only one collection or discovery of the year for others.

Ahr

Discovery of the year: Julia Bertram Winery

A new star in the Ahr sky. Elegance, finesse and polish. We will be hearing a lot more from Julia Bertram.

Baden

Collection of the year: Ziereisen

He has always done everything a little differently than everyone else. Now he does it better than most. White as well as red. The chasselas are a sensation.

Discovery of the year: Winery von und zu Franckenstein

The estate has been on the upswing for years. In the meantime, the wines here are a bank. And not the back bench. Unfortunately still far too unknown.

Franconia

Collection of the year: Winery Rainer Sauer

An absolute top estate in Franconia, about which far too little fuss is made. Well, Sauers don't do it themselves. They are rather quiet masters. Let's do it for them. If you're not hooked on Sauers Silvaner, you probably don't like wine at all.

Discovery of the year: Weigand Winery

In view of such young talent, one wonders why Franconia still has such a sleepy reputation, at least outside of Franconia. The wines are not only first-class, they are also completely unique. We are a little enthusiastic.

Mosel

Collection of the Year: Lieser Castle

Brilliance, tension, finesse. Thomas Haag's wines shine like few others. Always. Meanwhile, the dry wines are also great.

Discovery of the year: Fio

The Moselle reinvented. Wines like you've never seen here before. And once you've tasted them, you'll never forget them.

Near

Collection of the year: Gut Hermannsberg

A resurrection. From some of the best sites in the whole area now come some of the best wines in the country again. The estate has always been one of the most beautiful spots in the German wine world. Now you don't want to leave just for the scenery, but also for the wines.

Discovery of the year: Wein- und Sektgut Bamberger

The estate has been known for a long time, no question, but what has happened here in recent years should definitely be rediscovered: first-class wines and some of the best sparkling wines in the country.

Pfalz

Collection of the year: Christmann

The switch to biodynamics is starting to pay off. Precision, depth and expressiveness like never before - and we haven't even talked about elegance yet. The Königsbacher Rieslings leave you stunned.

Discovery of the year: Jülg

France is obviously the role model here. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, which have few rivals in Germany in this quality. But wait, there is also the Riesling! Jülg can do everything.

Rheingau

Collection of the year: Chat Sauvage

It's often forgotten: the Rheingau was once world-famous for its Pinot Noirs. With Chat Sauvage, you get an idea of why.

Discovery of the year: Winery Diefenhardt

Julia Seyffardt knows what she wants. And how to do it. The Rieslings here have never been so good. Diefenhardt is on its way to becoming an absolute top winery.

Rheinhessen

Collection of the Year: Wittmann Winery

For 30 years, Wittmann has been one of the strongest wineries in the state. And Philipp Wittmann is still turning the screws a little further. Monuments are created here. Many an estate would be happy if its top wines were as good as the basic qualities here.

Discovery of the year: Knewitz Winery

Of course, Knewitz is not a new discovery. And that excellent Riesling and Silvaner are produced here is not so far-fetched, we are in Rheinhessen after all. But these Burgundies! Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, the likes of which only very, very few in Germany can produce.

Württemberg

Collection of the year: Ernst Dautel Winery

Sometimes it's just the little things that make the big difference. As long as we have known Dautel, the estate has been one of the best in Württemberg. But the finesses that the new generation is now teasing out of the reds in particular are taking the estate to a new level.

Discovery of the year: Winery Kistenmacher-Hengerer

One of the quiet ones among Württemberg's top vintners and perhaps for this reason still largely undiscovered outside the region. One should urgently make up for that! Among other things, he almost single-handedly saved the reputation of Trollinger.

Burgenland

Collection of the year: Kollwentz

The Steinzeiler is rightly an Austrian red wine legend. But it is by no means the only stunning red in the range. And these Chardonnays!

Discovery of the year: Wachter-Wiesler

If you still don't realise how good Blaufränkisch can be: Try Wachter-Wiesler! Depth, complexity, brilliance and finesse that we have so far almost exclusively attributed to Burgundies in this combination.

Weinviertel

Collection of the Year: Herbert Zillinger

"Radical" is the name of one of his wines. And nothing about it is exaggerated. Herbert Zillinger is reinventing the Weinviertel. And others are following suit. Some of the most exciting wines in all of Austria.

Discovery of the year: Ingrid Groiss

One of the reasons why you absolutely have to rediscover the Weinviertel. And not only because of the great Veltliners.

Carnuntum

Collection of the year: Winery Philipp Grassl

A stunning series of 2015 red wines. Because juice and power are joined by something noble, a finesse that we have rarely experienced here.

Kamptal

Collection of the year: Ludwig Hiedler Winery

Unmistakable as ever. A beacon of quality in the Kamptal, and not only there. When young, the wines are often underestimated. When mature, they are among the best that Austria has to offer.

Discovery of the year: Winery Brandl

Rediscovered after a good 10 years of abstinence from tasting. Split qualities at sometimes unbelievable prices. If you don't have Günther Brandl on your radar, you should definitely make it bigger.

Kremstal

Collection of the year: Mantlerhof Winery

The old master in top form - and so is the next generation. It's hard to know where to start: Grüner Veltliner? Roter Veltliner? Riesling? The wines are already stunning when young, but they mature like few others in the country.

Discovery of the year: Winery Zöhrer

Anton Zöhrer's wines can usually be recognised blind. Because they are so completely unique. And above all: always fun.

Thermenregion

Discovery of the year: Georg Nigl Winery

Georg Nigl brings a breath of fresh air to Thermenregion with his orange wines and the great PET NAT. But his "normal" wines, white and red, can also be impressively good.

Wagram

Collection of the year: Leth Winery

A guarantor of quality and has been for many years. From the base to the top, everything here is convincing; the reds are the best in the whole area anyway.

Discovery of the year: Winery Söllner

Wines that are easily underestimated: quiet in style, resting and fine, but at the same time expressive and complex. One should take time for them.

Styria

Collection of the year: Ewald Zweytick

Ewad Zweytick's top wines are unique monuments in every respect. Often powerful, enormously concentrated, but at the same time astonishingly fine. At their best, they belong to the very great white wines of this world.

Discovery of the year: Herrenhof Lamprecht

Completely independent, unmistakable wines that need and deserve a lot of time and attention. Buchertberg white can turn out great, the "on the skins" even goes one better - if you like Orange Wines. We do.

South Tyrol

Collection of the year: Alois Lageder Winery

After the conversion to biodynamics, a new era began at Lageder. Today, even the basic wines have character, tension and bite - with significantly less alcohol than is currently the norm in South Tyrol. Even the top wines, which have always had class, have once again become significantly finer.

Discovery of the year: Baron Longo

Fine, complex, self-contained wines, completely independent, never heavy. Even the Gewürztraminer remains rather moderate in alcohol and yet expressive.

Toscana

Collection of the year: Trinoro

Trinoro claims to press red wines from Bordeaux varieties that can compete with the best wines in the world - and succeeds.

Piedmont

Collection of the year: Marchesi di Gresy

Hardly any wine combines power and elegance as perfectly as first-class Barbaresco. And few wineries have mastered this style like Marchesi di Gresy.

Discovery of the year: Busso

Beguiling juice, concentration, life and freshness: Piero Busso's Barbaresco are among the best we have tasted from the area in recent years.

Lombardy

Collection of the Year: Ar.Pe.Pe.

So old-fashioned - and so good. Ar.Pe.Pe. Produces the most complex, expressive and long-lived wines of Valtellina.

Veneto

Collection of the year: Inama

Soave can be much more than the simple everyday wine it is known as in our region. The Inama family has been getting the best out of the volcanic vineyards of the Soave Classico for years, and also produces one of the best red wines in Veneto with its Carmenere in the hills of Berici.

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