drink soon
An under-rated year although the Mosel produced a number of very good wines
Weather Conditions
A mild winter was followed by rain in March and April. After a late start, the vines developed well in May until cool days and rain set in to delay the flowering. July and August gave high-summer weather with sufficient rain. The vintage started in the middle of October and the fine weather continued right through to the end of the vintage in November. This weather was in complete contrast with that of 1974. It was just the ideal platform from which to launch a fine vintage.
Best Appellations
The best wines are characterised by a filigree elegance with fine acidity in contrast with the more obvious rich and concentrated 1976s. Botytis played its part in allowing great Ausleses and Beerenausleses to be made in all the classic regions. The finest wines are to be found from Mosel/Saar/Ruwer and the Nahe, while many Rheingau wines had more finesse and less earthyness than was sometimes the case at this time. Many wines are still in their prime: a vintage for the connoisseur.
Best Producers
Among many outstanding growers were von Othegraven in Kanzem on the Saar, von Schubert on the Ruwer, J.J.Prum on the Mosel, Schloss Eltz in the Rheingau and Paul Anheuser on the Nahe. A fine Eiswein vintage.
