Whereas most regions rely on their warm average temperatures and proximity to large bodies of water to ripen grapes, Germany takes a different approach, making up for the factors they lack with pragmatism: vines are planted on steep, slate-rich hills that flank the country’s wide rivers. The position allows sunlight to reflect off the water and onto the grapes, maximizing sun exposure, while the deep slate soils retain heat long into the night and impart a stony minerality to the finished wine. Much like our home in Ontario, Germany shows that you can use your terroir to your advantage by crafting wines that benefit from higher acidity, such as Riesling from the Mosel, Pinot Noir from Pfalz, and even lush dessert wines like Icewine (Eiswein) and the botrytized Trockenbeerenauslese.