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Sachsen is Germany's easternmost and smallest wine-growing region. Its recorded
viticultural history dates from 1161 and parallels that of other wine regions, where the
Church and the aristocracy were the primary medieval property owners and responsible for the
development of the vineyards. In addition to viticulture, their legacy includes a wealth of
art and architectural gems throughout the region. Most of the vineyards are between Dresden
and Diesbar-Seusslitz, the northern end of the Saxon Wine Road. A few vineyards are being
restored on the southern outskirts of Dresden and further south, in Pillnitz and Pirna, the
gateway to Saxon's Switzerland. Many of the small parcels are planted on steep,
labor-intensive stone terraces. The proximity of the Elbe River helps temper the climate, but
given this northerly location and growing conditions similar to those of Saale-Unstrut, it is
not surprising that the early-ripening Müller-Thurgau predominates. Here, too, the wines are
marketed as varietals and nearly always vinified dry.
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