CELEBRATE German Oktoberfest by swapping a stein for a tall stem.

One of the most northerly wine regions, Germany's diverse winemaking dates back to the 18th century, and the valleys along the River Rhine and Mosel are home to some of its most famous and celebrated wines and festivals.

Even the giant Bavarian beer festival, Oktoberfest, boasts a wine tent where Germany’s 13 wine regions showcase the wide spectrum of styles and show how the cool climate and long ripening period produce fragrant, flavourful whites, especially for late ripening varieties such as its trophy grape, riesling.

With a slightly off-dry style that gives plenty of pleasure, Devil’s Rock Riesling 2012, Pfalz, Germany (£6.99, The Co-operative) is named after a famous landmark and tastes lively with lots of zingy lemon, grapefruit and a spritz of citrus peel, underpinned with just the right amount of fruit salad notes, ending with juicy acidity.

Blending floral and mineral aromas, Mineralstein Riesling 2012, Rhein-Mosel, Germany (£8.99, Marks & Spencer) unites lovely notes of peach and apricot from the Pflaz region with a steely, mineral streak from the Mosel, to offer freshness on the palate with weighty stone fruit flavours, a hint of spice and a slightly creamy texture and roundness that finishes with well-balanced acidity. A classic Riesling Kabinett that’s off-dry and lower in alcohol at 10% abv (most rieslings weigh in at 12% abv), Berry’s Mosel Riesling Kabinett, J&H, Selbach (Stelvin), Germany (£9.95, www.bbr.com) is from the steep slopes of the Mosel Valley, which produce lighter wines with limey and wet grassy aromas, and the crispness tastes refreshingly good.