The best California wine selections in Germany 2025
For the most impressive selections of wines from California in Germany, explore these restaurants and wine bars.
All of them were finalists in the Best California Wine List category of the Star Wine List of the Year Germany 2025, sponsored by Pahlmeyer.
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Pahlmeyer
Read more about the iconic Napa Valley wines from Pahlmeyer here.
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![Sticks & Stones Wine Bar, a wine bar in Munich, Germany.]()
Phone: +49 0160 99554341
Address: Clemensstraße 7, München
Best Italian Wine List Germany, presented by Poggio al Tesoro 2026
An imaginative wine bar serving approximately 700 wines by the glass and 150 more by the bottle, Sticks & Stones boasts one of only a handful of Coravin Vinitas systems currently in circulation. The wines are served alongside a bar menu including rillettes, meats, cheeses, breads, mustards and fish preserves – and a rock and roll playlist curated by owner, sommelier and musician Justin Leone. [Editor’s note: Justin Leone is also Star Wine List’s Munich Ambassador.]
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![GRAPES Weinbar, a wine bar in Munich, Germany.]()
Phone: +49 89 242249504
Address: Ledererstraße 8a seperater Eingang, München
Best Austrian Wine List Germany, presented by Austrian Wine 2026
When it comes to location, Grapes is tough to beat as it's smack in the middle of Old Town Munich. Wine list is extensive, and prices are fair. The bar is always packed and bustling, a great ambience. If you go there on Mondays, you’ll find a lot of people from the industry sharing bottles and stories. The wine list has shifted lately, and a focus on natural wines is the new development. The friendly staff members are always eager to guide guests through an evening, by the glass or bottle.
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Phone: +49 89 24231690
Address: Frauenplatz 12, München
Owner Guido Schweighart's clan of four sons have now taken over and brought considerable fresh air to this downtown classic. The up-to-the-minute wine list is offered via iPad, and chalk-full of international jewels and rarities, expertly recommended and served by one of Germany's top young sommelier talents, Julien. The food is as great as it ever was, ambience is relaxed, location is bombastic, and now they've added a wine shop across the way for all to-go requests. Absolutely worth a visit for any cellar rat, collector, or foodie.
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![Kronenschlösschen, a hotel and restaurant in Eltville, Germany.]()
Phone: +49 6723 640
Address: Rheinallee, Eltville am Rhein
Kronenschlössen is located only a few meters away from the banks of Rhine in Hattenhei. Only a 30 minutes drive from Frankfurt takes you right to the middle of one of the most historical wine regions in the world. There couldn't be a better way to start your Rheingau culinary journey. Kronenschlösschen is a meeting point for gourmets and culinary enjoyment is the top priority in both the bistro and the gourmet restaurant. In 2014, the team at Kronenschlösschen founded the Rheingau Gourmet and Wine Festival, gathering the best local and international chefs alongside local winegrowers. The f...
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![Weinkulturbar, a wine bar in Dresden, Germany.]()
Phone: +49 0351 3157917
Address: Wittenberger Straße 86, Dresden
Best Long List Germany, presented by Lingua Franca 2026
Weinkulturbar has long been one of Dresden’s reference points for wine. What Silvio Nitzsche built here from 2007 onwards was never just a bar, but a place of real wine culture – generous in scope, serious in intent, and always open to discovery. Since early 2024, that story has entered a new chapter under Patrick Nitsche. The transition feels natural. Patrick is not an outsider brought in to reinvent the place, but someone who already understood its rhythm. Having worked alongside Silvio before taking over, he keeps the foundations intact while gradually bringing in his own perspective: a yo...
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Phone: +49 0511 622636
Address: Dragonerstraße 30, Hannover
Best Spanish Wine List Germany, presented by Familia Torres 2026
