GERMAN WINES

READING BETWEEN THE WINES:

Life is too short to drink bad wine.
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German playwright, poet, novelist

Wine in Germany? The home of half-gallon beer steins? Indeed, as of late, there are some good wines or shall I say guter weins in Germany. Mostly known for fragrantly floral white wines with a bit of sweetness balanced by peaked acidity, German wines can be some of the best values in the wine shop.

Muller-Thurgau wines are popular whites, and many Silvaner and Ruländer table whites are nice too. For the best of Germany’s pourings, try the Rhine Valley Rieslings at the Auslese and Spätlese ranking.

MAJOR GERMAN WINE REGIONS

Far and wide, fine wine regions scatter the northern European country of Germany. The major appellations in Germany are Ahr, Mittelrhein, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheingau, Nahe, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Franken, Hessische Bergstrasse, Wurttemberg, Baden, Saale-Unstrut, and Sachsen.

THE GRAPES

The top grapes of the German kind are as follows:

GERMAN REDS:

Spatburgunder

The Pinot Noir hides out in German vineyards under the Spatburgunder alias. Its wines are full-bodied with almond hints but a blush color that’s lighter than those wines from its French and American relatives.

Portugieser

You might think a grape by this name descended from Portugal, but indeed it’s originally from Austria. These grapes make for light and smooth reds that a best in their youth.

Trollinger

This red grape, although actually purplish black in color, goes by many other names, including the Black Hamburg and the Schiava Grossa in Italy. Often grown under glass, this grape breaks down into aromatic and hearty reds with good acidity.

GERMAN WHITES:

Riesling

The Riesling grape prefers to chill in cooler climates and crushes into Germany’s star wein. German Rieslings tend to be infused with zippy grapefruit flavors and peachy aromas. Higher-quality Rieslings hold much potential for successful aging.

Muller-Thurgau

The Muller-Thurgau grows under the belief that “early to ripe” makes the better wine. Its white wines with flowery aromas are similar to its parent Riesling’s but are milder in acidity.

Silvaner

The Silvaner’s white wines deliver delicate aromas and fine fruit flavors, which are similar to Riesling’s but lower in acidity and bolder in body.

Kerner

The Kerner grape, a fusion of the Riesling and the Trollinger, doesn’t fall far from the vine, as its juices meld into Riesling-like wines that are lively and acidic with sweet fruity bouquets.

Scheurebe

Another German hybrid grape, the Scheurebe is a mix of the Silvaner and the Riesling. Its wines are fragrant, full-bodied, and acidic with black fruit overtones and can make quality “Auslese” status in its best years.

Ruländer/Grauburgunder

The Pinot Noir is not the only one hiding out under a Germanic name. The Ruländer is just a cover for grape more widely known as the Pinot Gris/Grigio. These wines are big and full-bodied but smooth and gentle on the palate.

HOW TO ORDER/BUY

In the past, Germany earned itself somewhat of a bad rap when it came to wine. As a result, some people just skip right over that shelf at their local wine shop. On the other hand, there is a lot to be lost in overlooking the latest in German wines, as you can get a delicious one for the fraction of the cost of a similar type French wine.

So before you set out to test a German wine, take a quick study. While their labels are some of the most thorough out there, they are chalked full of terminology with which you may need to get familiar in order to make an informed choice. See the “Legal Quality Code” section below so you’ll know exactly what you’re looking on a German wine label.

When choosing a French wine, you can probably get away with buying one that doesn’t make legal quality “status.” However, on a German wine, you’ll do better to look for the quality label, as there’s a lot more room for hit and miss.

CHOOSING A GERMAN WINE

Various Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Producers

Other Notable German Producers

A German wine label is one of the things life's too short for, a daunting testimony to that peculiar nation's love of detail and organization.
— Kingsley Amis, Everyday Drinking

LEGAL QUALITY CODES

Germany has specific laws in place to strictly control wine quality and ensure each wine’s origin, authenticity, and style. These legal regulations standardize wine labels, and very extensive wine labels at that, with regard to:

1. Quality level classification, defined by ripeness and sugar content of the grapes at harvest.

• Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (Q.m.P.) or “quality wine with promise”: Highest classification of German wine, further categorized into the following:

o Kabinett or "Reserve wines": Elegant, slightly sweet and balanced by acidity.

o Spätlese or "Late Harvest": Picked later than Kabinett for fuller maturity; dry or sometimes mildly sweet.

o Auslese or "Select Harvest": Made only in the ripest, best years; can age up to 15 years if cellared properly.

o Beerenauslese or "Selected Berry Harvest": Sweet dessert wines made from grapes high in residual sugar in only the very best years; high priced and can age for decades.

o Trockenbeerenauslese or "Selected Dried Berry Harvest": Rare wines individually selected late-pick, “almost raisin” harvests; extremely well aging for a hundred years or more if properly.

• Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (Q.b.A.) or "Quality Wines from Specific Regions": Good quality wine from a specific region, bereich, or village.

• Tafelwein or “table wine”: Made from normally ripe grapes and often jugged for affordable mass consumption.

2. Appellation of origin
3. Vintage date
4. Town and vineyard name
5. Grape variety
6. Wine style or taste
7. Alcohol content
8. Official testing number

References

www.cellarnotes.net
www.edenwines.co.uk
www.epicurious.com
www.tastings.com
www.winexwired.com

2BASNOB.com: The Guide to being a Beverage Snob