German White Wine

Perfect pairs

October 10, 2007 - as published in the Naperville Sun and Beacon News

By Bill Garlough

When you think of the fall, you think of beautiful colors, football and Oktoberfest celebrations. And when you think of Oktoberfest, you naturally think of German food and drink. While Oktoberfest is known for brats and beer (lager style beer is best), German wines are also a staple and should be explored.

Germany two R - Riesling and Rotwein (Red Wine)

Germany has a long tradition of making quality wine. This is somewhat surprising because of the location of the north of the country. Located at latitude 49-51, Germany is tied with Newfoundland. Because of this northern climate, the Germans have learned to position their vineyards with Southern exposures (for maximum sunlight), sloping into the river valleys (to capture the warmth and calming water) and plants in soil and rocks that reflect the sun (like slate). This approach is designed to give grapes the best chance to ripen. This has become less a factor lately, that changes the Earth's climate have given to Germany for the warmer weather of the last decade.

Most of the vineyards of Germany are in the valleys of the Rhine and Moselle with the Rheingau, the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheinhessen and the Pfalz regions being most important. Rieslings are the most famous wine (white) of Germany, ranging from bone dry to super sweet. Their high acidity and sugar levels allow long-term aging. Only 20% of the production of red wines of Germany are, and are not as noteworthy.

Everyday German table wine is designated as QbA. Quality wine is called QmP (MIT Qualita¤tswein Pra¤dikat). This category is divided into 6 levels of grape maturity. The Germans harvest their grapes at different times of the autumn / winter, which determines the sugar content of grape juice. Kabinett is the driest wines and Eiswein generally the sweetest wines. Search for the term Trocken if you prefer a very dry style.

Food Pairings

German wines tend to be low in alcohol with high acidity. The benefits are the wine is warm and the food more quaffable. A glass of German Riesling may have an alcohol content of 7% compared to a New World Chardonnay with 13-14%. The sweetness and good acidity of Riesling is a favorite foil with spicy Asian dishes.

Two red wines of distinction and are Dornfelder Spa¤tburgunder. Dornfelder wine is increasingly popular because of its light and fruity. They also have good acidity, are aromatic and easy to grow. Being light, they pair well with rich, heavy German food. Spa¤tburgunders are Germany Pinot Black. This wine tends to be more complex, higher quality and more difficult to cultivate. German pair with this sweet food, including pork and beef.

My company, my chief food was implicated in the Oktoberfest for 16 years. Most importantly, Rotary Clubs of Naperville Oktoberfest, which regularly attracts 12,000 customers each year. We have served the following family recipe at these events:

Spaetzle

2 Eggs

1 ½ cups flour

½ tsp teaspoon salt

1 / 3 cup water

¼ c. teaspoon baking powder - optional for lighter Spaetzle

¼ cup butter, toasted bread Crumbs

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lightly beat eggs. In another bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add eggs and beat until smooth and elastic. If it is too thick, add water. Spoon half the mixture into mashed potatoes. Press the lever and the strands of dough will drop into boiling water. Stir spaetzle gently.