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+--- Thread: German wine (/thread-16850.html)
- robr - 08-12-2005
Let me just pose a q and see how many of you wish to answer:
What is your favorite type of German wine, (kabinett, spatlese, auslese, eiswine) and where from, and why?
- rchhchan - 08-13-2005
Hi
Bernkastler
All the six levels (from Kabinett to Trockenberenauslese) come under the same type of wine...that is "still wine" from a variety of grapes e.g. Riesling. The six levels vary only in body, and intensity of fruits due to the difference in ripenes of the grapes when they were harvested. Among the first three, Auslese is most concentrated and can either be vinified bone-dry or mildly fruity depending on the maker's decision. The last three are dessert wines. Varying styles makes German wines interesting or confusing some may say. If you are intersted in the most unpopular and misunderstood but utterly delicious wine...the "German Riesling", we can share and compare notes. Yes! I prefer Auslese, given dry or fruity in style. The trouble is, they can be pricey particularly those from renowned producers.
Ray
[This message has been edited by rchhchan (edited 08-13-2005).]
[This message has been edited by rchhchan (edited 08-13-2005).]
- robr - 08-13-2005
"If you are intersted in the most unpopular and misunderstood but utterly delicious wine...the "German Riesling", we can share and compare notes. Yes! I prefer Auslese, given dry or fruity in style. The trouble is, they can be pricey particularly those from renowned producers."
Yes, I am most interested. Please post some makers of these. I have always heard in the past that "kabinett" was the driest type. Interesting that the later harvests can also be dry. I did not know that. I'm not much interested in dessert wines. The sugar makes me ill.
Also, given the place where I live (Orlando, Florida) it is difficult to find good German wines. They are apparently not very popular here. If you know of anyplace in Central Florida where these can be found, let me know. I see you are in Singapore, so the chances are very slim, I know.
Rob
- robr - 08-13-2005
I just found a store in Tarpon Springs that has a lot of German wine.
Recommendations, please?
- hotwine - 08-13-2005
I would look at their Mosels (or Mosel-Sahr-Ruwer, as they're frequently labeled for the US market). And I generally prefer the Kabinett, sometimes Spatlese, depending on food pairings in mind. Don't be too concerned about specific producers. You simply want MSR Riesling Kabinett. Pretty simple. Pair with poultry, seafood and pork, provided you keep the flavorings simple and let the wine shine.
- TheEngineer - 08-13-2005
I second the vote for MSR (as it is known on boards). I love this area and I think there are a lot of great, very focused wines. While I agree with hotwine on that any producer will do, I especially like the wines from Dr. Loosen, Weingut Vollenweider, Jos. Joh Prum and many others. So go crazy, but if you see these give them a try.
For food pairing, Thai, Indonesian, Sechewan, Singaporean, and some Japanese. Real Cantonese and Japanese are sometimes too delicate can may require something else.
- rchhchan - 08-14-2005
"While I agree with hotwine on that any producer will do, I especially like the wines from Dr. Loosen, Weingut Jos. Joh Prum"
Wow!Wow!Wow! Dr. Loosen, J.J. Prum are no ordinary names. They are on top of the "Premium Producers" list, earning themselves 90~100 points internationally.
In terms of quality, German wines are bipolar...extremely bad or extremely good.
Extremely dry or extremely sweet. Buy the wrong wine and you'll turn your back against German Riesling for life. I'd drunk some that are really shallow and uninteresting(sorry no names). It was in a Bordeaux bottle rather than the typical Mosel. Good MSR Rieslings are light in body, low in alcohol but never lack in taste, freshness and finesse. Best of all, when I drink a QmP, I know it is natural and not "dosed" (sugar added). I've also tasted: Fritz Haag, SA Prum, Gunderloch etc. Simply delicious. As for hot Asian food, trust TheEngII. Drink a powerful, heavily wooded, bone-dry and high alcohol white and realize it's just not the right wine. Before the 2nd. World war, a good bottle of Riesling was on par with the best Red from France. I wish it stayed unpopular and cheap...better for us.
- robr - 08-14-2005
Thanks for these -- you guys are the best!
Indeed, the Tarpon store has Dr. Loosen, Prum, and the others you mentioned. Next time I'm over there, I will definitely stock up. In the meantime, I'm trying an American Reisling I picked up for $10 at my local grocery store: 2004 Chateau St. Michell, Columbia Valley, Washington. Has anyone tried this one?
[This message has been edited by bernkastler (edited 08-14-2005).]
- wondersofwine - 08-15-2005
As far as American Rieslings go, Chateau St. Michelle does a decent job. I also like one we tried in Washington from Two Mountain Winery but that one is probably not very widely distributed ($13 at winery). I prefer the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region but also dabble in Rheingau, Rheinpfalz, Nahe and Rheinhessen occasionally. From the Rheingau region I can recommend Joseph Leitz as a producer and also the Erbacher Marcobrunn from Schloss Schonborn or von Simmern. I tend to prefer Spatlese and Auslese level and love Eiswein but find it too expensive (a very rare indulgence). Strub is a producer of decent and not very expensive wines from the Rheinhessen region, especially the town of Nierstein.
- andypandy - 08-15-2005
The Chateu St. Michelle was my first Riesling, and turned me on to this particular varietal. I have also enjoyed the Prum Riesling, but one that I have particularly enjoyed and would recommend as a fairly inexpensive wine is the Buerklin-Wolff.
Out of curiosity, where does you obvious interest in the German wines come from? I have heard that the Germans also grow excellent Muscats, but I know nothing about this variety.
- robr - 08-15-2005
"Out of curiosity, where does you obvious interest in the German wines come from?"
My mother went to Germany for the summer when I was 18. When she returned she brought two bottles of Mosel with her. They were the most incredible flavors I had ever tasted. I will never forget drinking those wines with her, and she told me they drank that stuff nearly every day while she was there.
I went on to study the language and culture in college, with the intention of traveing there, but nerver got to t go.
Rob