I Love German Wine and Food – A Deutscher Tafelwein

I Love German Wine and Food – A Deutscher Tafelwein
by Levi Reiss

You may remember that German wine classifications are quite complicated. To a large extent a wine’s classification is based on it’s sugar content. We are not going to repeat all the classification levels here. Suffice it to say that the lowest level German wine is table wine (actually an even lower level is described in our article I Love German Wine and Food – Launching a Series, but we promised not to mention it again and we intend to keep our word.) Deutscher Tafel Wine (German table wine) comes in slightly better than table wine. Originally we had no intention of reviewing these plebian wines, but when we saw one for sale in a local wine store we figured why not give it a chance. What could we lose? In the world of wine, as elsewhere, pleasant surprises can happen. So we decided to buy one, probably only one, Deutscher Tafelwein. Before reviewing this wine let’s recall some details of German wine classification and then talk a bit about Deutscher Tafelwein in general.

Landwein is a Deutscher Tafelwein from a specific area. Qualitätswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiet (QbA) means a quality wine from one of the thirteen specified German wine regions. About one third of German wine is QbA wine, a percentage that is rapidly declining. The grapes in QbA wines usually have not fully ripened and so their producers are allowed to add sugar during fermentation; the process is known as chaptalization. Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) means assured quality wine. About two thirds of German wine is QmP wine, a percentage that is rapidly increasing. QmP wines may not be chaptalized and must come from a well-defined area. These wines are divided into six subcategories, described in the Launching… article. Of the thirteen German wine regions only the two biggest, Rheinhessen and Pfalz, devote more than 10% of their wine production to table wine. Of course, when you talk about German table wine, you’re talking about Germany and not a specific region. So much for generalities, let’s see how the Deutscher Tafelwein actually turned out.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Schmitt Winzertanz 9% alcohol about $8 (1 liter bottle) No vintage year

Let’s start with the marketing materials, which are a lot shorter than usual. Light straw color; apple, pear, and citrus aroma, off-dry peach flavor, medium body and finish. Serving suggestion, serve lightly chilled with pork chops and apple sauce. And now for the review.

I’m not really pleased that the label mentions no vintage year. But when you think about it, most Champagne doesn’t have a vintage. Furthermore, I’m not as much into vintages as some people I know. On the other hand, the bottle size does upset me. I’m just not happy when I see such a large bottle. Yes, I know that Champagne often comes in magnums (one and a half liters in case you didn’t know). Anyway, this bottle has a cute label with peasants dancing near wine barrels. What about the contents?

The first pairing was with a commercial shepherd’s pie, perked up a bit with Thai Chili Sauce. The wine was quite pleasant, even if short and not complex. It was a bit sweet. I didn’t taste everything that was promised me, but broken wine promises are not restricted to low-priced offerings. The wine went well with dry, thin biscuits containing slices of almonds and pistachios.

I next paired this wine with cold salmon filet accompanied by a red (surely because of ketchup) mayonnaise sauce and pearl onions, and a tomato, cucumber, and red onion salad. The wine retained its fruit and was moderately long, but a bit thin, I don’t really recommend this Deutscher Tafelwein with such a high quality salmon dish, but it wasn’t bad, especially for the price. In the presence of a nut chocolate cake the wine was refreshingly acidic.

I tried the Winzertanz with leftover, reheated chicken and potatoes in a soya sauce-based gravy. The wine was appley and had a moderate length. I guess it is what you call a quaffing wine.

The final meal consisted of fried chicken breast strips, accompanied by green beans and rice. In this case the wine was fairly weak.

The Winzertanz was pleasant with a ripe French camembert cheese, handling it better than some of the more expensive wines that also accompanied this cheese. Perhaps even more surprisingly, the wine definitely held its own when paired with a German Limberger cheese that was starting to smell.

After I paired the wine with four meat dishes and two cheeses the bottle was still more than a third full. This wine can go a lot way, not because it is so jam-packed with flavor, but because I didn’t need to consume a lot in order to judge it. On the other hand, because it is pleasant and contains relatively little alcohol, you might find yourself drinking quite a bit. I don’t plan on finishing the bottle; I want to move on to other wines. But frankly, in some of my tastings the Winzertanz did a lot better than another, much more expensive wine. Final verdict. If I’m with a bunch of people who don’t want to spend a lot on wine and we are ordering simple food, I’ll be glad to drink this wine. In some ways it is quite a bargain. And I haven’t found too many bargains recently.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Presently his wine websites are http://www.theworldwidewine.com and http://www.theitalianwineconnection.com .

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Levi_Reiss

Technorati Tags: german wine, wine, german food, hophead

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The Ten Most Important Wine Label Terms

The Ten Most Important Wine Label Terms
by Tynan Szvetecz

For the average wine consumer, there is a plethora of intimidation associated with wine buying. This is a feeling that is most often associated with not understanding wine labels. New world wines tend to make it easier – wines bottled in Australia, South America and the United States are often more direct in their presentation of the type of wine and the name of the vineyard. On the other hand, old world wine labels like those from France, Italy, Spain and Germany carry with them loads of classifications, harvest-types, town names, vineyard titles and producer idiosyncrasies – all in a foreign language. While these labels embody the wonderfully classic aesthetic associated with a good looking wine label, they almost always cause a cocking of the head for the average wine buyer.

In an effort to make the process less of a mess and more fun for those unmoved with the prospect of memorizing a pocket dictionary worth of French, Italian, Spanish and German wine terms, here is a list of the top ten things to look for on a wine label. The first five are things you want to look for, and the last five are items that should raise a flag of caution or don’t mean what you think they should.

1. Cru

If there’s one term you should learn when looking for a good French wine, it’s Cru. The infamous wine regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace in France will carry the term Cru somewhere on the label to indicate that the wine is from a town or producer of high quality.

2. Poor Soil / Deprived of Water

This will be something you read on the back of the wine label if there is a description. Sure – it sounds counter-intuitive, but wine that is grown in poor soil and deprived of water irrigation is actually likely to be of higher quality. Why? Because when a vine is deprived of excess water and nutrients, it will channel more of its energy into ripening the fruit rather than producing bright and vibrant leaves. The result is a higher quality grape harvest.

3. Methode Traditionelle (Traditional Method)

This applies primarily to sparkling wine made in the United States and Australia. If you see Traditional Method on the label of a new world wine it means that it is made in the same way as traditional Champagne, and will often be less expensive!

4. Vieilles Vignes (Old Vines)

Similar to the concept of vines grown in poor soil with minimal irrigation, vines that are considered old vines have more concentrated juices. The result is a vine that produces wines with denser, richer flavors. And as the juice is more robust, so usually are the other aspects of the grape, including the tannin and the acidity. A reference to Old vines either on the front or the back label is a positive indication of the wine’s quality. This will be called Vieilles Vignes on French Wines.

5. Estate Bottled

On a bottle of French wine, you will see this labeled as Mis en Bouteille au Chateau, Mis en Bouteille au Domaine, or Mis en Bouteille au Propriete. The concept of an estate bottled wine is that it was grown, produced and bottled at the same location. There is an inference that the wine maker takes a great deal of pride in all aspects of the wine making process and wants the world to know that he or she oversees every element of the wine’s production. As such, it is typically a reference to higher quality wine.

6. Odd Sounding or Unfamiliar Wine Awards

This is something that should raise a red flag. Australia notoriously has problems with wine makers placing gold, silver or bronze stickers on their wine labels that boast winning an award at an esoteric wine festival. Until very recently, there was no regulation in place for what type of award was worthy of placing on a wine label. If you do see award-winning stickers, make sure that the event sounds familiar or at least sounds large. You don’t want to end up with a wine that won an award at a bake sale.

7. Flowery Marketing Terms

Most consumers have no problem identifying marketing adjectives from legitimate inferences to why a product is high-quality. Be wary of terms that a marketer developed while staying up late at the local café in the midst of a brain-storming frenzy. Anything that is trying to sound impressive by using words like exceptional, from wine maker’s personal bin, or limited release is most likely trying to sell the wine based on gimmicks rather than on its quality.

8. Vague Geological References

High quality wines are usually a reflection of the unique characteristics of the small plot of land on which the grapes were grown. Wine makers will want to highlight this fact by referencing their specific region or town and the vineyard name. Be cautious of wine labels that reference a vague geographical space without getting more specific. South-Eastern Australia is a notorious labeling term you will find on Australian wines, which is about as specific as saying This Wine Was Made on Planet Earth. South-Eastern Australia includes the majority of the country’s wine growing regions. Similarly, a wine that only says California Wine, or French Wine without honing in on towns or more isolated regions should be avoided.

9. Grand Vin

A Grand Vin term on a French wine label simply refers to the fact that the wine is the primary one produced at that vineyard. It is often confused with Vieilles Vignes (Old Vine), which is a reflection of quality. Grand Vin is a neutral term that will give you little indication either way.

10. Superieur

This labeling term causes confusion similar to Grand Vine listed above. It sounds cool but all it really refers to is the fact that a French or an Italian wine has a higher alcohol content than what it is traditionally known for.

The art of understanding the wine label can be the journey of a lifetime, but there’s no reason why the average consumer can’t get a leg up by understanding some of the key items to recognize. The most important thing is to have a sense of adventure and continue to explore new wines. Taste them and see how the label reflects what you like (or don’t like) about the wine. If it was flat and watery, were there gimmicky marketing terms that were used in the description? If it was full, balanced and complex, did it have a reference to Old Vines? The terms listed here will help equally with choosing wine off of a menu at a restaurant as buying a bottle in a store. Listen closely to the waiter or sommelier’s description. You never know what gems you can find by simply being aware of the terms listed here!

Tynan Szvetecz is an editor for http://www.savoreachglass.com, an international wine directory that is helping explore the spirit of wine for a new generation. Wine hobbyists, sommeliers, merchants and growers have all come together to contribute content to this directory in an effort to make it as informative and easy to use as possible.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tynan_Szvetecz

Technorati Tags: wine labels, wine label terms, understanding wine labels

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Building Your Own Wine Rack

Building Your Own Wine Rack
by J. Larry Denton

Whether you are a true wine lover with a collection worth thousands of dollars or are simply a person who occasionally enjoys a glass of wine with your dinner, the storage of your wines is of major importance. To protect your investment and to keep your wine tasting as it should, it should be stored under the correct conditions (50 to 65 degrees) and at the proper angle in order to prevent seepage from a dried out cork.

Of the many types of materials used to build wine racks–wrought iron, stone, concrete, plastic, wood and a variety of other options–wood is easily the most often used material. Wooden wine racks have been built since the very beginning of wine making and wine storage because of its many advantages. Those advantages include: wood is easy to use, easy to assemble, relatively light weight for the strength that is needed, it can be made to match any decor (with stain or paint), wood is very durable, it is available in many different species, it is a renewable resource, and it is readily available to the average woodworker. The major disadvantage of a wood wine rack is the fact that it is not fireproof, but that can be overcome by treating the lumber with a fire retardant.

The most popular species of readily available wood that used in the construction of wine racks are as follows: pine, cedar, spruce, fir, hemlock, oak, and a variety of other American hardwoods like cherry or maple. Any of these woods make magnificent and sturdy wine racks. When deciding upon the type of wood you plan to use, it is essential to remember a few notable facts. Avoid woods which have wide spaces between growth rings, since trees which have grown quickly may be great for house framing material, they are not ideal for use in wine racks. Greater strength and less warping is directly related to the higher number of growth rings per inch. look for a minimum of ten growth rings for each inch of wood.

You will also need to ensure that the wood to be used has been properly dried. The wood should have no more than 12 percent moisture content. In many cases, there will be a stamp on the lumber that reads ‘S-Dry,’ which means that it has been dried down to a moisture content of 19 percent. The lower the moisture content, the less likely the wood will warp when it undergoes the process of equalizing with the humidity level of your home environment. Your local lumber yard will have a moisture meter which you can use to test the actual moisture content of your wood.

When you construct your wine rack, do not use cross sections that are too small. Each cross section should be at least 3/8′ x 3/8′ in order to carry the stress imposed upon it by a full bottle of wine. While your wine rack needs to be sufficiently strong, so does your flooring structure. According to most wine sellers, the average 750 ml wine bottle weighs about three pounds. Therefore, if you built a wine rack to hold 1,500 bottles, the contents of the rack would weigh approximately 4,500 pounds. In addition to the weight of the bottles, you need to add the weight of the wine rack itself. A good estimate is that a wine rack will add a half pound for each bottle that is stored or roughly 17% of the weight of the wine. In this example, your collection will have nearly 5,300 pounds of weight. That is equal to parking an SUV in your home. Check to make sure that your floor joists are in good shape, add additional bracing, or build your wine rack on the concrete floor in your basement for added peace of mind.

For a wine cellar filled with helpful, relevant and pertinent information about all aspects of wine storage, visit http://www.WineRackDepot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Larry_Denton

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