Attrezzi's German Wine Primer

With spring in the air I look forward to sending my rich tannic reds to the cellar to hibernate, along with my recipes for hearty meatloaf and braised beef short ribs - for lighter (and greener) springtime fare. Right now I?m dreaming of crispy tender veggie shoots ? and most importantly, clean crisp and refreshing white wine, lightly chilled. And the region I crave: Germany.

Now I suspect that many of you are presently making faces at the though of German wines, some scrunched up as though you just ate sour apples, yet others are beaming with a look of understanding. German wines often elicit such responses ? Americans generally have a love/hate relationship with them for many good reasons. Soon, I?ll explain why.

But first, ask yourself the following questions (and I would love to hear a response!)

1)    Have you ever had a German wine?

2)    Did you like it?

3)    What was the name of the producer, region and grape variety?

My guess is most of you have had unmemorable German wine that was soon forgotten as much of the German wine exported into America was simply not very good. For those who have had a divine German wine in the past ? It?s my guess you can?t remember the name or region ? you just know it was a breathtaking experience. That?s because Germany, possibly more so than the French, take pride in keeping things vague via complex wine laws. Although the German wine system is highly developed, most folks (possibly even the Germans) have a hard time deciphering the rules. Not to mention that everything on the label is in German, and unless you?re bilingual ? this is not a great selling point.

Sadly, the Germans have themselves to blame for their own predicament. Monetary pressures encouraged overproduction of mediocre grape varieties on undistinguished sites, resulting in sugary wines with little character or merit. These are the wines most Americans are familiar with, and Germany has to live with the image they created. A rare few, however, continue the quest for perfection, and produce perfect wines of distinction, the problem is finding them, but I assure you they do exist.

Here are some general rules of thumb for buying German wines:

·        Germany as a rule makes oceans of mediocre, unforgettable wines. You?re likely to find them in grocery stores or mega marts with nice labels and a lot of German words that you don?t understand. The characteristics of these wines generally fall somewhere within thin, sweet, and watery.

·        Germany also makes some of the most perfect examples of white wines known to man, traditionally their top notch Rieslings and dessert style wines are unparalleled across the globe.

·        Judging by labels themselves, you probably would never know the difference. By taste, you most definitely would. This is where you wine seller and your own basic knowledge play a key role.

·        German wines are expensive. This is because the greatest vineyards exist on dangerously steep slopes that cannot be harvested by machine. Along with high labor costs, a marginal (cold) climate, and a bureaucracy that dictates most growing and winemaking procedures, bargain winemaking is simply not possible if quality is the goal.

·        German wines can be high in acid and low in alcohol. They range from dry to extremely sweet, most containing some residual sugar. They therefore may require tidbits of food to make them shine and won?t elicit the warm effects of alcohol, occasionally known to make bad wine taste better! (This a good thing folks, think spring clear skies, clear heads!)

·        The greatest regions of note are the Mosel and the Rhine, where the soil tends to be predominantly slate on mineral-rich earth and vines are painstakingly planted on incredibly steep slopes to ensure each vine gets enough sunshine to ripen the grapes.

·        The finest German wine categories are grapes that have been affected by Botrytis, which is indeed a fungal disease that can serve as a blessing or a curse. Under the right conditions, Botrytis produces the revered ?noble rot? that feeds on the water in the grape, thereby concentrating the sugars and acids and flavors, as well as the feared ?grey rot? which destroys grapes. The effects (good versus evil) are generally based upon the whims of the climate. Germany has a tendency to encourage Noble Rot but can also fall prey to Grey.

·        Listen to your wine seller. We?re here for you. Any reputable wine shop can walk you through the wine before it reaches your home ? through explanation or through wine tastings. Find people like the folks at Attrezzi that you trust, and stick with them!

And now for the confusing part ? and don?t get discouraged. I?m referring to the quality levels and labeling practices. The most important categories to remember when browsing for German wine (and you?ll definitely need a cheat sheet) are as follows. Note that these categories are required by law on all German wine labels, so it?s not as confusing as you think once you get to know the terms:

Basic Wine ? we in the States don?t see a lot of this ? generally wine designed to be consumed quickly as a basic thirst quencher.

Tafelwein - table wine, basic swill from any grape wine that is fit for human consumption? even if the grapes came from outside of Germany. Be wary of these!

Landwein - roughly the equivalent of France's Vin de Pays. Most however are not of great quality and aren?t worth the time.

Quality Wine ? wines that are recognizably superior (though not always). Winemakers must adhere to strict winemaking rules and controls to obtain this distinction. 95% of Germany?s wine crop is quality wine.                                           

Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) ? First level "quality" wine. Grapes must come from specific regions, which will appear on the label. These are your basic, everyday drinking wines.

Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) - "Quality wines with distinction" These are the little beauties you want to keep an eye on. However, QmP is just the beginning. Within the QmP category there are 6 levels, based solely upon the amount of sugar in the grape come harvest time. Generally the higher the level, the more residual sugar and or Noble Rot, and the higher the price. These are:

Kabinett ? Generally dry to dry with a hint of sugar. Low in alcohol. Readily available drinking wines that provide a good deal of basic pleasure.

Spätlese - literally "late-harvest". These have had more vine time to ripen and are generally a bit more on the off-dry side.

Auslese ? ?selected harvest?. Medium-sweet to sweet, lower prices than those that follow.

Beerenauslese - "selected berries" Rich, golden, wines from overripe grapes that generally have been exposed a decent amount of Noble Rot. Very little is made and prices are high.

Trockenbeerenauslese ? These are the ripest grapes as defined by law, fully Botrytizised grapes that yield deep orange colored - ultra rich nectars. Rare and decadent to say the least.

Eiswein ? Frozen on the vine before harvest. Sweet and luscious, as all the H2O is ice when the grapes are pressed leaving only the essence, acids, and sugars to vinify