|
|
 |
| |
German wines are so hot this summer
A resurgence in the popularity of German wine proves that sipping the grape is just as fickle as trends in the fashion world
BORED London wine drinkers are beginning to re-discover the joy of German Riesling.
Germans have been making wine since Roman times. Generations of English speaking wine drinkers, across the world, came to wine via a German bottle. But wine drinking is fashionable and fashions change – some years back, German wines became naff. Lately wine drinkers, tired of the high alcohol and blandness that is contemporary wine, have re-discovered Riesling – it is becoming cool to drink German again.
In most respects, modern German winemaking has trod the same recent path as all the other major wine exporting countries – a simple and ancient process involving pressing grapes, adding traditional yeasts, and a fermentation in wooden vats has been supplanted by modern, high-tech, scientific methods.
German wine-makers have accepted Science, without question; recently some have begun to think for themselves.
Riesling is Germany’s top grape and one of the worlds greatest white varietals It is a match for Chardonnay and far superior to Pinot Grigio. It is the grape for all tastes and produces complex wines that range in style from bone dry to exotically sweet. German Riesling wines are also high in natural tartaric acid. Properly made even the sweetest Riesling will have a fresh, clean, balanced taste.
German wines are creeping back onto the supermarket shelves, but availability of good Riesling is still poor.
Sainsbury’s have, the trendy, Dr. Loosen, Riesling, 75.cl, £6.49.
Waitrose have a few, including a sweet, Leitz Rudesheimer Riesling, Auslese, 50cl, £11.99. For a good selection, try an independent wine shop such as The City Beverage Co. 303 Old St or Charles and Camilla’s local offy, Berry Brothers and Rudd, 3 St. James St. SW1, who stock, among several others, a limited quantity of the single barrel, Urzig, Wurzgarten, Riesling, Spatlese, Fuder 19, 75cl, 11 per cent, Weingut, Merkelbach. £10.45
The latter is produced by Alfred and Rolf Merkelbach, two septuarian brothers. They harvest, rack and make the wines themselves, forswearing technology.
The wine is made in the traditional, Mosel, wooden barrel (a Fuder), employing the same methods their father used over 50 years ago.
Those expecting a mouthful of wood induced flavours will be disappointed. These barrels are big and old and designed to be taste neutral, though Alfred Merkelback claims each vintage passes on a bit of itself to the next one.
The flavours come from the grapes and the wine-making, not a scientific formula.
kisses sweeter than german wine
GERMAN wines have long had a reputation for being overly sweet, but this may be about to change.
A group of German wine-makers, visiting the UK courtesy of the marketing group Wines of Germany, aim to redress this image and publicise modern German varieties.
“German wines have changed,” explained wine-maker Sebastian Oberbillig (pictured left), when we spoke to him this week.
“The sweet sugary wines of the past are gone – we now make mainly dry and off dry wines in a style that contemporary wine drinkers will love.” |
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
