Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site cbosgd.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!rlp
From: rlp@cbosgd.UUCP (Bob Platt)
Newsgroups: net.wines,net.consumers
Subject: An Intro. to German Wines
Message-ID: <618@cbosgd.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 30-Dec-84 16:13:45 EST
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.618
Posted: Sun Dec 30 16:13:45 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 31-Dec-84 03:01:37 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Bell Labs, Columbus
Lines: 61
Xref: watmath net.wines:403 net.consumers:1623

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief review of German
wines for the novice.  I hope this article will be of some assistance
the next time you're in a wine shop staring at the polysyllabic label of
a German wine.  In the interest of brevity, I have made a few 
simplifications.  If there is sufficient interest, I can submit a more
detailed article later.

Germany has very strict labeling laws for it's wines.  By learning a
few "buzzwords", a consumer can get a fairly good idea of what (s)he
is buying.  Germany is known for it's white wine, especially, wine
made from the Riesling grape.  Other varieties include Muller-Thurgau,
and Silvaner.  Growing regions include the Mosel and Rhine rivers.  These
are distinguished by green and brown bottles respectively (usually!).
By law German white wine is divided into three quality categories:

	Tafelwein - or table wine, the lowest category, is wine that 
	is a blend of several wines, sometimes with the addition of sugar.

	Qualitatswein (QbA) - quality wine, is from a particular region
	of Germany, and may be sugared.

	Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP) - is the highest grade, is not
	blended, and must not be sugared.

QmP is sub-divided into additional quality categories.  These are based
on the concentration of natural sugar, where sweeter is better (or at
least more expensive).  These categories are:

	Kabinett - usually fairly dry (low sugar content)
	Spatlese - literally "late harvest" - grapes gathered late
		   in the year, when they have dehydrated, increasing
		   the sugar content.
	Auslese -  "selected late harvest" - grapes are individually
		    selected for high sugar content.
	Beerenauslese (BA) - made from dried berries afflicted with 
		    "botrytis cinerea", or "noble rot", a fungus that 
		    absorbs water from the grape concentrating the juices.
	Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) - this incredibly sweet wine is made from
		    individually selected dried berries afflicted with
		    noble rot.  Be prepared to pay big bucks.

An additional category is "Eiswein" - or "ice wine".  Growers who procrastinate
in harvesting (sometimes waiting till January) are sometimes rewarded with
this sweet delicate beverage made from grapes frozen on the vine.  The
grapes are quickly crushed before thawing, separating the concentrated juice
from the frozen water.

Finally, vintages ARE important.  Three excellent vintages are 1971 (now
fairly expensive), 1976 (still readily available), and 1983 (just coming
onto the market now).  I prefer aged Spatlese's and Auslese's, thus I
might drink a '76, and put an '83 into my cellar.  BA's and TBA's are best
well aged.
-- 
         +----+			R. L. Platt
        /|   /|			AT&T Bell Laboratories
       +-|--+ |			Columbus, Ohio
       | +--|-+
       |/   |/			cbosgd!nscs!rlp
       +----+			(614) 860-4850

	"Wherever you go, there you are"