Archive for the ‘german wine’ Category
Well, the end of summer isn’t that far away, so when I was recently sent a mixed case of summer white wines, it seemed a shame to sit on them and try to go through them each individually as I would have quickly run out of summer by the time I was able to get to them all. With that in mind I invited some friends over, opened up all the wines, and tasted them all at once, because let’s be honest, that’s what summer’s really all about. Here’s what I thought.
The first one I tasted was the 2010 La Fiera Pinot Grigio (SRP $8). I got mostly apples on both the nose and the palate with a nice lingering finish with just the right amount of acid. There was a slight hint of sweetness to my palate, but for being the first one I tried, it was a good start and it’s a good value for these kinds of parties.
Next up were two from Tiamo. First was the Tiamo Prosecco (SRP $15) which had a hint of citrus on the nose with medium sized bubbles and a slight bit of yeast on the palate and a mix of crisp fruit. This was definitely not a super-dry Prosecco and it was quickly consumed by my friends.
Varietal: 100% Riesling
Region: Germany – Landwein Rhein
Cost: $24 (SRP of Octavin Home Wine Bar)
Winemaker’s Notes: Light in the glass with aromas of peaches and pear that follow through to the palate and finish with a nice crispness. A perfect match for firm cheeses, pastas with cream sauce, lighter seafood dishes, and Asian cuisine.
My Review: I’ll be the first one to admit that I’m not a huge Riesling drinker.Now, before I get comments and emails from devout Riesling lovers, let me qualify that. I grew up in Germany, and my first experiences with wine were mostly German. Now, I know that not all German Rieslings are incredibly sweet, but some of them are, and those are what I was first exposed to, and now my palate tends more towards robust reds than sweet whites, so I don’t drink a lot of the grape – it is what it is. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Gluhwein
Region: Germany
Cost: $7.99
A mulled wine still produced according to old-world tradition. A combination of red wine, sugar, and spices served warm or chilled over ice.
Recommendations: If you’re only the East coast like me you’re still digging yourself out of close to two feet of snow. While watching snow fall on Friday, my wife and I finally opened up a bottle of Gluhwein that we’ve had since mid July.
For those unfamiliar with Gluhwein, it’s a mulled wine typically served in Germany around the Christmas season, especially at street vendors in Nuremburg at their Christmas market.
Heated up to about 170 degrees (though not letting it boil), this wine is great on a cold day. My wife and I added some extra mulling spices and a cinnamon stick to add extra flavor and settled in while the snow fell outside.
Flavors of spice and clove are prevalent in Gluhwein, but by adding some of your own spices you can adjust it to your own taste. I prefer to enjoy Gluhwein in an Irish Coffee Mug since I enjoy it hot and don’t want to burn my hand on hot glass.
While finding Gluhwein isn’t the easiest thing to do, I did find it available here: http://www.internetwines.com/rws28454.html . With the cold season upon us, I definitely recommend that everybody give it a try.
