When Bear and I first talked about doing a Germany-focused menu, I got so excited at the opportunity to evangelize about how remarkable and understated German wines are. Many people don’t know much about German wines and the great value that they offer. For example, Riesling is often misunderstood as a super sweet, poor quality white wine (I’m looking at you Blue Nun) when in actuality it is one of the most commonly sought-after wines by wine connoisseurs and collectors. It is a versatile, sophisticated, age-able, and straight up delicious wine that goes well with so many different food pairings (think spicy Asian food). The high acidity, or tartness, of the grape is such that some residual sugar can be necessary to offset the tart flavor. If you like a crisp white wine, or are just an adventurous drinker in general, you should be drinking Rieslings. I know that a good portion of my Thanksgiving wine lineup consisted of different Rieslings.
Even if you are obstinate in not drinking white wines, Germany still has plenty of delicious red wines. Many parts of Germany have similar microclimates to parts of Burgundy, France, where some of the most beautiful (read: pricey) Pinot Noirs come from. The German Pinot Noirs (known in Germany as Spätburgunder) can exhibit similar characteristics and come it at a much lower price point. Lately I can’t get enough of the light, chill-able red wines coming out of Germany.
Overall, I could go on and on about the beautiful vineyards sloping steeply up the river banks, the great price points and unknown varietals and the even greater unctuous dessert wines, but really you should come in for a dinner and experience it for yourself. Our staff is excited to be pouring these wines and they are loaded up with great info to bring the experience full circle for you. We also have a little side-by-side tasting surprise for you for one of our courses. You may even see a Dirndl or two. We can’t wait to see you.
Happy Drinking!