Liquid Learning
Germany #2 & Alsace
Germany is certainly no growing region that can be summed up in a single video. Alternatively, we could spend month's diving into German regions and the tangle of laws that make the their wines almost impossible to figure out when their overly complicated labels hit retail shelves. We'll split the difference. The region is extremely old (plantings brought by Romans in the 3rd century) with wineries dating back hundreds of years. The famous Rheingau winery Schloss Vollrads is over 800 years old with records going back to 1211 when the Knights of Greiffenclau began producing wine on the estate. The video never made specific mention of prädikats either. Prädikatswein is at the apex of Germany’s legal quality pyramid, and wines in this category are further labeled by the following levels (prädikats): Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein. The prädikat level is determined by the level of sugars in the grape at harvest, measured by degrees according to the Öchsle scale. A common phenomenon in the warmer vintages of recent years, when many Riesling grapes picked at Spätlese ripeness have been released as Kabinett instead. Prädikatswein must carry a minimum alcohol level of 7% (5.5% for Beerenauslese, TBA, and Eiswein wines) and winemakers may not chaptalize (add sugar) at this level. It's important to know order (Kabinett being the driest)
There has been discussion of wine regions, their native cuisine and whether they are actually good pairings. Check this little blurb out:
>>>>>>Germany + Pinot = Super Delicious<<<<<<
And So Begins France
A map of the France is on page 189 of the book. These maps will get more useful as we travel through France. For the moment, take note of Alsace in the N/E bordering Germany & Switzerland. Check out this awesome 10 min video: