Relaunch of Franconias Bocksbeutel

From time to time you find posts from me with this rounded flat bellied bottle called Bocksbeutel, which is the quasi trademark of Franconian wine.
Today the newly designed Bocksbeutel was presented to the public. The silhouette remained almost the same but it became more "edged".

The design was made by the renowned German designer Peter Schmidt, this is why the bottle is named Bocksbeutel(PS).

What do you think of this new appearance?

Bocksbeutel PS - Photo credits: Haus des Frankenweins / Rolf Nachbar

Barolos and Barbarescos little stepsister

Barbera d'Asti with ravioli

When talking about wine from the Piedmont in Italy, we almost immediately think of the great Barolo. Of course this is the flagship wine of this region, with worldwide reputation. The Barolo is made of the Nebbiolo grape and his sister of the same grape – the Barbaresco – also stands out of the mass. But the Piedmont has lots more to offer than this, for sure, outstanding grape.

There are also other grapes grown in the Piedmont, one is the Barbera. There is a DOCG called Barbera d’Asti which sets high standards for the viticulture of this grape and the wines produced from it. When we were in the Piedmont last year, I also took some bottles of the Barbera home with me, of course besides some other bottles of the Barolo. But whereas the Barolos need at least 15 to 20 years to mature before they are best to be drunk, the Barbera, with its much softer tannins, reaches its maturity much earlier. So lucky me, I released one of the Barbera d’Asti from my cellar to open it.

This one is a 2012 Barbera d’Asti DOCG, Superiore. Superiore means that it is higher in alcohol and was matured at least 14 month, of which 6 month had to be in wooden casks. This one had a characteristic fruity flavor of morello cherry and some herbal notes. The moderate tannins and a crisp acidity complemented its rounded, medium-heavy body.

So, what to pair with this wine? If you are unsure what to pair with a wine then first think of where it comes from and second, what are traditional dishes or specialties from there. Quite often the viticulture and the cuisine of a region evolved mutually, so that the traditional dishes pair very well with the wines of the region.

Besides its wines the Piedmont is famous for its truffles. So we decided to go for ravioli filled with a pastry of truffles and a salsa of tomatoes and grilled veg. After all, a good choice I’d say.

Alla salute!

Catfish and Riesling

Catfish with Franconian Riesling

In Franconia there are relatively few natural lakes. To supply the demand for domestic fish there evolved lots of small fish farms during the last centuries. Many of them grow fish in ponds which are fished dry each year during fall season.  So this is the season to have the best domestic fish like carp, trout or catfish.

You could have catfish in all different sizes and there are some restaurants where you could order a fish in advance for a certain number of ‘eaters’. There were three of us with this boiled catfish here. Together with potatoes and a traditional horseradish sauce this was delicious.

We opted for a Riesling from Franconia together with the fish. Riesling is one of the most versatile white wines, which goes well along with many dishes. Pretty well of course with fishes.

It’s pumpkin season!

Risotto with squash and German wine

I love this time of the year, when the nature becomes so colorful. Leaves turn yellow, red and brown and harvest is on its height. And it is pumpkin season!

There are lots of different dishes you could have with pumpkin. I went for a traditional style risotto together with roasted dices of a red kuri squash. To dice the squash is not too easy and needs a good knife and muscles, but the effort definitely is worth it. By roasting the squash it gets a creamy consistency and together with the risotto it almost cries for a wine which takes this texture up and complements the nutty flavors.

A wine which has all this is a full-bodied Pinot Gris which matured in wood. Pinot Gris (or Pinot Grigio) is called Grauburgunder in German, this is what you see on the label here. This one from Franconia got aromas of ripe yellow fruits like peach or quince. Yes yellow (and orange) are nice colors, especially these days.

Un pique-nique en Alsacea

A pique-nique with wine

It is the time to recall this grandiose summer we had here in Europe this year. A lot of sunshine and a tropical heat gave us great opportunities to stay outside.
I had a great time travelling through the Alsace in France and enjoyed the local specialities there. There are delicious things like pasty, salami and all kind of cheese, ah, and of course the baguette.

What else? Well, you know me good enough by now to guess what we had with the food: Of course, an outstanding wine of the region.

The Alsace is one of the French wine regions but given by its history and geography, next to Germany, it is more influenced by the German viticulture.
Here most wines are made of a single grape variety which is named on the bottle whereas in the other parts of France the wines usually are blended and the “appellacion d'origine” (designation of origin) is the predominant characterization.

Another analogy to Germany are the grape varietals which are cultivated here. Riesling is the most common one, alongside with Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc or the Sylvaner.

We had a Riesling together with our specialities at the picnic in the green near the lovely city of Colmar. Riesling is a great all-rounder to pair with a lot of different kind of food and flavours.

À votre santé!

White wine with the fish!

Roter Veltliner from Austria

Although this is not the full truth you will be on the safe side if you follow this rule.

The proteins of fish do not harmonize well with tannins and reds in general have got more tannins than whites. If you want to pair a red with fish you should choose one with soft tannins like a light Pinot Noir or a Rosé. Avoid also too heavy woodened ones and this applies to both, reds and whites. A heavily woodened Chardonnay would also not be the best choice.

We had a roasted gilthead, which could have coped with a light red but we choose a white grape called Roter Veltliner from Austria. This grape is a quite rare one and despite its name it is not related with the most famous Austrian grape, the Grüner Veltliner. It is a fruity type of wine with a crisp acidity. This one is called Wiener Symphoniker, because it was choosen as the house wine for the Symphonic Orchestra of Vienna.

Perfect for this symphony of a dish.

We call it Schnitzel

Variation of Schnitzel

You hardly find a traditional German restaurant not serving at least one dish of Schnitzel. The variations of Schnitzel is unbelievable, not only of different meat, like pork, veal or turkey, but also of different recipes. Most common is the Wiener Schnitzel (viennese schnitzel) which traditionally is a breaded veal escalope, served with potatoes or fries. There are others with a sauce e.g. with mushroom, the Jägerschnitzel (hunters schnitzel) or like we had, a Paprikaschnitzel with bell pepper (Paprika), tomatoes and onions.

But what to drink with a Schnitzel? Probably 9 out of 10 Germans you ask this question would say: Beer! Well, I am the one who answers: Wine. Of course! :-)

We had a Gelber Muskateller (Muscat blanc à petits grains), which is a quite aromatic wine. This one is from the German wine region Pfalz (Palatinate), a sun-blessed region in the south-west near France, producing opulent wines. The wine is semi-sweet which pairs quite well with the spicy and sweet aromas of the salsa. It definitely would also go well with asian food.

If you ever stumble into a German restaurant, have a Schnitzel and remember me by ordering a wine.