The Alsace: French wine with German cousinhood

Gewurztraminer from the Alsace

Alsace, the wine region in the north-east of France, has quite a rumbling history and changed its national affiliation several times between France and Germany in recent centuries, of course not always by choice as you can imagine.

Nowadays there is no conflict about the national belonging anymore but nevertheless the people there maintained a pleasant mixture of both nationalities. The exquisite cuisine definitely is influenced by the French. But people in the Alsace still widely speak a German based accent, no surprise, the Alsace is just across the Rhine from Germany. So the region is closer to the German wine region Palatinate (Pfalz) than to the other French wine regions. This is the main reason why the viticulture is more influenced by the German wines than by the French ones.

The Vin d’Alsace got AOC status, but other than in the other French regions it usually is made of a single grape rather than as a Cuvée of several grapes. The dominant varieties are the traditional German grapes like Riesling, Sylvaner or Gewürztraminer. More than 90% are white wines.

The Gewurztraminer (spelt without the German “ü”) got intensive flowery and spicy flavors (spice means “Gewürz” in German), low acidity and often some residual sugar. So has the one I choose this time.

The Gewurztraminer traditionally pairs quite well with a tarte or with goat cheese. I went for the second option and served with honey and spices marinated cream goat cheese together with the wine.

Santé and zum Wohl!

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.