FoodWorks-International® 

Nothing in the world of wine can be considered to be more daunting than the German label.

The language is polysyllabic and agglutinative, and not only that, it uses jaw-breaking words that are hard to read even if they aren't printed in old-fashioned Gothic type.

But it would be a shame to let a few big words keep us from discovering  the joy of German wine.

Because it has an almost invariably edge of sweetness and its alcoholic content is typically

rather low,

German wine can be an attractive change of pace from some of  the more dry, acidic table wines. Don't expect a wine that tastes like Kool-Aid, though. At its best, German wine will balance a natural sweetness with a tart acidity that keeps the taste from cloying.

Because Germany's Rhine and Mosel valleys are among some of the world's most northerly

wine-producing regions, growers constantly run a race against the weather. Long but rather

cool summers allow an extended growing season, with the harvest sometimes being gathered as

late as November. Grapes ripen slowly in this climate, acquiring subtle qualities from the soil.

In a good year, such as 1983 or 1985, fully ripened grapes produce lush, succulent wine with an exceptional complexity and finesse.

In the lesser quality vintages, the grapes did not ripen well and wine makers have had to add

 sugar to the green, acidic juice. definitely not a formula for an excellent wine.

Most German wines are submitted to a government panel for tasting and laboratory testing to verify their origin and sugar content.

Wines that pass the examination receive the designation "Qualitatswein eines bestimmten Anbaugebietes," often shortened to "Qualitatswein" or "QbA."

The finer wines, which will be made from grapes so ripe that no additional sugar is needed, receive the designation "Qualitatswein mit Pradikat" or "QmP." These wines are further categorized, in order of increasing sugar content and (usually) price, as "Kabinett," "Spatlese," "Auslese," "Beerenauslese" or "Trockenbeerenauslese."

German wine seemingly ought to be a natural for Americans with its light, sweet flavor and low alcohol content. Give it a thought and try some!