Great Wine Made Simple - Andrea Immer [97]
Beerenauslese (BEAR-ehn-OUSE-lay-zuh) Commonly called BA, this is a rich, sweet dessert wine made from grapes affected by botrytis, which as you know concentrates their sugar. Quite expensive.
Trockenbeerenauslese (TROCK-ehn-bear-ehn-OUSE-lay-zuh) This is called TBA for convenience. It is a dense, unctuous, honeyed nectar made of grapes so shriveled by botrytis that they look like dried-out raisins (hence the trocken, or dry, in the name). It is extremely rare and expensive.
“WHO’S WHO” IN GERMAN WINE IMPORTERS German wines are where you really gain some buying efficiency by going with reputable importers–it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Terry Theise Estate Selections, Cellars International—Rudi Wiest, and Classical Wines are the best companies, with absolutely uncompromising quality standards. Below is a short list of my favorite Riesling wineries, by major region.
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Selbach-Oster (SELL-bock OH-stir), Dr. Loosen (LOW-zen), Schaeffer, Fritz Haag (Hahg), JJ Prüm (Proom), Merkelbach (MUHR-kuhl-BOCK), von Schubert, Egon Müller (AY-gone Muller), Dr. Fischer, Maximin Grünhaus
Rheingau Robert Weil, Breuer (BROY-er), Staatsweingut Klostereberbach (Stahts-wine-goot Closs-ter-AY-ber-bock), Schloss Johannisberg, Josef Leitz, August Eser, Hans Lang
Rheinhessen Gunderloch, Strub, Wittman (VITT-man), Gysler (GIZE-ler)
Pfalz Darting, Müller-Catoir (Muller-cah-TWAHR), Lingenfelder, Burklin-Wolf (BERK-lin Wolf), von Buhl
Nahe Donnhoff, Hans Crusius (Hanz CROO-zee-us), Paul Anheuser, Schlossgut Diel (SCHLOSS-gut DEEL)
THE REST OF GERMANY What about grapes other than Riesling? Some of them have very unique flavors and can be a lot of fun. Try them (Silvaner and Muskateller are my favorites) by choosing selections from one of our “who’s who” importers or wineries.
Austria
Waltz into your wine shop and try one of these wines. You will have to go to a fine wine specialty store, because the quantities produced are small, so the average liquor store or supermarket doesn’t carry them. They are, however, worth the extra effort to track down. The labeling and bottle shapes for whites are sometimes similar to those for German wines, with the grape variety shown, and often a ripeness level. But there are two big differences to keep in mind. First, the style: Except for a few specialty dessert types, Austrian wines are very dry and fuller-bodied than German wines. Second, Austria’s growing regions are warmer than Germany’s, so excellent red wines are also made.
When choosing Austrian wines, here is what to look for on the label:
AUSTRIAN DESSERT WINES Austria makes great dessert wines, from late harvested or botrytis-affected (or both) grapes. The two best regions for these wines are Burgenland and Neusiedlersee (Noy-SEED-ler-zay). Often, the wines have proprietary names or unfamiliar grapes on the label, so the easiest way to buy them is by producer: Kracher (KROCK-er), Heidi Schrock, and Willi Opitz (OH-pits) are the best.
“WHO’S WHO” OF AUSTRIAN WINE IMPORTERS Once again, your backstage pass to great Austrian wines, without the hassle of studying all the label stuff, is the importer name. Here are the best ones:
Terry Theise The German specialist also brings in great Austrian wines.
Vin Divino A diverse portfolio of great producers.
Italy and France: Off the Beaten Track
If you’re like me, you would take Italy and France via the backroads over the autostrada any day. Taking the more laid-back route to French and Italian wines can give you access to two great things: Italy and France’s rich repertoire of other wines, which, though outside the classic zones, can range from fun to world class if well chosen; and, better wines and better deals than from the traditional regions. To illustrate, take two wines of the same type—Italian Chianti, for example. One is a name brand, the other from a little, no-name producer. With the