Perhaps you are aware that German wine classifications can be quite complicated. A given wine's classification is largely based on its sugar content. We are not going to retell the wine classification story here. Suffice it to say that the lowest level German wine is table wine (actually an even lower level is described in our article I Love German Wine and Food - Launching a Series, but we promised not to mention it again and we intend to keep our word.) Deutscher Tafelwein (German table wine) comes in slightly better than table wine. At first we had no thought of reviewing such bottom of the line wines, but on finding one in our local wine store we thought why not give it a chance. What could we lose? In the world of wine, as elsewhere, sometimes there are pleasant surprises. So we decided to buy one, probably only one, Deutscher Tafelwein. Before reviewing this wine let's recall some details of German wine classification and then talk a bit about Deutscher Tafelwein in general.
Landwein is a Deutscher Tafelwein from a specific area. Qualitätswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiet (QbA) means a quality wine from one of the thirteen specified German wine regions. About one third of German wine is QbA wine, a percentage that is rapidly declining. The grapes in QbA wines usually have not fully ripened and so their producers are allowed to add sugar during fermentation; the process is known as chaptalization. Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) means assured quality wine. About two thirds of German wine is QmP wine, a percentage that is rapidly increasing. QmP wines may not be chaptalized and must come from a well-defined area. These supposedly medium or high quality wines are divided into six subcategories, as described in our Launching... article. Of the thirteen German wine regions only the two biggest, Rheinhessen and Pfalz, devote more than 10% of their wine production to table wine. Of course, when you talk about German table wine, you're talking about Germany and not a specific region. That takes care of the general comments; it's time to see how the Deutscher Tafelwein actually turned out.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed Schmitt Winzertanz 9% alcohol about $8 (1 liter bottle) No vintage year
Let's start with the marketing materials, which are a lot shorter than usual. Light straw color; apple, pear, and citrus aroma, off-dry peach flavor, medium body and finish. Serving suggestion, serve lightly chilled with pork chops and apple sauce. And now for the review.
I'm not really pleased that the label mentions no vintage year. But when you think about it, most Champagne doesn't have a vintage. Furthermore, I'm not as much into vintages as some people I know. On the other hand, the bottle size does upset me. I'm just not happy when I see such a large bottle. Yes, I know that Champagne often comes in magnums (one and a half liters in case you didn't know). The label is attractive showing dancing peasants around wine barrels. What about the contents?
The first pairing was with a commercial shepherd's pie, perked up a bit with Thai Chili Sauce. The wine was quite pleasant, even if short and not complex. It was a bit sweet. I didn't taste everything that was promised me, but broken wine promises are not restricted to low-priced offerings. The wine went well with dry, thin biscuits containing slices of almonds and pistachios.
I next paired this wine with cold salmon filet accompanied by a red (surely because of ketchup) mayonnaise sauce and pearl onions, and a tomato, cucumber, and red onion salad. The wine retained its fruit and was moderately long, but a bit thin, I don't really recommend this Deutscher Tafelwein with such a high quality salmon dish, but it wasn't bad, especially for the price. In the presence of a nut chocolate cake the wine was refreshingly acidic.
Then I tasted the Winzertanz with reheated chicken and potatoes in a gravy based on soya sauce. The wine tasted appley; its length was moderate. I guess it is what you call a quaffing wine.
The final meal consisted of fried chicken breast strips, accompanied by green beans and rice. In this case the wine was fairly weak.
The Winzertanz was pleasant with a ripe French camembert cheese, handling it better than some of the more expensive wines that also accompanied this cheese. Perhaps even more surprisingly, the wine definitely held its own when paired with a German Limberger cheese that was starting to smell.
After I paired the wine with four meat dishes and two cheeses the bottle was still more than a third full. This wine can go a lot way, not because it is so jam-packed with flavor, but because I didn't need to consume a lot in order to judge it. On the other hand, because it is pleasant and contains relatively little alcohol, you might find yourself drinking quite a bit. Unlike my usual policy, I don't intend to finish this bottle; I want to move on to other wines. But frankly, in some of my tastings the Winzertanz did a lot better than another, much more expensive wine. Final verdict. If I'm with a bunch of people who don't want to spend a lot on wine and we are ordering simple food, I'll be glad to drink this wine. In some ways it is quite a bargain. And recently bargains have been few and far between.
There are some basic wine and food pairing rules that will help you mix together the right combination of flavors that will improve your dining experience. A great wine pairing can make your dining memorable and a wrong combination can contribute to a poor dining experience. Of the basic wine and food pairing rules, the number one rule is for you to remember is to pick a wine that you will enjoy. If you really have a preference for white wines versus red wines, then its okay for you to choose your favorite type of wine with your meal. These four questions will help you choose the right wine. When you are thinking of which kind of wine to order, keep in mind the following four questions. (1) What is the main dish? Is it chicken, beef, or fish? (2) Will it be grilled, oven-baked, fried, or pan-fried? (3) What kind of sauce will it be served with and what are its flavors? (4) What are the sides dishes and how will their flavors impact the wine? Today there are so many different types of wine that the old favorite rule of wine and food pairing may not always apply. But until you feel comfortable in making the right choice, stick to these basics: red wines with beef, and white wines with fish and poultry. When choosing your wines "think wine power." Red wines work best with big, rich, heavy, meaty and full-of-herbs-types of dishes. When choosing a beef entre think about the powerful strength of the flavors of beef. To enhance a beef entre, it should be served with a powerful wine. The same is true for an entre that has been paired with a thick heavy sauce. The tannins in red wines mix well with the meal's proteins and will interact well, allowing the flavors to blend together. White wines and red meats generally do not work well together, because white wine does not contain tannins that can interact with proteins to draw out its flavors. White wines are better suited for light foods, such as grilled halibut (fish-type dishes) or chicken breast (poultry-type dishes) grilled or pan-fried in a light sauce. Color and aromatic flavors influence taste and lighter wines will complement the meal and not overpower the flavors of the food. Even in light types of foods, the type of sauce that is paired with the dish can influence the taste of the wine with the food. If the poultry was cooked in a heavy, thick sauce, or a spicy flavored sauce like paprika or full-of-herbs type of sauce, then it would be better served with a more powerful fuller-bodied red wine or perhaps a Rose or a spicy flavored wine. You need more than one wine, with a multiple course meal. To truly experience the proper pairing of wines with a multiple course dinner, you should pair your wines to the many courses of the meal. It would be difficult for one wine to work well with every dish because of the variety of flavors. If possible, choose a wine that is appropriate for the appetizer or first course, and then change the wine for the main dish, and then change the wine again for the dessert choice. Start off with a lighter wine (usually white, or light tasting wines) and then move to the more full-bodied types of wine (red wines and burgundy's) and then move to the dessert wines (ports & muscats.) Keep in mind that wines that are low in acid can often overwhelmed foods even those foods that are deemed light in taste. Wines that are high in acid works best with most foods, even though in some occasions they may not work well as a sipping wine without being accompanied by food. The following examples of going from light to more full-bodied wines are: White Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewrztraminer and Chardonnay. And among reds, from lighter to fuller: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. You can't go wrong, when you choose what you like. The four questions guideline will help you to pair the right wine with your meal selection. Until you feel comfortable in making those wine choices for yourself, ask your server to suggest a wine for you. Be sure and tell them the type of wine you prefer, so they can keep that in mind before coming up with their recommendations. They should provide you with at least three to four great wine pairing choices in different price ranges. If you get a bottle or a glass of wine that you don't like, then feel comfortable in sending it back and requesting a new bottle or a new wine pour. Of all the wines rules to follow when it comes to wine and food pairing, the number one rule to remember, is to always choose the wine that you like.
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