FOOD AND BEVERAGE: WINES OF GERMANY

                                                   WINES OF GERMANY
Wines of Germany
     The history of German wines goes back to the ancient Romans who conquered the region Germany’s wine region are concentrated in the south-western part of the country, which straddles the 50o N latitude. Germany’s location being so far north is relatively cool and the low in autumn. That is why the German wines harvest takes place in October and November, long after the harvest has completed elsewhere.
     Most of her vineyards are located on step south-facing slopes to allow maximum exposure to the sun and each vine growing site is chosen to provide  the best micro climate possible. For instance these vineyards are usually located along the step banks of the river Rhine. The water on these rivers help reflect sunlight and provide greater exposure to the sun for the vineyards.
Since the generally reduced exposure to the sun affects most of her vineyards , the ripeness and therefore the suger levels of the grapes then because of great concern to the Germans.
Over time, time the Germans have put into practice the harvest team of grapes at various stages of ripeness. This practice is the basic of the German wine quality rating system where the degree of the ripeness at harvest is indicated on the label by the quality category .
In this system, the longer the grapes stay on the vine and the riper they become the higher the category the eventual wine. This also means the wines develop more pronounced aromas, flavour and an increased natural sweetness. That is why the general impression about Germans always being sweet comes about. At the same time, the long, slow ripening period enables the grapes to mentain there fruits acidity, which makes them freshing and lively.

                                    GERMAN WINE LAWS
On to the German wine rating system there  two basic labels of wine covering four categories. The 2 labels are Tafelwein (which include landwein )and Oualittatswein (covering both Qualittatswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete and Qualittatswein mit pradikat).
 The four categories of German wines are therefore:
• Deutcher Tafelwein
• Deutseher Landwein
• Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete(QbA)
• Qualitatswein mit Pradikat(QmP)


Deutcher Tafelwein
  This is the simple, pleasant table wine for the every day enjoyment. Deucher Tafelwein are the wines made softly from grapes which is grown in Germany. These wines are made from  different four broad Tafelwein region in Germny Rhein-Mosel, Bayern, Neckar and the Oberrhein.
   If the wine is labelled softly as tafelwein and the word ‘Deutscher’ is missing from the label, then the wine is not made softly from German grapes but blended with from grape juice or wines imported from countries outside Germany  within the European Union.

Deutscher Landwein
These wines are different category of table wine because it is dry or semi dry and character than tefelwein. It is produce in one of the 17 designated landwein regions. Like Tefelwein very little of this category is encounted outside of the region of the production.

 Qualitatiswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (Qba)¬¬¬
Qba wines are only produced form 11different specified wine growing  region such as Ahr, Mittelrhein, Mosel-saar –Ruwer, Rheingau, franken, Rheinhessen, Nahhe, Hessische, Bergstrasse, Rheinpflaz, Wurttenberg and Badan . each of these wine reagions is reffered to as a gebeit.
These kind of different category of wines carry the largest volume of German Wines. These wines are made from approved grape varieties which must be ripened sufficiently to ensure that the wines typically represent the style and taste characteristics of each region.  If a vineyard is indicated on the label of these wines, then at least 75% of the wines in the bottle must be made from that site.
 Qualitatswein mit Pradikat(QmP)
This is a quality wine category that makes the distinction of classifying  wines by their special attributes (Pradikat in German). This category includes the finest wines of Germany and indicates one of six special attributes on their label.
These all attributes are listed according to the ripeness ( and sugar level ) of the grapes at harvest. This degree of ripeness and sugar level varies with the grapes variety used and the geographical origin.
The minimum alcoholic strength  stated for six  different categories of QmP wines are potential alcoholic strength based on the sugar levels and ripeness used without any chaptatisation. Following are the six different QmP classification or pradikats:
• Kabinett
• Spatless
• Auslese
• Beerenauslese
• Trockenbeerenauslese
• Eiswein

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Classification of beverages: Non Alcoholic Beverages

There are different types of  Non- Alcoholic Beverages.
1) Bottled Water:
    According to FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bottled water is a water that is intended for human consumption, which is sealed in bottles or any other container without any ingredients. This water is consider as a suitable antimicrobial and safe drinking water.

2) Milk :
    Milk is also consider as non- alcoholic beverage because it contains no any alcoholic. Milk is consider as primary source of nutrition. which produce energy and reduce many disease. Milk is white liquid which are produced by mammals.


  3)  Tea:
       Tea is consider as a second most consumed drinks in the world. Tea is made from dry leaves of tea plant camellia. Tea is prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over a tea leaves.

4) Coffee:
     coffee is available in many varieties such as caffeinated, decaffeinated , brewed, roasted, instant , flavoured. This is prepared from the baked or roasted  seeds of several species of an evergreen shrub of the genuscoffea.


5) Soft Drinks :
      Soft drinks are consider as a non- alcoholic carbonated beverages which is made of mixing dry ingredients or fresh ingredient without no any alcohol. (for example lemons,oranges etc ) with water.


6) Juice Drinks:
     Juice is a liquid which naturally combination of fruits and vegetables, This is prepared by squeezing or macerating fruit of vegetables flesh without the application of heat or solvent. (example orange juice , tomato juice )

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FORTIFIED WINES: SHERRY

SHERRY
Formally known as Scheris, sherry takes its name from the town of jerez (de al frontera), and is made in and around the region surrounding the town of jerez de la frontera in south western spain. Within the region there are three main centres of production.

• Jerez de la Frontera
• Puerto de Santa Maria
• Sanlucar de barrameda

GRAPSE VARIETIES FOR SHERRY
Grown on the white coloured soil called albariza, the grapes used for Sherry are the:

• Palomino Bianco
• Pedro Ximenez
• Moscatel Fino

Among these three varieties Palomino bianco is the main grapes which is used for Sherries, while Perdro Ximenez  and Moscatel Fino are usally used to blend with palomino Bianco wines and act as ‘sweetening wines’ to produces sweeter versions of sherry.


PRODUCTION OF SHERRY
The heat and sun of the region allows the grapes to develop the great deal of sugar. The sugar in grapes meant for making  ‘sweetening wines’ are often further concentrated by simply laying them on straw mats in the hot sun to evaporate their water content. The harvested grapes are left in the sun for 12 to 24 hours for between 10 to 21 days in this manner. At night these are covered with straw mats called esparto  soleo to protect them from the night dew.

The very hot climate also produces grapes with relatively low acids and since well balanced wines must have sufficient acid levels, the harvested grapes are actually ‘plastered’ to achieve this. Prior to pressing, the stalks are removed and a small amount of gypsum, the raw  material of plaster of Paris, called yeso by the locals is dusted on the grapes to eventually allow the wines to precipitate tartaric crystal and to increase its tartaric acid levels which provides balance to the wine.

Traditionally the rape grapes are tipped into shallow vats called lagares where men in special nail studded boots called zapatas de pisar would stomp on them, crushing them. This tiring process is carried out throughout the night from midnight till noon the next day.

The free run juices are collected in barrels and the remaining pulps is then pressed to extract the remaining juice. The must (called mosto) is then pumped into large vats and selected cultured yeast is then added.
After some 12 hours, fermentation begins and it carries on 36 to 50 hours at temperatures that very from 25 to 300 C . The fermented wines is then pumped into small oak casks to allow the fermentation to run its full course. At the end of the two months of the fermentation period of time . the sugar in the wine is exhausted and the fermentation stops. With the exception of Pedro Ximenez and muscated the wines are always fermented till dry.

A layer of gray white microscopic yeast (saccharomyces beticus) called ‘flor’ forms a naturally as a thin white scum that floats on the wines in only some of the barrels his film of yeast like organisms prevent the oxidation of the wine allowing the vines to eventually become paler, drier, lighter styles like Fino or Amontillado. Those wines in barrels that do not develop the flor becomes darker and richer tasting destination to become Olorosos.

While there is no way to ensure the formation of the flor, it is possible to create conditions that would encourage its growth:

• Alcoholic strength must be between 13.5 and 17.5%  with optimum concentration being about 15.3% , the level at which the vinegar  producing acctobacter is killed off.
• Temperature of 15 to 30o C .
• Sulphur dioxide content of less then 0.018%
• Tannin content of less than 0.01%
• Absence of fermentable sugars.

The cellar master uses a series of chalk marks on the ends of the barrels to denote the style of wine in each barrel which it is likely to develop into. The wines are classified several times and are marked in the following manner according to the style of wines.


STYLES OF SHERRIES
There are six style of sherry

• Fino Sherry
• Manzanilla Sherry
• Amontillado
• Oloroso
• Palo Cortado
• Cream, Milk and Brown Sherries

Fino Sherry
This sherry is only made when nature blesses the winemakers with the development of flor in the casks. This pale, light and well known style of Sherry is known as Fino.

Manazanilla Sherry
Made  when finos are stored and matured at the coastal town of sanluccar de Barrameda. The finos acquire a salty tang  which is distinguishable on the palate as a style different from regular Finos and is now known as Manzanilla.

Amontillado
For the long period of time these fuller flavoured Finos  and develop into slightly darker wines with fuller flavours and nutty tang, this type of wines are called Amontillados. Their names are derives from the wines of similar character produced at Montilla, which were greatly sought after before jerez became famous.

Oloroso
Wines left on open air do not generally do well and spoil easily, turning into vinegar. The layer of the flor protects the Finos from this fate as it covers the surface of wines where Oloroso do not have this advantage.

Palo Cortado
Palo Cortado is the another type of sherry which is occasionally found. This is very rare style of wine, originally an oloroso, these wine develop Fino characteristics later during the final classification. These are usally rare and very expensive.

Cream , Milk and Brown Sherries
These are the sweet sherries that are usally based on the Oloroso and sweetened with sweetening wines made from Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez.

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Information about fortified wines

FORTIFIED WINES

Fortified wines are that wines which ahave been strengthened (fortified) with the addition  of a spirit during its production. While most still table wines have strength of 8 to 15% alcohol by volume, fortified wines contain alcoholic strength between 16 to 21% alchol by volume.

The added spirit  is usually a local brandy made from wine or from mare. The brandy has an affinity with the wines, and is also cheaper to use since surplus wine is always available in for distillation into a spirit.Produced in many part of the world, in any country or area where brandy and wines are made, the range of fortified wines ranges from very sweet Malmsey Madeiras to veey dry Fino Sherries. They also may be based on red or white wines and eventually made into a golden brown or pale amber wine.
The fortified wines of the world includes the following 

• Sherries
• Port wines
• Madeira
• Marsala
• Malaga

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WINES OF ITALY

The ancient Greeks used to refer to Italy as Enotria – the land of wines. Truly, the tremendous and very varied range, styles and sheer number of wines produced in italy boggles the mind. Today, there are an estimated 2000 types of wine, though most of them are ordinary wines for everyday drinking, there are an increasing number of world classed wines now being produced by moderm viticulture and vinification methods. Italian producer have moved so rapidely that they have created wines of undeniable class in every region such as north and south also.


ITALIAN WINE LAWS
The wine industry in italy has managed to make great progress in the past 15 years. According to new law in 1992, the effort of the italian government to effectively control and regulate the often chaotic and archaic italian wine laws now seems within reach. In line with the rest of countries in the European Union, Italian wines are classified in a system known as the DOC system. The requirement of the system are similar and in line with those of the other member of the European Union.

The categories in this system are

• Vano da tavola
• Vino da tavola con Indicazioni Geografica
• Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)
• Denominazione di Origine Controllate e Guarantita (DOCG)

Vino da tavola
The simply and most basic level in the italian wine law classification.

These table wines are equivalent to French vins de table and Germany’s Tafelwein. The quality of these wines can vary greatly. In their pursuit to make better wines, some younger winemakers have tried newer techniques and used non-traditional grape types with excellent results. Excellent wines like Sassicaia and Tignanellow are actually rated as vino da tavola though they certainly deserve atleast a DOC status. However, since they are made from or blended wih non-traditional grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, they do not qualify for DOC rating and are relegated to table wine status. However, these well made wines enjoy international recognition, high price and request despite being da tavola.

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GIN

The origin of the GIN can be traced back to 1650 when it was invited by a physician and professor at the leyden University in the Netherlands. His name was Franz de le Boe, otherwise known as Dr Sylvius.

Interested in the medical properties of alcohol, he decided to experiment by adding juniper beeries to a neutral spirit. He did this in an effort to create a medicine for those suffering from kidney ailments aas juniper was well known for its diuretic properties.

He named the mixture genever, from the French word for juniper- genievre. This spirit was soon the range all over the Netherlands and by 1655, it was being commercially produced by the Bols firm.

By 1742, Gin had became the national drink of the masses in England. Its popularity and infamy had became so wide spread that many of the social ill of the time were blamed on it.
Alcoholism and general public drunkenness was caused by gin and several attempts by the government at that to outlaw gin proved futile.


Gin, as a spirit, found much attention and limelight again during the American Prohibition. During this rather dry and lawless years in the USA, much illegal and dangerous versions of gin were produced, some ever using methanol. These gin were termed bathtub gain as they were sometimes literally produced by mixing a neutral spirit with juniper berries in a bathtub.

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WINE AND FOOD

Wine is the potable alcoholic beverages which are obtain from the fermented juice of fresh grapes. Like all successful partnership, the pairing of wine should allow each component to express the individual qualities of express the individual qualities of each partner. Thus in paring food and wine, one should seek out food and wines whose qualities complement each other. In order to do this one must be aware the flavour of each component. This type of components is quiet difficult to make because food and wine is not just a single flavour nor a set of flavours, for example a wine may be fruity, light, or dry, and a dish may be spicy, acidic or sweet.

The main thing to be very careful about is the taste and smell because every people have different thresholds of perception of various tastes and smells. If one person especially have sensitive to a particular characteristic or taste such as acidity, sweetness, bitterness or spicy, then their olfactory Perception of the dish or wine will be somewhat different from others. There are the simple guideline that should be observed such as old often associated with wine and food pairing “ red wine for red meats and white wine for white meats”. Red meat are those meat which are stronger tasting, include meat like beef, mutton, duck, and game venison and pheasant. Whereas the white meat are those meat like milder-tasting and include veal, lamb, chicken, pork as well as fish and seafood.

However, a more accurate, though less elegant guideline might be ‘full flavoured wines with rich tasting food and delicate tasting wines with delicate tasting food’. The intensity of flavour that each component should be considered when pairing wine and food rather than its colour.

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