German Dessert Wines
Each estate can bottle select wines as a “Gold Cap” (similar to a reserve bottling). The most notable is the Gold Cap Auslese (GKA), or even more recherché, the “Long Gold Cap.” Gold Cap wines are primarily found at Auslese level, but can also be made at BA, TBA and Eiswein levels.
Riesling Coctails
- The Bonanza
- Fill glass with ice
- 1 oz brandy
- 1½ oz sherry
- Fill with Sweet Riesling wine
- Vin de Glacière Martinis
- 1¼ oz Vin de Glacière Riesling
- 1¼ oz Premium Vodka
- Garnish with 3 frozen grapes
- Vin de Glacière Cosmopolitan
- 1 oz Vin de Glacière Riesling
- 1 oz Premium Vodka
- ½ oz Grand Marnier
- Kiwi Melon Sangria
- 1 bottle (750 ml) Dry Riesling
- 4 peeled and sliced Zespri green kiwi fruit
- 1 cup (237 ml) fresh watermelon, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 lime, thinly sliced
- 1½ oz Midori melon liqueur
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
To Serve Riesling
As a rule of thumb, the sweeter the wine, the higher the serving temperature. However, dessert-style Rieslings that have been concentrated through the effect of Botrytis are often not improved by being overly chilled because cold temperatures tighten-up volatile aromas. Standard refrigerators are usually set around 38°F (3°C)—keep that in mind for the best serving temperatures:
Dry Riesling...43–46°F...(6–8°C)
Sweet Riesling...45–50°F...(7–10°C)
Ice Wines...46–48°F...(8–9°C)
Botrytized Riesling...52–54°F...(11–12°C)
Sparkling Riesling...45°F...(7°C)
The German Prädikat System
In Germany, a single wine estate may decide to make upwards of a dozen individual wines (from dry to sweet) based on grapes picked at different times (and ripeness levels) during a harvest. The wines are best understood when broken down into the following categories:
German wines are classified by law, based upon the ripeness of grapes. This system is undergoing some changes, but these terms are still relevant and helpful. Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA), the basic level of “quality wine” in Germany and guaranteeing that grapes are of a certain ripeness and from one of the thirteen legally designated wine regions. In addition, QbA wines can be chaptalized.
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP)
QmP means literally “quality wines with distinction” and is used to distinguish German wines of superior quality. These wines carry one of the six Prädikats, giving us clues as to what style of wine is in the bottle: