Excellent New York Times article on industrial vs. hand-crafted wine

[Robin Garr]

agglutinative and intimidating

On this point, I can't resist reproducing a blurb I wrote in my foodie column for a local alternative weekly newspaper today, about a sommelier buddy's upcoming German Wine course ...

If you shy away from the wines of Germany because you still haven’t gotten over that unfortunate incident with Blue Nun at a college party, or even if you simply find it hard to warm up to a wine with a name like Katzenjammerschnitzelbankdistefinkliebchen Funkenbejabbers Riesling on the label, here’s your chance to get a completely different view of the nectars of the Rhine and Mosel: Sommelier Scott Harper, the affable wine guy for the Bristol Bar & Grille restaurants, will teach an informative (and tasty) three-session course on the subject next month. The course, part of Bellarmine University’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies, will run June 12, 19 and 26 at the Bristol-Downtown, 614 W. Main St. It’s $119 for a single, $215 for a couple, including the wine. For info or to register, call Bellarmine at 452-8166.

Funkenbejabbers

Hmmm ... sounds like a word I could use now and then

I vote for Basque as rating higher on the intimidating-pronunciation scale. What are you supposed to do with all those "tx" combinations?

[David M. Bueker]

Just remember that Wehlner means it comes from Wehlen, just like putting Sonoma Valley on the label.

They can't change the fact that they are German and there fore use a different language.

Also there are some lovely (and easy) wines on the market. What about the 2004 St. Urbans Hof Riesling ($11.99) or even the Dr. L Riesling ($8.99) or better than either, the Kesseler Riesling 'R' ($7.99). These are not confusing, do not need a primer on the back label, and are all three deliciously quaffable. Their only fault as far as I can see is that they don't have some cute #$&*ing animal on the label to make them fun and simple.

I believe German winemakers would be well advised to add back label information in any event to help clear up the confusions about their wines.

Regards, Bob

What confusion? German wine labels are the most descriptive in the world.

Nope!

I severely disagree. German wine labels — as those from Alsace and parts of the Loire region — usually give absolutely no hint whether to expect a dry, medium dry or definitely sweet wine. That's quite opposed to Austrian wine labels where EU sweetness designation is compulsory.

[David M. Bueker]

I believe German winemakers would be well advised to add back label information in any event to help clear up the confusions about their wines.

Regards, Bob

What confusion? German wine labels are the most descriptive in the world.

Nope!

I severely disagree. German wine labels — as those from Alsace and parts of the Loire region — usually give absolutely no hint whether to expect a dry, medium dry or definitely sweet wine. That's quite opposed to Austrian wine labels where EU sweetness designation is compulsory.

If all you are worried about is sweetness then that's true to a degree. Most of the trockens still say "trocken", and will say it if at all possible since there is such a call for dry wines.

Also there are some lovely (and easy) wines on the market. What about the 2004 St. Urbans Hof Riesling ($11.99) or even the Dr. L Riesling ($8.99) or better than either, the Kesseler Riesling 'R' ($7.99). These are not confusing, do not need a primer on the back label, and are all three deliciously quaffable. Their only fault as far as I can see is that they don't have some cute #$&*ing animal on the label to make them fun and simple.

David,
Came across a wine the other day - a Selbach Riesling Kabinett 2004 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) - that had a fish on the label. It made it clear this wine was to match seafood. It also sported a screwcap. It was definitely fun and simple.
Cheers,
Sue

David,
Came across a wine the other day - a Selbach Riesling Kabinett 2004 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) - that had a fish on the label. It made it clear this wine was to match seafood. It also sported a screwcap. It was definitely fun and simple.
Cheers,
Sue

But Sue, was the fish cute? David doesn't like cute animals on his labels, so he might have a problem with a cute fish.

One of my all time favorites for making it abundantly clear what you were supposed to serve with the wine was the Dopff Irion bottle, where the label was, uh, encrusted with crustaceans.

There was always the Pescevino fish-shaped bottle, sure, but that wine was so god awful I could never bring myself to have it after the first time.

But Sue, was the fish cute?

To be honest, I didn't take too much notice.

[David M. Bueker]

But Sue, was the fish cute?

To be honest, I didn't take too much notice.

It's actually an ugly fish drawing, so that's ok.

[David M. Bueker]

There was always the Pescevino fish-shaped bottle, sure, but that wine was so god awful I could never bring myself to have it after the first time.

There was a German red that had a monkey on the bottle. I wonder what that was for??!!

In the "Immediate Gratification" world of American Idol, Britney Spears and pathetic Ashley Simpson.... I sing classical music.....

In a world of loud and wobbly Wagnerian and Verdi singers.... I sing Schumann and Faure' where knowing the meaning of the poetry is essential to enjoy the song.....

In a world of restaurant chains.... I seek small BYOB's.....

Old vs. New..... Industrial vs. handcrafted..... it will never end....

It's not all about quantity and about money.... but Old world folks need to be more open to changing if they want to survive the market....

Change is part of life - might as well enjoy the roller coaster ride and taste as many wines as possible!!!

....says the court jester....

[David M. Bueker]

There's a place for both old world and new world styles of wine and life. There's even a place for Robert Parker. There's a place for rock and roll as well as Maria Callas as Carmen.

I can't help but think that if we spent less time railing against styles, methods and personal preferences that we would enjoy life more than we do now.

Come to think of it, my cat does not care that my glass of '95 St. Joseph is over-wooded and somewhat drying, and she's happy.

There was a German red that had a monkey on the bottle. I wonder what that was for??!!

Assmanshauser!!! Had a few of those. But not in a long, long time. And not just a monkey, mind you, a monkey molded into the bottle itself, then painted in a really tacky reddish-bronze gold color.

Funny---it was so strange, I guess I never asked why the monkey.

How about all those "special" Chianti and Lambrusco 1.5l and 3.0L novelty bottles with the long, long (and more than slightly obscene) phallic necks about three feet tall, shaped like ships and elephants and swordfish? Always wondered about people who bought those damned things.

[Robin Garr]

Funny---it was so strange, I guess I never asked why the monkey.

Isn't it from Affentaler, a region whose name literally means "valley of the apes"?

Isn't it from Affentaler, a region whose name literally means "valley of the apes"?

Thanks, Robin!

I think you are correctomundo, sir. Got the name discombobulated somehow (my wife suggests it is senility). Affental(er)/Valley of the Apes sound reasonable to me.

Guess now no one's got anything to hide except for me.

[Robin Garr]

I think you are correctomundo, sir. Got the name discombobulated somehow (my wife suggests it is senility). Affental(er)/Valley of the Apes sound reasonable to me.

Of course, the obvious follow-up question is why a place in Germany would have a name like that ...

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 9:33 pm Post subject: Re: Excellent New York Times article on industrial vs. hand-crafted wine

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Hoke wrote:
I think you are correctomundo, sir. Got the name discombobulated somehow (my wife suggests it is senility). Affental(er)/Valley of the Apes sound reasonable to me.


Of course, the obvious follow-up question is why a place in Germany would have a name like that ...

Well, there's also this little place called Neandertal (or Neanderthal)...

[Robin Garr]

Well, there's also this little place called Neandertal (or Neanderthal)...

Well, yeah, but there we're reversing cause and effect. Those ancient bones were originally found in the valley of the Neander and were named for their location. But I don't think they found apes in the Affental ...

Unh...maybe Charlton Heston visited there once?

Maybe the name was given by the folks in the next valley over, and they didn't like them?

Maybe the residents of Affental tend to be short, bandy legged, hairy, and they speak in grunts?

[Robin Garr]

Maybe the residents of Affental tend to be short, bandy legged, hairy, and they speak in grunts?

Or maybe they just thought Raquel Welch really looked hot in bear skins?

As it turns out, though, Google Knows All, Sees All, Tells All ...

Already in the year 1250, the Cistercians began cultivating Pinot Noir in the Affental. Affental’s unique name derives from a pilgrimage chapel, which stood near the grapevines. In support of the pilgrims’ “Ave Maria”, the valley was known as “Ave Tal” (Ave Valley) in the local vernacular, from which today’s “Affental” (Valley of the Monkeys) evolved.

[David M. Bueker]

Unh...maybe Charlton Heston visited there once?

Get your hands off me you filthy spätburgunder!!

Doesn't have quite the same ring to it.