Then raise the mug to your nose and smell its hearty, yeasty aroma. Now, at last, let this liquid gold roll across your tongue and into your mouth. It's cold, refreshing, and flavorful.
But beer is only one of the beverages of Germany.Its wines are winners too. But sometimes travelers never get beyond beer because they have heard that it's necessary to be a snobby expert to appreciate wine.
Not so. You just need to know what you like. For that's the true key to wine appreciation: discovering what your taste buds like, as well as being willing to taste new wines to let your tastes change and grow. To enjoy a glass of wine, you follow a similar procedure for appreciating beer.
1. Hold your glass by the stem (so you don't warm the wine), and raise it to the light so you can see the wine's color and clarity.
2. Then swirl the wine slightly to release its aromas.
3. Now sniff the wine because this really influences what you taste. Talk about giving your taste buds a workout! Flavors can range from apples and berries to spring flowers.
4. At last, take a sip, distributing the liquid through your mouth, to see how many different flavors you can taste.
Focus on the Regions
It would be fun to taste wines from each of Germany's wine growing regions, especially since many of these wines are consumed locally and are not available elsewhere. Most of Germany's 13 wine growing regions are in the southwestern part of the country, and are invariably near a river such as the Rhine, which helps to maintain a constant temperature. Wines in each of these regions will be similar in taste from those grown elsewhere.
In general, the northern regions produce wines that are light, fruity, and fragrant, while the southern regions produce wines with more body, fuller fruitiness and, in many cases, a powerful flavor. Since Germany is situated so far north, about 80 percent of its vineyards are planted with white grapes, with only 20 percent in red grape varieties.
Learning about German wine can be fun.
Check out books on German wine at the base library or purchase one to keep with you.
Order wines by the glass so you can taste a greater variety.
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