Wine with Leslie Williams: Red wines that work well with tasty German cuisine
Sausage in a bread roll
If I was ever going to open a restaurant I would love to open a German one. For some reason there are few German restaurants outside Germany but I think a spot where you could down pints of well-crafted beer or fruity red wine with mounds of sausages and spätzle noodles would work very well in our climate.
Back in my student days, I spent a summer in the Black Forest near Freiburg working in a hotel kitchen as a dishwasher and made good friends with the chefs so I have always felt German cuisine was underappreciated. That summer I had my first taste of venison, lobster, foie gras, and various other fine foods as well as regional dishes such as Maultaschen — a sort of large ravioli filled with spinach or meat that is a mainstay of Swabian cuisine.
On my days off I would head into Freiburg, a lively and picturesque city that has a river running through it — literally, they channel the water through the streets. Myself and the other Irish and American students working in the hotel would explore cheap restaurants and street food and this was my first taste of good German beer and wine. There were Brezels (pretzels), Kartoffelpuffer (delicious crispy potato pancakes), and sausage stalls near the cathedral and you could fill yourself for a Euro or two.
Bratwurst sausage mit zwiebeln (onions) were almost a foot long and presented in a bread roll to be covered in mustard and ketchup. A bottle of Rothaus Pils from the State Brewery of Baden Württemberg was the usual accompaniment but occasionally we would pick up a bottle of Spätburgunder and head to the park with some paper cups for a picnic and watch the girls go by (Freiburg has a huge student population).
I have not made it back to Freiburg since that student summer and I suppose it will likely be at least another year before that happens. Maybe during lockdown I should begin making my own sausages which are perhaps the ultimate comfort food and a nice match for German reds.
German Pinot Noir (or Spätburgunder as they call it) is still underrated and much better value than anything of equivalent quality from France. My red selections this week would all work well with German sausages — if you are using lots of mustard you may want to chill them slightly. The lone white recommended below will make a good aperitif or match with cheeses in front of the telly.
Blütengarten Blaufränkisch 2019, Württemberg, Germany - €7.86
Stockist: Aldi
A new, limited addition to Aldi’s range, this is made with Blaufränkisch — Austria’s second most commonly planted red grape but this time grown in Germany’s Württemberg region just north of Stuttgart. Bright cherry and blueberry fruits, soft and fruity with a noticeable spice kick on the finish this is suitable for chilling to serve with a spicy curry — think of it as a sort of German Beaujolais.
Blütengarten Pinot Noir 2019, Pfalz, Germany - €7.86
Stockist: Aldi
Also new to Aldi is this earthy red-fruited Pinot — one of only a few drinkable Pinot Noir’s under a tenner. Incanta from Romania is the only other European one I recommend. This pours a pale, light red with aromas of damp woods and raspberries, bright red fruits on the palate and a decent touch of acidity and freshness. Try it chilled with a spice bag, it works better than you might expect!
Lingenfelder Bird Label Riesling, Pfalz, Germany - €15.20
Stockist: O’Briens
Slightly 'over budget' but hopefully, you can spare the extra 20 cent. This has pleasing floral peach and ripe apple aromas and a touch of sweetness on first taste that is nicely balanced by crisp lemony acidity. The Lingenfelders started making wine 13 generations ago and have rather perfected it by now — this is a great match for cheese and for spicy dishes such as Thai green curry.
Martin Wassmer Spätburgunder, Baden, Germany - €19.99
Stockists: Bradleys, JJ O’Driscolls, Vintry, Jus de Vine, Redmonds, Blackrock Cellar.
Baden is the most southerly and warmest of Germany’s wine regions and thus also its most important red wine region. This is an unoaked Pinot packed with perfumed red fruits with a bright, lively palate, some earthy notes in the background and nicely focused on classic Pinot flavours. The single-vineyard Maltesergarten at €29.99 is a major step up for just a tenner more.
Weingut Geil Pinot Noir, Rheinessen, Germany - €19.95
Stockists: Blackrock Cellar, Baggot St. Wines, Greenman Wines, Martins, Redmonds, Mitchell & Son mitchellandson.com
Available mainly in the Dublin area or online via Mitchells and some other stockists above. I featured this here a few years ago but the current vintage is even better than I remember.
This has lovely fragrant rose petals and red fruits and a textural quality mixing soft berry fruits with a pleasing earthy streak and a touch of plum skins.
Bender Pinot Noir 2018, Pfalz QbA, Germany - €18.25
Stockist: Wines Direct at Arnotts and Mullingar, winesdirect.ie
The Pfalz is hugely important in German wine production for both quality and quantity and improving all the time. This is a little fuller than the other German Pinot Noirs mentioned above with ripe berry aromas, supple (almost luscious) ripe earthy red fruits, and with some noticeable oak influence that rounds out the flavours and adds a caramel note.
Stockists: Bradleys, 1601, WorldWide Wines, Selected SuperValu (Scallys, Skibbereen), McHughs, Blackrock Cellar, Castle Tralee, Ardkeen Stores www.ardkeen.com
The 2018 Tawny has been winning even more awards than previous vintages including 3 Stars at the Great Taste Awards and a Gold Medal at Blás na hÉireann (Stonewell also won a separate Blás Gold for their Passionfruit Cider).
Made from Dabinett and Michelin cider apples and aged for 12 months before being passed through El Dorado hops to add a herbal bitter kick to the finish. Pouring a medium gold, this has caramelised apple and toffee aromas, a silky lithe palate reminiscent of fine Sauternes with complex sweet apple undertones. Perfect with hard cheeses and fruit desserts — especially apple tart.
