It's the time of year where were all the little German towns in this area (and other towns as well) celebrate their local Oktoberfest and yours truly is not only a wine lover but also a beer lover (maybe it's my German heritage). So what better way to celebrate the German culture then to study both.
Oktoberfest originated 1810 with a 16 day celebration in honor of a royal wedding. Since Oktoberfest started in the heart of Bavaria, beer was the drink of choice and is also the drink of choice of Germans nationwide currently. There are some phenomenal beers coming out of Germany now...breweries such as Augustiner, Hofbrau, Spaten, and Paulaner are a few of the excellent breweries you will find from this country. These breweries craft great pilsners, weisbiers (white beers) and heffeweizen. But in true stereotypical German fashion they are very committed to excellence not only in the breweries but also in the wineries.
Germany's government is highly involved in the quality of wine that comes out of there. They are producing EXCELLENT Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris & Muscat and as for reds Pinot Noirs are up and coming. With every wine that is created in Germany 2 bottles must be sent to the overseeing organization of wine called easily abbreviated to VdP. One is ALWAYS left corked in a wine vault and the other one is kept so that if their is every a dispute of someone misrepresenting a wine they can test it against the one given to the VdP.
Okay, I'm sure some of you are like "enough with the history lesson, Kim" but I think in order to understand what it is we are drinking we have to know the care that goes behind it. And for those of you who don't know last weekend we just released or 2008 Riesling so during the month of "Oktober" come drink like the Germans do at Corcoran Vineyards.
Eat Well! Drink Well!
Kim
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