by Jennifer De Jong

There are two broad quality categories of wine in the European Union: table wine and quality wine. On average, less than five percent of an annual German wine harvest goes into table wine production.

The quality wines from the 13 German wine-growing regions are made from riper grapes and subject to higher standards. Basic quality wines, Qualitatswein b.A. (QbA), and higher quality dry varietals labeled CLASSIC, are great for every day enjoyment and are best consumed while young and fresh. SELECTION is the term reserved for superior dry varietal wines. They are ideal for find dining or festive occasions and benefit from aging.

Germany’s premium quality wines, Qualitatswein mitrial Pradikat (QmP) are made from fully ripe and/or botrytis-affected grapes. They are elegant, noble and long-lived. The following Pradikats denote six ascending levels of ripeness (quality):

Kabinett - Elegant wines made from fully ripened grapes. Generally, the lightest of the Pradikat wines.

Spatlese - Literally, late harvest. Made from very ripe grapes, these wines are deeper in aroma and flavor, and fuller-bodied, than Kabinett.

Auslese - Noble wines, intense in bouquet and taste, made from even riper grapes, selected in bunches.

Beerenauslese (BA) - Rare and exquisite wines with the unmistakable honey-like aroma of Botrytis (”noble rot”). Made from overripe berries, individually selected by hand.

Eiswein - Made from grapes of BA quality, harvested and pressed while frozen. Truly unique wines with remarkable concentration of fruity acidity and sweetness.

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) - The crowning achievement of German viticulture. A lusciously sweet wine made from individual berries shriveled almost to raisins.

The descriptions above for QbA and QmP wines refer to varying degrees of ripeness at harvest - primarily determined in the vineyard, by Mother Nature. The riper the grapes, the more intense or concentrated the wine. With the exception of Classic and Selection, which are always drier-style varietals, and the last three Pradikats (BA, Eiswein, TBA), which are lusciously sweet dessert wines, the ripeness (quality) designations do not provide information about the style of wine.

Whether a wine is dry, off-dry or sweet to the taste is primarily determined in the cellar, by the winemaker. The descriptive terms for style - trocken (dry) or halbtrocken (off-dry) - are qualifiers, used in conjunction with the ripeness designations. Both trocken and halbtrocken wines can be made in ripeness categories from QbA through Auslese. In other words, increasing levels of ripeness from QbA through Auslese do not mean increasing levels of sweetness. A QbA trocken or Kabinett Trocken is a dry wine vinified from fully ripened grapes (good aroma and flavor), while a Spatlese trocken is a dry wine vinified from very ripe grapes (more aroma and flavor). If neither trocken nor halbtrocken (or Classic or Selection) is indicated on a label or wine list, expect a wine with perceptible sweetness.

Jennifer de Jong is a long time wine drinker, enjoyer of wine, and non-wine-snob. She is the founder of VinoVixenz a snob free zone for learning all aspects of wine culture. From how to pronounce difficult wine names to to free wine reviews and ratings. We provide a free online guide of information to help the every man and women learn more about every aspect of wine.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_De_Jong

Technorati Tags: food and drink, german wine, quality wine, table wine

Here’s an idea for a change of scenery rather than just eating the usual salad. It’s from Greece and you can add that Mediterranean atmosphere to your meal for a pleasant evening in.

You can serve this dish Hot or Cold, and it is served with either Crusty or Wholemeal bread, depending on your personal preference. Personally I prefer this salad Hot.

You can prepare the vegetables in advance if you like and store them in the fridge. Feta is the better cheese for a low fat and diabetic meal, but cheddar can be used if you don’t need to be so particular. Also feta has more salt than harder cheese, so you need to consider less salt in the remaining preparation.

Here’s what you need:

2 red peppers, 1 yellow pepper, all cored and deseeded and cut into chunks
2 salad onions cut into wedges
2lbs (1kg) of courgettes cut into chunks
1lb (500g) of tomatoes cut into chunks
2 oz (60g) of black olives
2 sprigs of thyme
7 oz (200g) feta (low fat) or cheddar cheese (higher fat) cubed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200°C or 400°F. Put the peppers, onions, and courgettes in a roasting tin dribbling the oil over the mix, then place the thyme sprigs on top.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables start to slightly char and are tender, then put the remaining ingredients on top and pop back into the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Serve adding the salt and pepper to taste.

Tags: greek roast salad, mediterranean meal, low fat meal, diabetic meal, low fat recipe



Add to Onlywire

Technorati Tags: Balsamic vinegar, Black pepper, Cheddar cheese, Cook, diabetic meal, greek roast salad, low fat meal, low fat recipe, mediterranean meal, Olive, Olive oil, Salad, Tablespoon

I was reading another article recently about the importance of having a good breakfast, and eating these foods at breakfast is being promoted as a good immune and metabolism boost.

You start with a small bowl of porridge with milk and blueberries. The porridge gives you some good carbohydrates and helps lower your bad cholesterol while the blueberries contain antioxidants which help counteract harmful free radicals in your body.

Next we have half a tin of baked beans on wholemeal toast with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. The wholemeal bread gives you a slow carbohydrate release, while the beans give you protein. The grilled tomatoes contain lycopene which is an anti-cancer phytochemical, and mushrooms give you potassium.

You finish this off with a drink of orange juice providing you with Vitamin C.

Over all you have a nicely balanced meal which will benefit your metabolism and help boost your immune system through the morning.

I think I might give this one a try.

Tags: breakfast, immune system, metabolism



Add to Onlywire

Technorati Tags: breakfast, immune system, metabolism