6 Excellent Wines by the Glass to Serve at a German Restaurant (2024)

FAQs

What wine goes best with German food? ›

If it's a light dish, get a light wine. And of course, you can't go wrong with pairing any German dish with a German wine (such as Riesling, Spätlese, or Gewürztraminer.)

German wine is classified into four quality categories: Deutscher Wein, Landwein, Qualitätswein (QbA) and Prädikatswein. The latter is further divided into levels of ripeness: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese.

Wine Pairing: With Sauerbraten, opt for a Riesling from Germany to complement the sweet and sour notes. For roast goose, a medium to full-bodied red wine such as Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) or a rich Riesling can be an excellent choice.

In the United States, the standard serving is a 5 ounce glass of wine (or 147 mL). This means that the standard bottle holds five 5-ounce glasses of wine. A magnum bottle holds 10 glasses of wine. A double-magnum bottle holds 20 glasses of wine.

Riesling is the flagship wine of Germany and constitutes more than one-fifth of all wine varieties grown in the country. Riesling has a long history dating back to the 15th century, and originates in Germany's Rhine Valley.

Germany's Wine Styles & Varieties

Of these, the most notable are Germany's world-class expressions of Riesling and Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder).

The quality categories are Deutscher Wein, Deutscher Landwein, Qualitätswein, and Prädikatswein. The latter is further divided into the ripeness levels Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, and Eiswein.

Spätlese means “late harvest” and grapes have a sweetness level of 76-90 Oechsle (172–209 g/L sugar) when harvested. Auslese meaning “select harvest”, Auslese is even sweeter picked at 83–110 Oechsle (191–260 g/l sugar) where the grapes are hand-selected and have noble rot.

Wine Labeling

Qualitätswein = quality wine, similar to the French “vin de pays.” Prädikatswein = this is the highest quality German wine that is further subdivided into 6 categories based on must weight, essentially the concentration of sugars is measured in degrees Oechsle in the unfermented grape juice.

The German word for Pinot Noir is Spätburgunder, translating to “late” (spät), referring to the grape's later ripening when compared to other Pinot clones, and Burgundy (Burgunder), the antiquated term for Pinot Noir.

What kind of wine goes with hors d oeuvres? ›

The freshness and minerality of a Riesling, Pinot Blanc or a Sylvaner will go very well with the acidity of the cabbage and the iodized notes of the fish. To accompany this dish and reveal its aromas, a glass of "Blanc Sec" HOPLA by Bestheim or a Sylvaner Classic will delight the taste buds of your guests.

How many SMALL glasses of wine in a 750ml bottle of red wine, or rosé? You'll usually get as many as 6 or 7, depending on the serving size. The standard small size of 125ml gives exactly six glasses per bottle.

According to health specialists, the recommended limit of wine per week is 10 small glasses. Technically, this means you can enjoy a small glass of wine with dinner every day of the week and not be in dangerous territory. However, take a look at how much you are actually consuming on a daily basis — and why.

A serving of wine is five ounces, so be sure you're not using too big or full a glass as your guide. Drinking more than the recommended amount of wine per day can lead to both short-term and long-term consequences.

White varieties of Riesling, Silvaner and Grauburgunder dominate. The best vineyards are in an area of steep sloping vineyards around Nierstein and produce some of the most full-bodied Rieslings in all of Germany.

German-style sausages such as frankfurters and bratwurst

A light lager, pilsner or Kolsch for frankfurters, a slightly sweeter beer like a helles or golden lager for grilled brats. Try a crisp, dry Riesling if you don't like beer.

A Wiener Schnitzel is best paired with a white wine that balances acid with sweetness. In Austria, the traditional pairing is Grüner Veltliner. Schnitzel also pairs well with Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Gewürztraminer. The lack of fat in veal can lead to dry meat when overcooked.