Oktoberfest Wine Tasting
Tasting notes, impressions, and pairings from this month's Hanover Golf Club Wine Club event:
Oktoberfest season is coming to a close, so the wine theme was Germany (with a bit of Austria/Hungary because, well it’s not a beer tasting…) After getting over the shock of the sweetness of our first pour, a Late harvest Royal Tokaji (liken it to a white port), we sipped a bit and waited to see if the pairing would help balance out – easier to drink with the Slow Roasted Pumpkin, Raisin Puree, Apple, Walnut dish. Next was a crisp, floral Raimund Prum Riesling Essence Mosel – went well with the Grilled Pear, Fennel, Blue Cheese (hard pass on the Horseradish part of this dish). Third was our favorite of the evening, an Austrian Laurenz V. Friendly Gruner Veltliner (bit minerally with white pepper finish – similar to a Vermentino) – went perfectly with the Smoked Trout, Miso Glazed Onion, Sunchoke (look it up, they were excellent), Flowers. Fourth pairing was another Austrian wine, Pfaffl Zweighelt (fun to say, a young, easy, drinkable Red) with the Jagerschnitzel (also fun to say and happily not a hint of Jagermeister), Braised Red Cabbage, Maitake, Curried Fingerling – everyone at the table thoroughly enjoyed this course. Last we had a delicious, crispy Donuts & Apple Cider Anglaise dessert paired with Kreusch Spatlese Rheinhessen, another late harvest Mosel that was light, fresh, and fruity. Had a little of the Pfaffl left to finish the evening.
