When we visit our family in Portland, Oregon we often have at least one dinner that has a theme. This year’s theme was Octoberfest. German sausages were grilled and the beer flowed, for the beer drinkers. I was asked to select wines for the wine drinkers that would be in the group.

We started with a bubbly. I poured a Diehl Riesling Extra Trocken that delighted both the wine drinkers and beer drinkers. This was a nice cleansing wine to start. The fizz was floral and  apple. There were large amounts of bubbles initially on the pour, then very few after a moment. The wine was quite dry. Most of the people that tried it liked it and had a second glass of the sparkling wine.

For most of the appetizers, I selected a Gewürztraminer from Alsace. Although not a part of Germany today, the wine went well with different German cheeses. The 2011 Gewürztraminer had a dark yellow color with 14.5%. It was floral especially orange blossoms and also offered yellow stone fruit. The medium-bodied wine was dry with a mineral finish. The wine also matched well with a German curry sausage.

Our third wine was a 2011 Zweigelt. This dark ruby colored wine from Pratsch Dark had 13.0% alcohol. It had notes of spice and dark fruits especially blackberries and plums. The wine had mild tannins and a medium-body. It matched well with the the German sausages. The German sausages and sauerkraut were purchased from Edelweiss Sausage & Delicatessen in Portland. Different styles of pretzels were purchased from Fressen Artisan Bakery, a German bakery also in Portland.

Cheers,
Terry