24 Oct Please The Palate Pick of the Week: German Wines from Home “Corks & Forks” pairing German Wine with Food Favorites

Everyone loves comfort food. And when a chicken tinga fajita bowl with a side of street corn is delivered to your door to pair with two German wines, you know it is going to be a good day. That is why the Wines of Germany: German Wines from Home “Corks & Forks” virtual event, pairing German wine with food favorites is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

With the new virtual world we live in, Wines of Germany took their 2020 Trade and Media event digital with a multi-event virtual series entitled German Wine From Home. The series culminated with the Corks & Forks: Pairing German Wine with Food Favorites moderated by sommeliers and Wines of Germany’s Ambassadors Amy Waller (Minneapolis) and Chris Poldoian (Houston) who shared their thoughts on how to pair German wines with a variety of regional cuisines.

Trade and media from four cities participated, each receiving a different meal. In New York, participants received American and So-Cal Turkey Sliders with a side of fries from Bareburger. In Minneapolis, participants enjoyed fried chicken and a biscuit with a side of macaroni and cheese (which came with a side of flaming Cheetos to put on top) from Handsome Hog. In Houston, participants had Bahn Mi Ga and Bahn Mi Cha Lua (pork and chicken) with Goi Coun Spring Rolls from Thien An Sandwiches. And in Los Angeles, I enjoyed a chicken tinga fajita bowl and a side of street corn from Tocaya Organica.

The one thing that we all had in common were the two wines. We had the Schafer-Frohlich 2018 Estate Riesling Trocken, Nahe and the Leitz 2019 Pinot Noir Rose, Rheingau. The fun part was to taste the wines and try them with our different dishes. This was a fun way to share a meal and a bottle of wine with different styles of food.

Schäfer-Fröhlich 2018 Estate Riesling Trocken, Nahe ($16)

The Fröhlich family has been cultivating vines since 1800 and founded Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in the 1970s. In the early 1990s, Tim Fröhlich took over the family estate and made his first vintage in 1995. This Riesling comes from a blend of young vines from the top vineyard sites. It is a bright, clear color. The wine is dry and comes in at 12% alcohol and has 8.5 grams of acidity. The wine has a beautiful nose of lemon, grapefruit and wet rocks. On the palate, the wine is precise and focused with a medium body and mouthwatering salinity.

Leitz 2019 Pinot Noir Rosé, Rheingau ($17)

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the grapes macerate for three hours before direct-to-press into stainless steel. The wine is dry and comes in at 12% alcohol. It has fresh notes of strawberries and watermelon and is fresh and crisp with a roundness on the palate and a mouthwatering finish. While a dry wine, there is a touch of residual sugar on this wine.

When it came to pairing the wines with the food, one person in New York felt the Riesling worked with the mustard on the beef burger. And in Minneapolis, they agreed the Riesling was a hit with the fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. But, when the flaming hot Cheetos were added, the Rosé of Pinot Noir was a better fit. And again, the Riesling was a lovely pairing with the Bahn Mi sandwiches.

For me, the crisp minerality of the Riesling was a lovely pairing with the corn, which has a sweet, creamier texture. However, the Riesling was a bit too dry for the spice of the chicken tinga fajita. A richer style Riesling would have been a better pairing so that the residual sugar would have tempered the spice. But, the Rosé of Pinot Noir with its roundness and touch of sweetness worked well with the spice of the fajitas.

German wines are wonderful choices when looking to pair with your next meal. I enjoyed two beautiful wines from Germany with my delivered meal. It was a great way to end my week and that is why Wines of Germany German Wines from Home Corks & Forks virtual event, pairing German wine with food favorites, is the Please The Palate pick of the week.