New Wine ("Federweißer")
If you hold the glass to your ear, Federweißer (new wine) sounds like murmuring waves. When the time of the grape harvest has come, you can get 'Rauscher', 'Sauser' or 'Brauser', these local terms are used for Federweißer in Germany, on every street corner.
Facts
-
5 %
by volume alcohol content
-
around 2
million liters are sold annually in Rhineland-Palatinate
Steffen Schindler, marketing director for Wines of Germany (DWI), puts it this way: “Federweißer is a pleasure that defines autumn and the grape harvest just as much as a delicious onion tart.” Ideally, you drink Federweißer when it has come half way between grape juice and wine, when sweetness, alcohol content and fruit acidity are well balanced. At this stage, its alcohol content amounts to around 5 % vol. watch video (German language / subtitles)
How to handle Federweißer correctly
Owing to the high demand for the new wine, Federweißer is on offer all over Germany these days and can be bought in supermarkets as well as specialist wine stores. But you have to be careful when you buy it: Since fermentation continues inside the bottle, it should always be sealed with a closure that is permeable to air, so the carbonic acid can escape. The bottle should be transported standing upright at all times. Wines of Germany recommends to taste a little of the Federweißer once you have reached home. If it tastes just right: Straight into the fridge it goes, because the cold puts a stop to the fermentation process and you will be able to enjoy a perfect Federweißer for a little longer. (Video of Federweisser harvest)
If the Federweißer still tastes too sweet, keep it at room temperature and have another taste after 6-8 hours. Once the perfect degree of sweetness has been achieved, store the Federweißer in the fridge.
How much Federweißer is sold per year?
In Rhineland-Palatinate alone, about two million liters of Federweißer are sold every year.
Varietals
More recipe ideas
with apples Pork medallions
with apples
- 8 Stück Schweinemedaillons
- 500 Gramm Bandnudeln
- 2 große Äpfel
- 200 ml Sahne
- 10 Blättchen frischer Salbei
- 4 Zweige frischer Thymian
- nach Geschmack Zucker
- 3 EL Calvados
- 1 EL Öl
- zum Abschmecken Salz & Pfeffer
Slightly pepper and salt the medallions on both sides. Pluck the thyme, cut the sage into fine strips and roll the medallions in the herbs. Fry the meat in a pan with a little oil on both sides, not too hot, until it starts to colour. Remove from the pan and place on a preheated tray in the oven at 100 °C until cooked through.
Cook the tagliatelle al dente and keep warm.
In the meantime, peel the apples and cut into slices approx. 1.5 cm wide. Reheat the meat pan and add the apple slices. After about half a minute, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar over the apples and allow them to caramelise. After a minute, deglaze the apple slices with a generous dash of Calvados and flambé. Add the cream and flavour with salt and pepper.
Remove the fillet from the oven. Add the meat juices from the oven dish to the sauce and serve the fillets with the tagliatelle, apple slices and Calvados apple sauce.
<p- Riesling (trocken)
with cinnamon and sugar Odenwald apple soufflé
with cinnamon and sugar
- 1 kg Äpfel
- 250 Gramm Semmelbrösel
- 125 Gramm Zucker
- 2 EL Butter
- 1/2 TL Zimt
- 1 Msp. gemahlene Nelken
- 50 Gramm Rosinen
- 100 ml trockener Weißwein
- 1 EL Rum
- zum Bestreuen Zimt & Zucker
Sauté the breadcrumbs, butter, spices and 2 tbsp sugar in a pan. Peel the apples and cut into slices. Sauté in white wine with rum and sugar until the liquid has almost evaporated.
<p
<p>Fill the greased springform tin alternately with the breadcrumb mixture and apples (bottom and top layer of breadcrumb mixture).
Bake for one ½ hour at 140 °C. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- Riesling (lieblich)
the "Frankfurt Green Sauce" Quiche with herbs
the "Frankfurt Green Sauce"
- 200 Gramm Mehl
- 100 Gramm Butter
- je 1 Bund Kräuter für Frankfurter Grüne Sauce (Petersilie, Kresse, Kerbel, Borretsch, Sauerampfer, Schnittlauch, Pimpernelle)
- 100 - 125 Gramm Schwarzwälder Schinken
- 7 ganze Eier
- 125 ml Sahne
- 100 Gramm Frischkäse
- 1 EL Zitronensaft
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Knead the flour and butter with 4 tbsp water and a teaspoon of salt to form a smooth dough. Line a mould with it and leave to cool for 30 minutes.</p
<p>Hard boil 4 eggs. Wash, drain and finely chop the herbs from the Frankfurt green sauce. Cut the ham into wafer-thin slices and spread on the pastry base. Chop the hard-boiled eggs into small
and spread over the top. Mix the 3 eggs, cream and fresh cheese and season with 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper, then fold in the herbs. Spread the mixture over the pastry base.
Bake at 180 °C (gas mark 4) on the middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Riesling (trocken)
with goat's cheese Courgette and chanterelle salad
with goat's cheese
- 2 ganze Zucchini
- 3 EL Rapsöl
- 1 kleine Schalotte
- 300 Gramm Pfifferlinge
- 1 Msp. gemahlener Piment
- 2 Bund Rucola
- je 1/2 Bund Kerbel u. glatte Petersilie
- je 3 EL Walnuss- u. Rapsöl
- 4 Stück Ziegenkäse-Taler
- 1 Prise Zucker
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Salad:
Wash the courgettes and slice thinly. Place in a bowl and mix with the oil.
Heat a grill pan and fry the courgettes in batches until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, place in a bowl.
<p
<p>Peel and finely dice the shallot. Clean the chanterelles, wash if necessary and pat dry. Depending on size, cut in half if necessary.
<p
<p>Sauté the shallot in a pan until translucent. Add the chanterelles and fry vigorously for 3 minutes while stirring. Season with salt, pepper and allspice. Add to the courgettes. Wash the rocket and spin dry.
Dressing:
Wash the herbs, shake dry. Pluck the leaves, blend finely with both types of oil and vinegar in a blender or with a hand blender. Flavour with salt, pepper and sugar. Pour over the courgette and chanterelle mix and mix loosely with the rocket. Arrange on plates, sprinkle with goat's cheese.
- Pinot Blanc (trocken)
