Auslese

Plural auslesen. Literally, “select harvest.” A level of full ripeness according to the traditional German system. In the Modern VDP system in Germany, denotes a wine with significant sweetness.

What is the primary grape variety used in making the Greek wine retsina? (Note: Retsina was a recent Wine Word—do you remember?)

A. Malagousia

B. Savatiano

C. Xinomavro

D. Moschofilero

Savatiano is the most cultivated wine-producing variety in Greece and the primary grape used for retsina. The grapes roditis and assyrtiko are also sometimes used. Savatiano is mostly grown in Central Greece in the wine region Attiki (Attica). As for malagousia and moschofilero, both are aromatic grapes said to make the best aperitifs in all of Greece. Xinomavro, a high acid and tannic red grape is known for making dark, brooding wines which are a specialty of northern Greece.

“Oak should fit into a wine like a shoulder pad in a coat–barely there. But if the guy is too scrawny or the shoulder pad is too big, the whole thing looks stupid.”

—John Kongsgaard
Kongsgaard Wine, Napa Valley

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