An Eclectic German Couple

Eclectic offerings from Germany, courtesy of Mack & Schühle – The Wine and Spirits Family. Their roster of value-priced spring wine and cocktail offerings include a very tasty Riesling and Bellini in a bottle.

Ted Scheffler

July 12, 2024

I love a good Bellini cocktail as much as I love its backstory. The Bellini cocktail has a charming history rooted in Venice, Italy. It is said to have been invented by Giuseppe Cipriani, the founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, around the mid-20th century. The drink is named after the 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini, known for his exquisite use of peachy hues, which inspired the cocktail’s color. Cipriani created the Bellini by pureeing white peaches and combining the puree with Prosecco, a sparkling wine native to the Veneto region. The result was a beautifully pale peachy-pink drink with a delicate fruity flavor and effervescence, capturing the essence of Italian elegance.

Well, if you don’t happen to have any peach puree on hand, score yourself a bottle of Artigiano Bellini ($12.99) from Germany. Store it in the fridge for a ready-to-drink Bellini that tastes like the real deal. It’s a yummy blend of fizzy white wine with peach fruit puree that captures the Italian spirit Cipriani created. The folks at Mack & Schühle importers say to “Gently shake it to wake it”, open with care, and serve chilled.

The other German beverage I sampled this week was a Riesling. Riesling wines are known for their aromatic qualities, typically offering notes of green apple, citrus (like lemon and lime), peach, and sometimes floral or mineral undertones. Riesling can range from bone-dry to very sweet, depending on the region and winemaking style.

Art of Earth Riesling 2021 ($11.99) is from Germany’s Rheinhessen QBA Appellation and is made from 100% Riesling grapes. It is an organic wine that is budget friendly – quite a bang for the Riesling buck. Rheinhessen, located in Southwest Germany, has a dry, warm climate which makes for good organic vineyard conditions.

The pale lemon-colored wine is “Trocken” – which means dry – with tart green apple and pineapple flavors, lime, and an earthy mineral finish. Riesling is a very versatile food wine and I would pair Art of Earth Riesling with brats & sauerkraut, ceviche, and spicy Asian dishes.

Food & Drink, Sips, Utah Bites, Wine, Spirits and Beer

Ted Scheffler

Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine, and travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, music, and reading, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers. Ted is also the author of the Utah Bites newsletter, which is published in partnership with Utah Stories. Before moving to Utah, Ted lived in New York City, and numerous states in the US, as well as in various countries overseas, Spain, Japan, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. He earned a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from the Graduate Faculty of The New School for Social Research.