Every grape-growing country — even (gasp) France — produces many uninspiring wines. So it seems highly unfair that Germany, more than any other country, has a reputation for uninteresting wines.

        Fortunately, Germany's image is beginning to change as people discover how nicely the clean crisp flavors of German rieslings pair with many different foods — and how they can provide an antidote to hot summer weather.

        In my last column, I wrote about the challenge of growing grapes in Germany's cool northern climate and how this has led the German wine industry to classify wines by grape ripeness.

        For example, most of the wines we see in the Tristate are QbA, Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese, and this order reflects increasing ripeness. Some bottles also indicate sweetness levels on the label by “Trocken” (“Dry”) or “Halbtrocken” (“Half Dry”).

        Germany's most famous wine region is the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. It is centered on the beautiful Mosel River that flows 150 serpentine miles in western Germany from near the old Roman city of Trier to the Rhine River. The Mosel's deep river valley has many south-facing hillsides where sun exposure helps grapes ripen. The Saar and Ruwer Rivers are tributaries of the Mosel, and all three are cut into slate bedrock that frequently imparts flavors to the wines.

        Mosel-Saar-Ruwer wines tend to be pale in color, richly fragrant, light bodied, lively acidic, low in alcohol, sometimes slightly effervescent and elegantly fruity, earthy or flinty.

        However, each of the three river valleys has its own nuances. Wines from the Mosel are generally the softest and fullest bodied, wines from the Saar are the most austere, sometimes even steely, and wines from the Ruwer are the most fragrant and sharply acidic.

        I recently tasted some of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer rieslings available in the Tristate. Here are my preferences.

        Only one wine was bone-dry: von Othegraven 1998 “Maximus” ($18). Its Saar origin shows in its austere, yet interesting complex flavors (recommended).

        My favorite, however, was the Selbach-Oster 1998 “Kabinett, Wehlener Sonnenuhr” ($13) from the Mosel. This lovely wine is light in color and aroma, but medium-bodied and medium-dry in flavor. The balance of ripe fruit and bracing acidity was excellent, and it carried through a long finish. Few wines can match this quality at $13 (highly recommended).

        An interesting pairing was two 1997 wines from different wineries but from the same Mosel vineyard: Reinhold Haart ($20; $11 for 375 ml) and Schmitt Sohne, ($13.50) and “Kabinett, Piesporter Goldtropfchen.” I preferred the Reinhold Haart for greater complexity of flavors and longer finish (highly recommended), but wine lovers who like somewhat sweeter flavors may prefer the Schmitt Sohne (recommended).

        Other recommended wines are Balduin von Hovel 1999 “Qualitatswein” ($13) and Schmitt-Schenk 1998 “Kabinett, Ayler Kupp” ($12), both from the Saar; and Monchhof (Robert Eymael) 1999 “Spatlese, Urziger Wurzgarten” ($21) and Schmitt Sohne 1998 “Classic” ($14) from the Mosel.

        Other wines from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region that I've enjoyed — but tasted only informally — include Studert-Prum 2000 “Kabinett, Wehlener Sonnenuhr” ($10); Vereinigte Hospitien 1999 “Kabinett, Scharzhofberger” ($14); von Othegraven 1997 “Kanzemer Altenberg” ($30); Dr. Fischer 1999 “Auslese, Ockfener Bockstein” ($34; 375 ml); and Dr. H. Thanisch 1999 “Spatlese, Berncasterler Doctor” ($35). The Dr. Fischer is exceptional.

       Contact John Vankat by mail: c/o Cincinnati Enquirer; phone: (800) 524-1005; fax: 768-8330.

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