Federweisser

Annual "new wine" season has started. A bit concerning when you pick up a bottle - only seen in the  chilled cabinets - and tip it horizontally to read the label only to find your trousers soaked. None of the screw tops seal the contents!

Unlike the young wine of Beaujolais, this German/Austrian/Italian (south Tyrol) wine is still fermenting and needs to give off the gases. It's in the chilling cabinet to slow down the process. Every day it becomes a different tasting wine with increased alcohol content as the process takes it course. It is naturally also cloudy with the yeasts & sugars at work.

Traditionally eaten with flan/quiche type dishes especially the famous Zwiebelkuchen, Onion Cake. Naturally best enjoyed in a beer garden type setting with a good brass band playing. Normally this time of year, lots of wine fests in addition to the beer fests.

A particularly lovely tradition in coming weeks is "Törggelen", particularly in the German-speaking South Tyrol, wandering from vineyard to vineyard tasting new wine & wonderful evenings in a "hut" eating & drinking more!

At €1.66 (£1.50) litre. it's cheaper than most soft drinks.