Talking Apple Wine

Folks around Hessen (my local German state) tend to take apple wine serious.  Folks here.....drink more apple wine, than beer.

This week, there's been serious acquisitions made over the three major apple wine producers.

First, some science folks took samples and noted that there's too much sugar now in apple wine sold.  In some cases, the label didn't say sugar was included in the product....when it was definitely there.

Second, there's a term on most of these product labels.....suggesting these are Hessen apples used to make the product.  What they don't say....is the percentage.  The investigation folks found in some cases....it was only ten-percent.  To claim some status as a state product, which is a big deal around here.....it's supposed to be near fifty-percent of those state apples used for the product.

All of this has apparently been forwarded to the Hessen state prosecutor and folks are talking about some court action against the main producers of apple wine.

An agenda?  Well....you've got two agendas at work here.

One agenda is about sugar usage and the nutritional experts aren't just lining up to fight the wine guys.....but just about everyone they can touch.  I've seen at least twenty nutritional news bits over the past year from within Hessen over sugar usage.  They bring in doctors and health foundations....talking anti-sugar themes.

It wouldn't surprise me if we have some attempt to legally limit sugary-type drinks to underage kids (say twelve years old) within the next five years here in Hessen.

The other agenda is the cheaper apples versus the more expensive apples.  Folks get all peppy about apples grown in Hessen and think they are five-star apples.....so they ought to cost more.  If you go down into Croatia or Czech.....you tend to find high quality apples for a lesser price.  So the market guys.....the apple wine producers realized the savings of money.

I'm not sure how much control will be exercised by the government, or if the apple wine producers might go for a domestic produce rather than a regional product.....figuring cost is a bigger deal than a label.

An odd thing to argue about and drag into court?  Well....yeah.  Germans sit around and analyze things like this, and then want to correct what they think is wrong.  Around thirty years ago, some Germans went and analyzed regular wine....then realized that various acids were being added to wine production to get a certain taste, and they weren't listed on the label. This got to be page one news for a month or so, as folks got disturbed over additives.

Bottom line?  Someone is out there to protect you over apple wine.....whether you drink it or not.