People know it sounds stylish to ask for "a dry white wine" at a bar.

Never mind that what they usually get--a rich, fruity Chardonnay--is not really a dry wine. (Truly dry wines such as a flinty Chablis, an austere white Bordeaux, or dry sherry are not actually very popular.) I'm not denying German wines are sweet. But most of them balance sweetness with acidity nicely, creating a soft, delicate product that complements seafood quite well. They ascend a scale that roughly corresponds with sweetness--Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese (the terms refer to the wine's sugar level). You need concern yourself only with the first three types of wine; the others are only drunk with (or in place of) dessert. Uncork a young Moselle (from any of these three categories), smell its beautiful perfumed nose, and sip it on a warm summer afternoon. As a friend of mine said (of Bernkasteler Doctor, one of the best vineyards in Germany), "This is what God drinks at 5 o'clock in the summer."

       More noticeable than their sweetness is the lack of alcohol in German wines, which is why they taste light (or weak, if you prefer) compared with most other wines. German wines can have as little as 8 percent alcohol. The norm for a French wine is 11 percent, and the level can go up to 13. (The difference proportionally is not insignificant. Two glasses of German wine would have as much alcohol as about one and a quarter glasses of a French white wine.) But this should be its hidden advantage--as a lunch wine. German wines are perfect for the working lunch. They go with a wide variety of foods, including most ethnic foods, and are perhaps the only wine that can accompany a salad (the sweetness can withstand the acidity of the vinegar). Most important, the low levels of alcohol mean you won't fall asleep in the afternoon. The Germans may take two-week spa vacations, but they have a lovely solution to the post-lunch productivity problem.

Excerpted from MSN.com