Every Saturday morning I make the trip out of the city to Russos to buy fresh produce. I wish I could say that I go there for the inexpensiveve fruit and veges, the great Italian deli, the freshly baked bread, or the selection of imported olive oil. And I can say this, because it's true. But the real reason why I drive out of the city to shop instead of finding a more convenient place in the city is to visit Mark, the head cheese guy at the front of the cheese counter.

Mark is passionate about his cheese. Every week I show up, and even when he's busy, he invites me over. "Hey, I got something really cool in, you gotta try this," he'll say.

Depending on who you ask and when you ask it, the line German-French border is either the Rhine river or the Vosges mountains, 25 km west. German winemakers believe that a greate wine achieves a natural balance between the residual sugar and the its acidity. They tend to be on the low side when it comes to alcohol content. And though grape varieties and the town names -- in fact, much of the region's language -- may be German, the wine is most definitely French. That is, it's made with more lusciousness and body that pairs it well with food.

In 1985, a few unsavory Austrian wine producers were found to have added diethylene glycol to their wines in order to give them more body (a heavier feel in the mouth). While not illegal, this action was a huge scandal, considering that diethylene glycol is not a wine additive, but a coolant.

It takes only one second to make a reputation, but it can take a lifetime to break it, something that the Austrian wine industry has tried very hard to do since. Thanks to some talented and perspicacious winemakers like Willi Bründlmayer from the Kremstal and Emmerich Knoll from the Wachau, whose Riesling I will discuss post-haste, Austrian wine now is regarded as some of the best in the world.

When I think of Germany, I think of the BMW.

The BMW is an automobile that really defines what is meant by german efficiency. It is designed to take a corner as fast as a box on four wheels can take one, to hug the road at 140 kmh, and to feel like you are sitting on your living room couch in the process. What makes a BMW so wonderful to drive is its balance. Since I'm a fan of balance in both my automobile and my wine, its appropriate that we start our Riesling tour in Germany.

Still searching for a top wine shop, a reader recommended Len and Peter from Federal Wine and Spirits, on State Street just outside of Faneuil Hall in Boston. Liz and I decided to check it out last Wednesday during their weekly Wednesday tasting, where I was happy to hear that they were showcasing Austrian wines.