Germany versus Austria Wine Tasting featuring Riesling, Gruner and more...

“I learned early to drink beer, wine and whiskey. And I think I was about 5 when I first chewed tobacco.”
Babe Ruth

Proof that drinking does enhance your athletic performance!   We’re training for the wine drinking Olympics here at Wine Watch and rounding all the bases this week we have a workshop on the wines of Alsace, Germany and Austria.

It was just a few short years ago that Germany produced the world’s most expensive wines on Earth.  A few world wars and wine consumers taste changing from sweet to dryer wines have put Germany behind the other great European wine countries in popularity for now.  But, they still make some of the world’s best wines focusing almost entirely on a single varietal with Riesling making up over 50% of the planted varietals in this country.

Alsace is part of France today but its wines resemble those of Germany more than the rest of France with Riesling and other aromatic whites making up the majority of their production along with a tiny bit of Pinot Noir.  The wines of Alsace are varietally labeled and they seem a bit easier to understand than the rest of France which doesn’t usually put the grape varietal even on the label.

Austria is another great source of aromatic whites along with a bit of Pinot Noir as well as a few other unique reds like; Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, and St. Laurent.  This country bottle for bottle produces some of the most expensive wines in the world.  If you look at the average cost of a bottle of wine produced in Austria they are second only to the Swiss in highest on average price for a bottle of fermented grape juice.

Germany Austria and Alsace Wine Tasting featuring Riesling, Gruner, Muscat and more...
Friday, May 3, 2019
7:30 PM

2007 Weingut Bernhard Huber Pinot Rose Brut Sekt Baden Germany
Price: $55.00    Your Price: $48.40               Quantity in Stock: 7

One of the top German producers of Pinot Noir also makes one of the best methode Champenoise sparkling wines made in Germany!

2017 Dautel Weissburgunder Wurttemberg
Price: $27.50    Your Price: $24.20    Quantity in Stock: 36

No destemming, crushed and pressed, with some skin contact, but depends on the vintage. In 2017 it was minimal. Naturally fermented in stainless steel and in steel on the full lees for 5-6 months before racking and bottling. There is no lees stirring here “I want to do as little as possible to disturb the lees. I love to work with yeast, but you must be gentle.” Says Christian.
40% from Cleebronner Michelsberg –  a section of the hill with gypsum soils, 60% from Bönnigheimer Sonnenberg – a section of the hill with reed sandstone soils
A light fusil quality, they own 16 hectares and they focus on four varietals and this is the estate version of this varietal, very fresh and with green pear and lime citrus hints of white flowers.  Bright and fresh on the tongue with a nice creamy texture on the finish, good minerality lengthening the finish.  Finish 40+    Excellent +

2017 Dautel Estate Riesling Wurttemberg
Price: $25.00    Your Price: $22.00    Quantity in Stock: 60

No destemming, crushed and pressed, with some skin contact, but depends on the vintage. In 2017 it was minimal. Naturally fermented in stainless steel and in steel on the full lees for 5-6 months before racking and bottling. There is no lees stirring here “I want to do as little as possible to disturb the lees. I love to work with yeast, but you must be gentle” says Christian.
50% from Bönnigheimer Sonnenberg – a section of the hill with reed sandstone soils and 50% from Katzenohrle
“A characteristic ’17 and a Riesling inside-the-lines, i.e., if you approach it looking for something Other, you’ll be let down because it’s actually quite classical, vigorous and tasty. ” Terry Theise

 2016 Dautel Riesling Besigheimer Wurmberg Wurttemberg
Price: $40.00    Your Price: $35.20    Quantity in Stock: 60

“From near-50-yr-old Rielsing vines planted in steep limestone-soil terraces overlooking the Enz River (ta David), it’s smoky yet with the twiggy sleek lyric qualities of both the soil and the vintage; and how do you poise herbs and oolong teas and salts with such a gentle demeanor? This wine is definitely original.” Terry Theise

Wine Watch Tasting Notes:  Pear and apple fruit light aromas lemon blossom and they have calcareous soils limestone higher PH soils everything is harvested by hand.   Bright and zesty on the tongue with excellent concentration a creamy texture and a long mineral laced finish, even better on the second day.  Finish 50+    Excellent +

 2016 Dautel Riesling Steingruben Bonnigheimer GG Wurttemberg
Price: $69.00    Your Price: $60.72    Quantity in Stock: 58

Green apple and this is Grand Cru with a bit higher in altitude this wine has a good amount of minerality chalky sea shell like this family has been making wine for 500 years.  Naturally fermented and in big oak barrels this wine is excellent has a firm hand of acidity and a long-layered finish very rich a creamy texture.  Finish 50+    Most Excellent

2016 JJ Prum Riesling Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett
Price: $35.00       Sale $30.80          Quantity in Stock: 22

David Schildknecht has noted that "consistent excellence – like age worthiness – has long been a hallmark of Joh. Jos. Prum Rieslings."

2016 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
Price: $40.00       Sale $35.20          Quantity in Stock: 18

.More fruit and weight than their Graacher Himmelreich, with a lovely cherry blossom character on the mid palate and impressive persistence. Pretty much the perfect Mosel Kabinett. 17+/20 points. Drink 2018-2031. (RH) (9/2017) Jancis Robinson.

2001 Joh Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese
Price: $115.00    Your Price: $101.20          Quantity in Stock: 12

This wine is still a baby but a great vintage that is now almost 20 years old, it will be interesting to taste this mature example of Riesling from one of the great producers of the Mosel.

2012 Zind Humbrecht Zind White blend Alsace
Price: $32.25    Sale Price: $15.75                Quantity in Stock: 18

We started to blend and separately bottle the Chardonnay (65%) and the Auxerrois (35%) from the Clos Windsbuhl vineyard in 2004 when we believed the vines to be old enough to produce a certain quality (15 years old). Unfortunately (or funnily) the presence of the Chardonnay is the reason why we are obliged to declassify this wine to the Vin de Table category, despite the fact that this vineyard is one of our top sites. In 2012, the grapes harvested were very healthy with a nice acidity. Due to a structural problem, cask 51 (105hl) needed to be replaced with a new cask and the Zind 2012 was the obvious choice for the first wine in this cask. Being the first wine, the cask did not contain any yeasts from previous vintages and explains perhaps partly why the 2012 kept a little more residual sweetness than expected.

The new foudre (large old oval oak cask) influence is negligible and only a very sharp taster would be able to detect its presence. The light toasty aromas combine with herbal and white fruit, light smokiness and chalk on the nose. The palate is very elegant and shows little of the sweetness. I did rate this wine indice 1 for a long time before I saw the analysis! Long finish that feels dry but so easy to drink, already today.

2015 Zind Humbrecht Muscat Alsace
Price: $27.75       Sale $24.42          Quantity in Stock: 11

(90 Points) There's good drive to this dry Muscat, with flavors of blood orange granita, apricot and basil layered with snappy acidity and stony minerality.  Wine Spectator

2015 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Muscat Goldert Grand Cru
Price: $49.50       Sale $43.56          Quantity in Stock: 12

(91 points) Vivid pale straw-green. Minty chlorophyll, jasmine and white stone fruit on the nose and palate. Very juicy and fresh, displaying a crystalline quality and savory elements on the long, piercing finish. Fine-grained and saline just like the 2014 Goldert was, but a little fleshier because of the warmer 2015 vintage. The grapes were harvested in early September, before the rains of September 14.  (Apr 2018) Vinous

2009 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos St Urbain Selection De Grains Noble (375ml)
Price: $95.75    Sale Price: $59.75                Quantity in Stock: 31

2014 FX Pichler Gruner Veltliner Klostersatz Federspiel
Price: $44.25    Your Price: $38.94    Quantity in Stock: 17

"The 2014 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Loibner Klostersatz has a clear and bright bouquet with a nice intensity of white ripe fruits. Medium to full-bodied, very juicy and with a good phenolic structure, this is a mouth-filling and characterful Gruner with a good and stimulating finish. Ready to enjoy." The Wine Advocate

2014 FX Pichler Riesling Loibner Burgstall Federspiel
Price: $36.00    Your Price: $31.68    Quantity in Stock: 8

The single vineyard Burgstall stretches on a high plateau featuring pure gneiss and granite soils with blown-in sands on top. It is the oldest vineyard in Loiben. The name translates to “Burg”- castle and “Stahl”- stallion as there was a small fortification built here in the Middle Ages (around 1238) to defend the farm animals against raiders. It was mentioned in the chronicles as early as 1248. This sun-pampered and breezy vineyard is most suitable for lacy, fruit-driven and purist Rieslings in the Federspiel range.

2015 FX Pichler Riesling Oberhauser Smargd Austria
Price: $39.00    Your Price: $34.32    Quantity in Stock: 6

A sub-site within Klostersatz with a very high portion of gravel up to the surface. This is the perfect terroir for the fruity, easily accessible type of Riesling. Quaffing wines with a clear structure and subtle elegance that are characterized by a racy apricot and peach fruit.

2015 FX Pichler Gruner Veltliner Klostersatz Federspiel
Price: $35.25    Your Price: $31.02    Quantity in Stock: 23

From the vineyards around the domaine (gravelly soils) the 2015 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Loibner Klostersatz is a light to medium-bodied, elegant and nicely mineral and nervous Veltliner with a ripe fruit intensity and a piquant and salty finish. Good length. (SR) (6/2016) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 2014 FX Pichler Gruner Veltliner Durnsteiner Kellerberg Smargd Austria
Price: $97.50    Your Price: $85.80    Quantity in Stock: 8

There is an international consensus that this is the absolute model vineyard. This vertiginous, barren and purist primitive-rock terrace, which is exposed from south to south-east and located at the exit of a side valley, creates a very special microclimate. The Kellerberg vineyard is pampered by the sun early in the morning. During night, cool air streaming in from the bordering woods fosters the development of the complex texture and delicately nuanced, usually exotic aromas and flavors typical of this wine. In fall, large temperature differences between day and night shape the grapes. Honey melon, mango, passion fruit, banana and fully ripe peach, concise minerally notes as a dowry of the meager, weathered soil, and the extremely deeply rooting old vines make the wines of this site unparalleled and outstanding. We are fascinated about the wines from Kellerberg due to their filigree elegance, which can hardly be expressed in words.

Menu

Charcuterie and Cheese
Tomato and Strawberry Gazpacho Shooters
Tuna and Mushroom Tartar
Pork Belly bites with Orange Honey marmalade
Mini Bratwurst pigs in the blanket with mustard and Sauerkraut
Mini Black Forest Cupcakes with Riesling icing

This is a walk around tasting in the Wine Cave and is $45 per person, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.