WTN: The Albalonga and Short of It ('97 Wittmann Albalonga Auslese)
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:53 pm1997 Wittmann Westhofener Steingrube Albalonga Auslese (Rheinhessen)
Albalonga (no, not the ancient, central Italian city) is the bastard child of Rieslaner and Silvaner, which makes it a double bastard child since Rieslaner is a bastard child of Riesling and Silvaner. If it does anything really well, it gets ripe! In the hands of Phillip Wittmann it gets ripe but not so crazy-ass ripe that it loses its acidity.
A 9 year old bottle with virtually zero ullage (classic German overfill), lovely bright yellow color.
The aromas run to the non-grape, with pine needles, mint, boxwood and only after that a rush of pineapple and other tropical fruits. It's fresh and lively on the palate, showing some surprisingly uppity acidity (especially for a '97) that speaks to its Rieslaner heritage. The flavors are integrated in the way of a tropical fruit salad with a healthy mint garnish. Sweet, but not too sweet to drink with a meal, there's also a long finish with a pleasing bitterness (sort of a ripe grapefruit bitterness) to finish it off and keep the sweetness in check. The overall package just begs the next sip.
Is Albalonga for everyone? Gee I hope not, as there is not that much of it. But if you like your wine a little on the wild side then this might be the grape for you.
Albalonga (no, not the ancient, central Italian city) is the bastard child of Rieslaner and Silvaner, which makes it a double bastard child since Rieslaner is a bastard child of Riesling and Silvaner. If it does anything really well, it gets ripe! In the hands of Phillip Wittmann it gets ripe but not so crazy-ass ripe that it loses its acidity.
A 9 year old bottle with virtually zero ullage (classic German overfill), lovely bright yellow color.
The aromas run to the non-grape, with pine needles, mint, boxwood and only after that a rush of pineapple and other tropical fruits. It's fresh and lively on the palate, showing some surprisingly uppity acidity (especially for a '97) that speaks to its Rieslaner heritage. The flavors are integrated in the way of a tropical fruit salad with a healthy mint garnish. Sweet, but not too sweet to drink with a meal, there's also a long finish with a pleasing bitterness (sort of a ripe grapefruit bitterness) to finish it off and keep the sweetness in check. The overall package just begs the next sip.
Is Albalonga for everyone? Gee I hope not, as there is not that much of it. But if you like your wine a little on the wild side then this might be the grape for you.