WTN: Riesling, Spätburgunder, and somehow a St. Estèphe

I was recently in Germany and drank a lot of German wine. The one exception to that was the 1986 Cos d’Estournel which was overly angular and one dimensional. This made me suspect something had gone wrong during the decades of storage, as I had heard better things about this wine.

The wine used most often for Holiday Toasting was the 2004 Maximin Grünhäuser Riesling Sekt Brut which had more presence and intensity than a lot of sekts but still didn’t quite turn the personality corner of sufficient ripeness/depth for me to get very happy.

That theme of not quite turning the corner was followed with a bunch of trocken wines, including the 2005 Wegeler Bernkasteler Badstude Riesling Kabinett Trocken that was neutral tart bordeom although one of my German companions actually found it ‚too fruity’ and he would have preferred it ‚drier’. We had a short conversation about what those words mean in relation to wine and it was all very instructive for me to see what Such People think. I believe he would be happier drinking water with stale lemon added, but at least he is spending money on wine.

Several bottles of the 2007 Maximin Grünhäuser Riesling QbA Trocken were covered in sulfur and tart headaches. There was no evidence to my palate of interesting fruit that will emerge once that sulfur is less present, but it’s Grünhaus and what do I know.

The 2006 von Kesselstatt Kaseler Nies'chen Riesling Kabinett Trocken was a little better and almost showed some character but we finally got there with the 2007 Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken which was a savory spicy mineral pleasure. It has come together quite a bit since the late summer when it was an unfocused mess and I’m guessing it will only get better.

There were a bunch of spätburgunders, including the 2005 Salwey Spätburgunder QbA Trocken ‚RS’ which was round doughy lip-smacking perfumed red fruit goodness. I like the fun and casual nonchalance of these wines. Would be hard pressed to tell the difference if served blind but there was a bit more depth to the 2005 Sasbach Winzergenossenschaft Spätburgunder Spätlese Trocken “Orchidea”. Vintage differences were more noticeable as both the 2007 Sasbach Winzergenossenschaft Rote Halde Spätburgunder QbA Trocken and the 2007 Sasbach Winzergenossenschaft Spätburgunder Spätlese Trocken “Orchidea” were decent with food for me but they were too tart and not sufficiently rich for many at the table.

So when that happened we usually left the table and turned to the brandies.

[David M. Bueker]

...one of my German companions actually found it ‚too fruity’ and he would have preferred it ‚drier’. We had a short conversation about what those words mean in relation to wine and it was all very instructive for me to see what Such People think. I believe he would be happier drinking water with stale lemon added, but at least he is spending money on wine.

Fashion/dogma over taste.

Next thing you know they will be drinking nothing but zero-dosage Champagnes, proclaiming that "all the great Champagnes were historically zero dosage."

Fashion/dogma over taste.

And from my experiences, Mosel and Rhine riesling seems to be viewed a very unfashionable for many young Germans. Sometimes they tell me it is something that 'their grandparents would drink.' To which I respond 'Your grandparents were smart and knew what they were doing!'

Of course many of them were drinking the cheap crap, but that's a different story..

I was recently in Germany and drank a lot of German wine. The one exception to that was the 1986 Cos d’Estournel which was overly angular and one dimensional. This made me suspect something had gone wrong during the decades of storage, as I had heard better things about this wine.

Had a pleasant experience with this wine at an 86 Bdx horizontal about 2 months ago. As I recall, the Cos was quite smooth and nicely-balanced, contrary to my pre-tasting expecations that most 86 were harshly tannic which will outlast the fruit. I liked this wine.

Ramon

86 Bdx horizontal about 2 months ago. As I recall, the Cos was quite smooth and nicely-balanced, contrary to my pre-tasting expecations that most 86 were harshly tannic which will outlast the fruit. I liked this wine.

Ramon

Indeed it sounds like our bottle was off.