Opened with parents and family-friends a couple of days ago:
2006 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (Nahe, Germany)
Excellent once again. Elegant and silken-textured with a lovely flavour profile of cherries, peaches, yellow fruits and minerals; the botrytis is barely noticeable here, with only a faint honeyed edge showing on the back end. Great balance with a very long and slightly sweet finish.
Dinner with Yixin
2006 Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese trocken (MSR, Germany)
Very aromatic with lots of lime and lemon flavours on the nose mingled with stony minerals, smoke and floral notes. The real fireworks are in the mouth though; this feels very silky and polished with an incredible brightness and purity to the fruit (not a hint of botrytis, despite the vintage) and a ton of acidity underneath that gives this a sense of buzzing energy and rapier-like precision. Awesome.
2001 Domaine Ostertag Pinot Gris Muenchberg (Alsace, France)
Bright orange-gold in colour (uh-oh), dead and oxidative and no longer resembling anything drinkable. Darn.
2006 Marc Kreydenweiss Costières-de-Nîmes Domaine des Perrières (Costières-de-Nîmes, France)
60% Carignan, 20% Syrah, 20% Grenache. Packed with bright red and dark fruited flavours, earth and meaty elements and notes of Provencal herbs that emerge with some more air. There's plenty of acidity here that gives the fruit a sense of real freshness and a spine of grainy, chalky tannins that gives this a slightly rough and rustic feel. Finishes with medium length, very enjoyable wine particularly with food (a really great match for a plate of choucroute).
