Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner Vinothek 1993
A lovely wine, perhaps not as good as the 1991 but still a joyful, extremely youthful drink (guesses ranged from 2005 to 2008!), mineral, perhaps a bit shy but still showing as a very classy drink. Elegant and acidic, though very light on its feet it seems to have more body than a cursory glance might notice. Needs time.
Then we had the main set, single blind:
Weingut Leo Aumann Rotgipfler Flamming 2007 Thermenregion Label
This was spicy and peppery; rich and concentrated and alcoholic - it reminded me rather of 2006 GVs! Nice wine in small sips but lacking the refreshing notes that I would want in a wine that I would drink. This was the first Rotgipfler I have had so I don't know if they are supposed to be so heavy and alcoholic and aromatically like a hot year GV?
Weingut Schellmannn Gumpoldskirchner Cuvée 2008 Rotgipfler + Zierfandler; Thermenregion label
Apparently a dry blend of the two grapes is exceedingly rare. But in this wine, it worked. It smelled of rosewater and steel, mineral and floral. Dry, crisp, mouthwatering despite a floral scent promising sweetness. Quite long. Very nice.
Weingut Steinschaden Frühroter Veltliner 2008 Langenlois, Kamptal label
Aromatically this was rather like the Schellmann except more prominent on the rosewater sweetness, less on the minerality. Fair acidity but still shows too much of the sickly sweet rosewater character (though fully dry) that I would ideally like. Perfectly nice but not as lovable as the others.
Weingut Rabl Gelber Muskateller 2008 Langenlois, Kamptal label
A grapey scent, obvious Muscat - smells just like Moscato d'Asti so it was a slight shock to the system when it was fully dry, crisp even with plenty of minerality. Sadly, the alcohol (I didn't note how much it was) did show through a bit. But a fun wine anyhow!
Weinbau Holzmann Roter Muskateller 2008 Bad Pirawarth, Weinviertel label
This was my favourite of the three Moscato d'Asti -smellalikes. Pure, mineral Muscat goodness, with even a touch of spritz initially, dry and clean and refreshing with none of the noticeable alcohol of the Rabl. Joyful.
Weingut Steininger Gelber + Roter Muskateller 2008 Langenlois, Kamptal label
Also a crisp, pure Muscat, but a bit shy aromatically. Good acidity, crisp, citrussy acidity. Nice!
Weingut Birgit Eichinger Roter Veltliner Stangl 2008 Langenlois, Kamptal label
First a 10€ ex-cellar example which was nice. It had a sweet and spicy scent, again reminding me of hot year GV except this had a coppery aroma to it and also a strange, but likeable, savoury scent that I couldn't quite put my finger on (maybe ketchup?). Full bodied, mineral and well structured so it could cope with the copious fruit. Nice!
Rudi Pichler Roter Veltliner Smaragd 2008 Wösendorf, Wachau label
But the 28€ ex-cellar Roter Veltliner was IMO a far better wine than just nice! (But yes, I do think 28€ ex-cellar is a bit much for it!) This also had the spicy, coppery scents of the Eichinger, but without any strange aromas. It was delightfully earthy and I kept thinking it was almost like a red wine in its aromas. Intense, strongly fruity but equally strongly structured with an earthy finish, savoury yet ripe and rich. Though incredibly rich as one expects of a Smaragd, it is moreish. Exciting wine!
For an un-blind finish we had Musterweingut Josef Loimer Weissgipfler Alte Reben Auslese 2000 Langenlois, Kamptal label
Our host told us that Weissgipfler is the same as Grüner Veltliner! Why two names in the same area for the same grape? Frankly, I thought this wasn't a terribly good effort: some sweet fruit; medium sweet (25g/l RS), low acid, even a bit watery.
If that was the finale, gladly the coda improved things!
Double-blind German reds:
Alois Hofmann Tauberschwarz <R> Propstberg 2007 Franken, Taubertal label
Tauberschwarz is an interesting grape. The first mention of it is from 1559. As far as is known, it originates from Weikerheim, Franken - but since it was almost totally wiped out, its history is mostly uncertain. After a harsh winter in the 1950s a grower found 400 vines that had withstood the frost. He became interested in the grape and planted more of it. In 1986 there was apparently only 1 ha of it; now there are c.12 ha.
The <R> sadly sees Barrique and being rather oak averse, I didn't really enjoy it. I have a hard time smelling past oak so I can't say much about the aromas, but the palate did have very nice, refreshing acidity.
Alois Hofmann Tauberschwarz Röttinger Feuerstein 2008 label
This is the unoaked version and the one I much preferred. I think the closest vinous comparison I can make is to unoaked Sangiovese: bright, crisp red fruit aromas, sandalwood - yet it is juicier than any Sangiovese I have had. It is also wonderfully (some might say painfully) acidic - perhaps a hypothetical cross of Blauer Wildbacher and Sangiovese is what it is like! Anyway: lovely structure, lovely bright berried fruit, unlike anything else I have tried - and a wine I very much enjoyed!
Weingut Becker-Landgraf Im Felsenkeller Spätburgunder J2 Gau-Odernheimer 2007 Rheinhessen label
This is dangerously drinkable! It seems like a "natural" wine, bright, light, vivacious, This is their basic Pinot Noir. I thought it seemed like the Foillard CdP '07 I had recently in London! Awesome stuff. There is only problem with the wine: it evaporates from my glass far too fast.
I recently tasted two dry Rieslings from this producer and was quite impressed by them, too. Anyone heard of them or tasted them? It seems like a producer that I would want to find more of - especially this Spätburgunder if it really costs only c.10€ ex-cellar!
