WTN: This is the way we Voll-enweider

[David M. Bueker]

BYO dinner with the wife at our local Asian spot - sashimi for me & Basil Beef for Laura.

2005 Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Spatlese
Not one of the parcel designates or a gold capsule, just plain spatlese. It's quite tasty, and not shut down. I actually did not find too much creaminess in this wine (a frequent complaint for me with Vollenweider, as the creamy element seems to be there from release rather than developing over time), but rather just a touch on the finish. The fruit is slightly toned down from the wine's exuberant youth, as is the sugar, thus creating a more harmonious package that is more food friendly. Laura had several pours which is always a sign of quality.

That sounds very good - heck if Laura took several pours it must have been awesome!

Glad to hear it was open and still drinking well. I may still end up cracking another '05 or two some time soon given the last couple I've had which were drinking very well (the Haart Grafenberg we had with Keith and Rahsaan that I thought was very tasty, and the 05 Donnhoff Dellchen that was off-the-charts amazing).

I always hear things about Vollenweider, but don't think I've ever seen one in my market. I tasted (and liked) one, Mike Lawton sent as a replacement for another wine, is this a MA only import?

[David M. Bueker]

This was a Lawton group acquisition. I think the wines are also imported on the west coast, but I have not seen much. Crush may be bringing some in.

is this a MA only import?

Old Vine in California used to import Vollenweider as well, but I think they stopped. Bill Mayer now imports some of the wines but he's not exactly a marketing machine.

[David M. Bueker]

Just looked at the Crush website & they do sell some Vollenweider. I would never pay the prices they are asking, but they have some of the wines.

Asked Stephen at Crush some time ago, he's not yet sure whether they'll bring in '08 Vollenweiders - but they do have some from 07 and 05 (noticed the regular Goldgrube as well as a couple of the single parcel designated wines when I was in there last week).