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| Riesling, A Noble But Underappreciated Grape |
Monday, April 28, 2003
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Speaker: Jonathan Levine, Columnist, The Wine Investor Buyer's Guide
To many cognizenti, Riesling is the world's most versatile and best white grape. Produced in a variety of styles and levels of sweetness, Riesling is a most difficult grape to grow. It needs a long cool growing season to reach perfect ripeness, but the results can be extraordinary. Andrea Immer, in Great Wines Made Simple, "Riesling is considered by many to be the best white wine grape in the world. It is a lithe ballet dancer, has a purity of fruit and an uncanny range of flavor, all in a sleek package." Jancis Robinson says, "(Riesling) could claim to be the finest white grape in the world on the basis of the longevity of its wines and their ability to transmit the characteristics of a vineyard without losing Riesling's own inimitable style." The tasting focused on dry style wines with flavor, depth and character.
Wines are listed in the order of presentation. The 56 attendees was asked to vote for their favorite wine in each flight. At the end of the tasting, the "best in show" was picked from the winners of each flight. Number in parenthesis is the overall ranking for the top three wines. Prices listed are retail, full mark-up, in New York City. Notes are Jonathan Levine's.
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| Flight I:Austria and Alsace |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Domane Wachau Federspeil 2001 (Austria)
The best Austrian Rieslings come from the Wachau region. This is a narrow valley along the Danube with steep slopes and terraced vineyards. There are 3 levels of quality from the Wachau region and Federspeil is the middle level. They are medium-bodied and elegant.
Dry, pale yellow with hints of green. Fresh aromatics, vegetal bouquet, medium body with crisp and delicate fruit. Piquant and fragrant. 1.2% RS. Good acid balance, long finish that hints of slate. |
5 |
$14.99 |
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Hugel 2001 (Alsace)
Hugel has been in business for over 350 years. Much of their estate is rated Grand Cru. A large producer who always makes reliable and good wines.
Youthful, green hints and a freshness and liveliness on the citrus fruit bouquet. Also notes of grapefruit, flowers and earth. Fresh and dry, light and drinkable. Easy drinking with a long finish. |
7 |
$15.99 |
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Dopff & Irion Grand Cru Schoenenbourg 1998 (Alsace)
A wine from the Grand Cru Schoenbourg vineyard. Aged 6 months in bottle before being shipped.
Deepest color of all the wines tasted. Very complex it has lost youthful fruit, but gained a patina of age and depth. Notes of light honey, dried apricots and aromas of flint. The sweetest wine in the flight.
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52 |
$19.99 |
| Flight II: The Antipodes |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Annie's Lane 2002 (Clare Valley, Australia)
A new label in the US. From 2 well known vineyards in the Clare valley.
Pale with vibrant green hues. Elegant aroma of minerals, citrus, lime and lemon with a hint of perfumed floral blossoms. The mouth shows limes and pears, finesse and elegance. There is good balance with zesty acidity. Some attendees found notes of mustard in the aroma, |
14 |
$13.99 |
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Cairnbrae Vineyards 2001 (Marlborough, NZ)
Fabulous nose of apples, pears and minerals. Concentrated fruit with hints of peaches, apricot and honey in the mouth. Ripe fruit. Medium-bodied. Great balance and a long finish. |
24 |
$14.99 |
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Wolf Blass Gold Label 2002 (South Australia)
A blend of grapes from Clare and Eden Valleys. Another vibrant wine with the color of pale straw. Nose of lemons, limes, and grapefruit with a hint of passion fruit. Intense citrus and floral notes are evident on the seamless palate. Good acid structure and a clean finish.
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14 (3) |
$14.99 |
| Flight III: The Northeast |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Galluccio Estate Avalon NV (Long Island)
This is the former Gristina winery which was purchased by Vince Galluccio. In 2001, he hired Michel Rolland (the Flying Oenologist) to serve as a consultant to the winery.
Light , slightly sweet.. Floral and fruity with notes of peaches, and melons Slightly sweet, fairly intense. |
9 |
$8.99 |
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Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry 2001 (Finger Lakes)
The winery is now run by Willy Frank who is the son of the late Dr. Konstantin Frank. The eponymous Dr. Frank is a legend in wine circles. A Russian emigree he was the first to plant Vinifera (European grape vanities) in NY. This may be the best known winery in NY.
The group liked this better than I did. I felt it was too dry and lacked the subtle nuances that a bit of sweet fruit imparts. Gold/green hues. Crisp acidity, pronounced mineral character, and layers of fruit aromas. One detects honeysuckle, apple, pear and a slight hint of petrol. |
21 |
$14.75 |
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Ch. LaFayette Reneau 2001 (Finger Lakes)
Notes of peaches, honeysuckle and delicate citrus fruit. Spicy peach flavors on the medium finish. Lacks a bit of acid. Nice spice and fruit but a bit flabby. |
19 |
$11.99 |
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Inniskillin Late Autumn 2001 (Ontario)
Two of the three bottles, including the one I tasted, were corked.
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3 |
$9.50 |
| Flight IV: The West Coast |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Smith Madrone 2001 (Napa)
One of my favorite Rieslings from Cal. The winery is best known for their Riesling, though they feel their best wine is Cabernet.
Drier than many Cal. Rieslings, the wine has depth, balance, varietal character and great flavor. Very streamlined with notes of pears and grapefruit. Juicy intense and harmonious. A wine to drink at any time. |
11 |
$19.00 |
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Ch. St Jean 2001 (Sonoma)
Another of my favorite wineries. Aroma of ripe apricots and nectarines. Viscous and rich in texture. The mouth shows ripe fruit flavors of melons, grapefruit and peaches with a hint of perfume. A classic sweet/spice flavor profile, but lacks some acid. |
18 |
$14.99 |
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Ch. Ste. Michelle Eroica 2001 (Washington State)
This is a partnership between the famed Dr. Ernst Loosen of the Mosel and Ch. Ste. Michelle of Washington. Named for Beethoven's Third Symphony, it is a blend of old and new world methods.
A wine that approaches perfection. White peaches, mandarin oranges and fresh apricots which are characteristic of Rieslings from Washington State, There are crisp apple and mineral notes along with the lively acidity associated with wines from the Mosel.
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20 (2) |
$22.99 |
| Flight V: Germany |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfchen Kabinett 1998 (Mosel)
I picked this to show that German wines can age. Still has plenty of lively acidity, fresh fruit and notes of slate and petrol. Sweet grapefruit aromas. Tightly focused with laser like intensity. Lost some of the bloom of youth and has developed some mature nuances.
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12 |
N/A |
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Carl Graff Endener Treppchen Spatlese 2001 (Mosel)
2001 is considered one of the best in Germany, and especially in the Mosel. Peaches, apricots and citrus fruits. Luscious and well balanced. Fine fruit style. The only flaw might be a slight lack of acid. |
20 (1) |
$12.00 |
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BEST BUY
Baron Knyphausen Kiedricher Sandgrub Spatlese 2001 (Rheingau)
From the Rheingau considered the most serious of Germany's wine regions. Balanced and delicious. Heavier and richer than the wines from the Mosel. Layers of complexity. Minerals and candied tangerine peel.
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27 |
$21.99 |
| Flight VI: Bonus |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Inniskillin Ice Wine 2001
Intense aroma of fresh blossoms, honey, and apricots. Hints of candied lime. Harmonious and good acid.
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N/A |
$75.00
375 ml. |
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