German Rieslings, southern French wine and Sherry….
July 14, 2010
It was great to see Jan Wilhelm Buhrmann in Frankfurt. We have presented wines together (Pichon Baron, Gruaud Larose) while he was sommelier at Die Ente, a Michelin rated restaurant in Wiesbaden, Hessen, and now is a wine consultant also working at the fine food and wine boutique Frische Paradies in Frankfurt.
He started things off with a minty spritz drink, I cannot recall what was in the fizzy concoction but it was perfect for the summer heat.
What I particularly enjoyed was the Terra Montosa (Latin for “steep slopes”) Rheingau Riesling by Georg Breuer, the Rudesheim Cuvee, from the tough 2008 vintage.
Jan explained that the vineyards of Rüdesheim were the “matchwinners” of the Rheingau that year.
It showed.
The wine was fresh, not razor sharp, but precise and enjoyable, good juice, but not rich really. The residual sugar (2 or 3 grams, yes?) was very well integrated in this pure, mineral-driven Riesling. Not expensive and highly recommended!
It was nice to discover the Domaine de l’Horizon Vin de pays des Catalans 2007. 100% new oak and it tasted that way, but not offensive. At first I found the nose strange and smoky with some salty lime-like aspects that reminded me of Gruner Veltliner! I thought Jan threw me a curve ball, that the aromas were not necessarily from new oak … but the new oak was indeed evident in this blend of Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris and Macabeu.
Over time in glass, I got a more substantial palate, thicker. Not sure where this is going, but it is out to impress. 13.5% alcohol.
The 2008 Le Patriot is the second wine, from a more recent vintage, and I preferred how this is tasting now. No trace of new oak, more fruit driven, if a very herbal profile with a hint of Sauvignon like cat pee (although no Sauvignon Blanc!). 12% alcohol.
Finally, the Domain’s red wine from the 2008 vintage. Grenache and Carignan. Horse aromas, not too, too stinky but you get the picture. They blew off after a few minutes in glass, giving way to blackberry jam.
As for Sherry – all by Bodegas Tradition – I certainly appreciate the work that went into making the Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado Sherries.
It is just that oxidized aspect that has not and still does not thrill me too much. I have not yet ‘acquired’ the taste!
But I was thrilled with the Pedro Ximenes, at 15.5%. Some 400 grams of residual sugar, and get nicely balanced for the style of wine. Rich and delicious.
Thanks to Jan
http://www.frischeparadies.de/deutsch/index.php?id=aktionen_frankfurt
After meeting with Jan, I had lunch with Harry H. Hochheimer, an old friend and wine dealer based just outside Frankfurt. He was as ever extremely busy with clients but found the time to organise a lunch with a client from the German state radio station Hessische Rundfunk. We enjoyed some great food from the radio station’s chef – they take pride in fresh ingredients so our spinach tart was made with fresh spinach, for example.
We tried a pair of Rieslings from the rather warm 2005 vintage. One Riesling called Kunstler was a bit fat, and its 13.5% showed. The other, Wegeler Winkel Jesuitengarten, which is not very expensive, was finer. At 12.5%. More precise if also a bit rich, just a bit. We also tried a sparkling Riesling which was good but unexciting. The same could not be said of the Pinot Noir, at 14%, from the 2007 vintage. Schneiders Einzelstuek Pfalz. At first it was very flattering, with some earthy stink but also rich jammy cherry fruit. I liked its palate presence and it surprised me as a particularly heady German Pinot Noir, with just a bit of volatile however. In glass, it got jammier, but was not boring. Harry liked it less than I did. I mentioned the Georg Breuer Riesling I had tasted earlier, and both Harry and his friend thought that the producer generally makes Rieslings that are too dry and mineral driven, bordering on sour, they said… Different strokes!