My Sweet Spot: Trocken & Feinherb

An all-time favorite Riesling pairing:
Tagliatelle in Truffle Cream Sauce

I believe I have finally found my German Riesling sweet spot, and that is within the amazing styles of Trocken and Feinherb. It’s been quite a journey, arriving at this decision, and many thanks go to a couple of friends who put some amazing wines in front of me. I’m not saying that I haven’t loved and lusted after a number of Spätlese and Auslese level wines. However, it’s the racy style of a good Trocken and the almost impossible balance found in Feinherb that sings to my soul.

If you’re not already familiar with these terms, just started getting into Riesling, or have given up on Riesling because you think they are all just sweet wines, then let me give you a little background. First and foremost, you may be surprised to learn that the preferred style of Riesling in Germany these days are of bone-dry wines. Many of the sweet and incredibly ripe Rieslings you see on store shelves are being produced for our benefit. If sweet wine isn’t your thing, then you owe it to yourself to find a Trocken (Dry) Riesling. Trocken is a bone-dry style of Riesling that’s crisp and fresh with precise and focused fruit and minerals. They can be achingly enjoyable, as the acid seems to almost sear your gums, but then coaxes your taste buds to water, releasing an intense wave of fruit. The experience is one like you may have never before witnessed in your wine-drinking life. For me, finding a wine that produces this effect is truly thrilling—as was my recent experience with the 2011 Keller Nierstein Riesling Trocken.

Then there is Feinherb, a relatively new term in German wine, which could be compared to the designation Halbtrocken (half-dry). However, what Feinherb is all about is finding a perfect balance. The fruit is intense with all the minerals and acid that I love in Riesling. Yet, there’s also a small dose of balancing sweetness which give these wines a truly jubilant feel. They are not sweet, they are not dry—what they are is perfectly balanced. In many cases, like with the 2012 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Feinherb Ur Alte Reben, the intensity in the glass is simply incredible, and you can feel the weight of the riper fruit on your palate, but it stays within the lines and never bubbles over. Instead, it’s a wine that’s teetering on the edge, and it’s on that edge where I find the most enjoyment.

I beg you to seek out these wines. You owe it to yourself, especially if you’ve given up on (or never even started) tasting German Riesling. Admittedly, some of these will not be easy to find—but that can be part of the fun.  My advise would be to seek out the Selbach-Oster or Spreitzer, and go from there.  Enjoy!

On to the wines:

2011 Stein St. Aldegunder Palmberg-Terrassen Riesling Spätlese feinherb - Aromas jumped from the glass of this young Riesling, showing ripe pear, peach skins, wet mineral laden stone and hints of lemon. On the palate, there was a yin yang of fruit, acidity and minerality. Grapefruit was foremost with an equal doses of acidity as expected from taking a bite, note the sprinkle of sugar on top. Ripe peach flavor and weight added balance, along with gorgeous saline minerals, which poured out as the mouth began to water. The finish made the cheeks pucker with slight lemon pith, hints of fresh honeycomb and inner floral notes. To say i enjoyed this wine would be an understatement. (92 points) Producer Website! (German Only)

2011 Weingut Keller Nierstein Riesling Trocken - An intense and pulsating wine with power and verve. On the nose it was highly expressive with peach and apricot fruit, lemon oil, minty herbal tones, and wet stone. It showed razor-like focus on the palate, like a bullet train, yet then suddenly blossomed into an explosion of tart orange and tangerine. The finish lingered long as the mouth began to water and lemon pith flavors turned to mineral stone. It's a beautiful wine. (93 points) Producer Website! (German Only)

2012 Weingut Spreitzer Oestricher Lenchen Rosengarten Riesling Großes Gewächs - The nose was enticing, showing intense spiced-apple with lemon accents, sweet yellow floral tones and moist minerals in a focused, yet fruit forward expression. The more time it spent in the glass, the more its fruit seemed to ripen and I found it difficult to pull myself away. On the palate, I found green apple, grapefruit, lime and wet stone, with sharp acidity contrasted by silky textures. Notes of bitter citrus peel seemed to coat the entire palate through the long finish along with herbal hints. (93 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

2012 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese feinherb Ur Alte Reben - A beautiful and truly seductive Riesling, the 2012 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr “Ur” Alte Reben explodes from the glass with aromas of ripe pear, yellow flowers, roasted walnut, saline minerals, and hints of brie. On the palate, it’s silky yet fresh with sweet and sour tropical fruit, lemon pith, slate and a hint if green olive. Lemon zest lingered long on the finish, as the mouth watered, slowly melting away the oily textures revealing a note of pineapple left behind. (94 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

2010 Van Volxem Scharzhofberger Riesling - The nose showed ripe peach, grapefruit, sweet spice, wax, and yellow florals in an airy yet gorgeously ripe expression. On the palate it played a sweet and sour act with grapefruit, grapefruit and more grapefruit, mineral stone and lemon pith with rich textures balanced by piercing acidity. The finish seemed to create a vacuum of flavor, which suddenly exploded into a rush of tropical fruits, spice and sweet inner floral notes. In a word, WOW! (94 points) Producer Website!

Article and Tasting Notes by: Eric Guido

Summer of Swirling: V.I.P. Table Favorites

Article & Reviews by: Eric Guido

An amazing tasting at one of my favorite restaurants
of the summer: Danny Brown

It has been a summer full of fine foods, good friends and some absolutely beautiful bottles of wine. It has also been one of my busiest summers to date. My workload has been tremendous, hence the lack of updates here on the blog, but that doesn’t mean my focus and dedication have waivered. I feel it’s time to do a little summer recap and introduce my readers to some of the great bottles I’ve enjoyed—before they are all gone.  What’s more, autumn is right around the corner, and there are some red wines here that simply need to be retasted for optimal enjoyment as the weather cools.

Best Values

Let’s jump right into it with some of the best values I’ve found and work our way up to the vintage wines and highest scorers. Spain, Italy and Germany were on full display in my house this summer and for very good reason. These regions represent some of the best values in the wine world.

The Castillo de Monseran Carinena was new to me and a big surprise. The grape is Grenache, but not what you’d usually expect. If you’ve ever wondered what a Southern Rhone Grenache would taste like with more finesse and minerality, look no further.

2009 Castillo de Monseran Cariñena 50 Year Old Vines - The nose was ripe, yet characterful, showing dark fruit, ripe strawberry, mint, and a hint of oak. On the palate, it was rich and deeply rooted in brambly, earthy fruit with blackberry, currant, hints of stem and minerals. The texture was full yet grainy with tannin that tugged at your already black-fruit saturated palate. A solid vein of acidity kept it fresh enough for the dinner table, yet fun enough for the back porch. The finish was tart, with a slightly syrupy, lip-smacking quality--yet fresh. An excellent bottle of wine and a great value. (91 points) Monseran Website!

If there was a repeating theme this summer, it was my desire to drink more Riesling. Each time I opened the cellar door, I would start to think about these refreshing, acid-driven, mineral-laced and fruity wines. The Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Kabinett was without a doubt the best Quality-Price-Ratio Riesling of the bunch.

2012 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett - The nose showed a light spritz of lemon and lime with moist minerals and hints of fresh cut grass. On the palate, there was a striking cut of acidity, lending tremendous freshness and a mouthwatering quality which nearly masked its ripe fruit; yet the fruit was still there and quite enjoyable. Peach, cherry and citrus notes lingered on the palate with stony minerals as the mouth continued to water. It was fresh and fruity with great minerality, a great QPR--what more could I ask for? (90 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

And then there’s Sardinia, an island off of the Italian mainland which too few of us wine lovers are exploring. Some of the most interesting Italian wines I’ve enjoyed over the years have come from this dramatically different region of Italy. In fact, two wines from Sardinia made today’s list of summer favorites. Here, it’s a little known grape named Carignano which is showcased in this racy and exotic value wine.

2010 Agricola Punica Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi IGT - The nose was exotic, showing dark red berry, currant, Indian spice and chalky minerals. On the palate, it was ripe yet racy and balanced with dark savory fruit tones and a rich chewy mouth feel. Tart red berry and hints of spice lingered long, turning darker and firmer with time. A very enjoyable bottle of wine! (90 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

Going back to Riesling for a moment, and a great wine for those of you who prefer the drier and more rock and mineral style, there’s the Stein St. Aldeguner Palmberg. This wine takes some time in the glass to come to life, but once it does—hold on to your chair. It’s rich yet racy and tense with gobs of mouthwatering intensity. A great relative value, as it’s not necessarily cheap, but worth every penny.

2011 Stein St. Aldegunder Palmberg-Terrassen Riesling Spätlese feinherb - Aromas jumped from the glass of this young Riesling, showing ripe pear, peach skins, wet mineral laden stone and hints of lemon. On the palate, there was a yin yang of fruit, acidity and minerality. Grapefruit was foremost with equal doses of acidity, as expected from a bite, and the sprinkle of sugar on top. Ripe peach flavor and weight added balance, along with gorgeous saline minerals, which poured out as the mouth began to water. The finish made the cheeks pucker with slight lemon pith, hints of fresh honeycomb and inner floral notes. To say I enjoyed this wine would be an understatement. (92 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

Could a summer favorites list exist without a bottle of Ridge? In my book, if there’s one red wine that must be stocked up for every summer and fall—it’s Ridge Zinfandel. These wines are just perfect for anything you can throw at them. Hot weather, sitting by the grill, barbecue, pool side, big steaks, spicy Mexican… the list can go on and on.

2011 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch - The nose was ripe and slightly rustic with intense wild berry fruit, candied black cherry, spiced vanilla and cola. It saturated the palate with ripe dark fruits, smokehouse wood and mineral-laden, black stone. Its intensity was well matched by a balancing acidity that kept it juicy--it was hard to believe this is 14.7% alc. The finish was loaded with dark fruit, yet clean and fresh; a really great effort, yet I feel it's an earlier drinking wine than the back label boasts. I honestly don't see this improving over the next seven to eight years--but that's because it's just so darn good now, why wait? (91 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

2006 Dettori Tuderi in the glass

Top Wines

On to some of my favorites. There were some great wines on the table this summer. Some of them young and many of them just entering their maturity. Most of these can still be found by the crafty shopper.

One of the big performers this summer was the 1999 Monsanto Nemo. I have sung its praises in the past and I’ll go down this road again. Tuscan Cabernet can be amazing, and Monsanto makes one of the best around.

These wines age beautifully and are a perfect marriage of Cabernet fruit and Tuscan character. If you’ve never tried one—seek them out, but look for one with a little age, because these beauties can go two decades and just keep getting better and better.

1999 Castello di Monsanto Nemo Toscana IGT - The nose was dark and brooding with crushed plum, raspberry and currants, as notes of spiced tobacco, graphite, and mineral stone provided depth. On the palate, intense, rich, and somewhat savory fruit was kept fresh by balanced acidity as notes of dark red and black fruit, tobacco, and cedar covered the senses. The tannins here were perfectly integrated and provided a peak drinking experience. The finish seemed to slowly melt away from the palate with saturating plum, spice and lingering notes of tobacco. I’ve enjoyed Nemo many times; this was one of the best ones that I’ve had the pleasure to taste. (95 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

Revelatory would be the word to describe my experience with the 2005 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard. I’ve had some great Zinfandel in my day, but this was a thing of beauty. The nose alone was worth the price of entry, and it was so unique and exotic with a finesse that was unbelievable. If you’re willing to spend up to the $45+ range for a Zinfandel, I highly recommend Carlisle.

2005 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard - The nose was intense and constantly evolving with ripe yet fresh fruits, showing stemmed strawberry and cherry, sweet floral tones, exotic spice and minerals. On the palate, it was fresh yet expanded to cover all the senses in spirited ripe cherry, plum and dark chocolate. Juicy, ripe, spiced red fruits lingered on the finish. This wine was incredible and a new experience in Zinfandel for me. (94 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

If you read my blog or have ever had a chat with me about Barolo, then I’m sure the name Giacomo Conterno won’t be new to you. Giacomo Conterno makes some of the best Barolo you can buy, and boy does it cost. However, this house also happens to produce one of the most amazing Barbera you could possibly find. It’s not cheap, but great wine hardly ever is. These are big and burly in their youth with incredible intensity—yet they age into beautifully elegant wines of class. I turned some heads with this bottle, and at $40, you can’t go wrong.

2005 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cascina Francia - The nose was autumnal, showing dried leaves and cherry, sweet spice and hints of citrus peel. On the palate, dried red fruits with a bitter twang, licorice and mineral soil tones swirled around the senses in a mouthwatering, slightly angular yet truly refined expression of Barbera. The finish was long and palate-staining with red berry, yet it was truly fresh. This was my last of six bottles, and I must say that I’ve enjoyed the development of this wine more than almost any other. (93 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

Back to Sardinia with a wine that’s so good, it scares me. So much so that I raced back to buy another but they were already gone. Tenute Dettori makes uber organic wines which require patience and the right taster. What I mean by this is you can’t just open one of these and drink it down like a soft drink. Each experience I’ve had with Dettori has been so much better after the bottle has been allowed to breathe between 1 – 24 hours—no joke. The fact that this is one of their entry-level wines makes it all the more attractive. This is serious juice.

2006 Tenute Dettori Tuderi Romangia IGT - The color was translucent ruby with a bouquet that literally jumped from the glass without a swirl to show ripe notes of crushed cherry, sweet floral tones and cinnamon tea--yet then traverses toward the mineral and savory realm as hints of iron, smoke and animal musk join the fray. On the palate, it entered like cherry juice, but quickly firmed up and fleshed out in all directions, showing spiced herbal tea, wild blueberry, nutmeg, and with a tart grapefruit-like twist of acidity. The finish lingered long with flavors of tart cherry and spiced blood orange, which lingered on the back of my tongue. (93 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

* Dettori Tuderi is an uber-natural wine which demands decanting and will reward the patient taster. (15.5% alcohol, but oh so balanced)

Another Riesling? I did say it was one of my most reached-for wines of the summer. However, this one is another animal entirely. What’s more, it’s just a baby. Some may call this a sweet wine, but you’d have to taste it to understand that the balance is so perfect that you could drink this any day and at any time—but be prepared to be blown away. It’s amazingly fresh, perfectly ripe, detailed and layered. It soothes the palate, yet also excites it while sending veins of electric-like flavor enhancing acidity across your senses. If you think you don’t like sweet Riesling, then you must try the Selbach-Oster Rotlay. It will make you a believer.

2010 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling 'Rotlay' - The nose was insanely beautiful, showing sweet spices and floral notes, lemon curd, ripe peach with hints orange and green grass. On the palate, it was all about perfectly balanced intensity. The weight and sweetness of this wine is at first perceptible, but then is swept away by a burst of green apple acidity, leaving a slightly oily texture with tropical fruit and citrus notes which seem to last for over a minute throughout the finish. This is a sweet wine, balancing its girth as if on the point of a needle, swinging this way and that--yet never tipping over. Love it. (94 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher! 

I Don’t Drink Enough Riesling

I’m not going to get into the history or roots of Riesling. Nor will I start to explain terroir and the differences between Germany, Austria and Upstate New York. And don’t look for a tirade arguing the virtues of the Nahe versus the Mosel. Hell, I won’t even talk about vintages. Why? It’s simply because all the information is out there and easy to find, even in the pages of this blog. No, today I want to talk about why I love Riesling, how I am constantly reminded of the fact that I simply don’t buy or drink enough of it, and why you should be doing the same.

Let’s start with my roots, a red wine drinker to the core. When the weather got warm outside and most people turned to white wine—I just lowered the thermostat on my air conditioner. If you had a salad and needed to pair a wine with it, I’d pull an acid-driven, high-altitude Italian red. I had never met poultry that didn’t taste good with a Pinot, and I don’t need to even start on how good Zinfandel goes with barbeque.

My tasting note may have been short
but it was love at first sight.

But something happened a few years ago that changed everything. It was a bottle of 1994 Gunther Steinmetz Mulheimer Sonnenlay Spatlese Riesling (try to say that ten times fast). During an evening of excellent red wines, someone placed a 15-year-old (at the time) bottle of Riesling Spatlese into the mix, and my world was turned upside down. I actually remember staring at the glass, bewildered and wondering what it was which I had before me. First it was the nose—deep, intense, fruity and earthy with a hint of blue cheese funk. It put me back in my seat and forced me to take notice. Yet it was what I found on the palate which sealed the deal—here was a white wine with all the power and presence of a red, with a balance of ripeness and acidity that sizzled on the taste buds. In the end, it was the best wine of the evening, and that was against some very serious competition.

This set me on a path to understanding Riesling better. The next week I found myself at Crush Wine filling up two mixed cases. What truly amazed me were all the different styles—there’s literally a Riesling for every situation. They start with bone dry, and they go through every degree of sweetness imaginable. You can find a simple quaffing wine for $15 or an intensely-detailed thinking wine for $30. Wait, did I just say $30? Yes I did. That’s the best part; and I’m not saying that you can’t go broke falling in love with Riesling, but what I am saying is that there are many more affordable bottles that are worth you consideration than not.

This brings me to what prompted today’s ode to Riesling—yet another tasting that proved to me that Riesling belongs in a prominent place of my cellar. I sometimes fall victim to forgetfulness and need to be reminded. Or what often happens is that I simply end up drinking my stock of Riesling so fast that I forget to replenish it.

So I beg of you, do yourself a favor and explore this amazing variety. Below I’ve included some recent notes--most of these are hard to find--but they are all worth the hunt.   In the end, I have no doubt that you will thank me down the road.

On to The Notes:

2009 Van Volxem Wiltinger Braunfels Riesling - The nose was tight and took some coaxing to truly show its qualities, yet with time notes of peach skin, tart lemon and hints of green stem came forward.  On the palate, it showed great intensity, bitter citrus, tropical mango with a fresh, food friendly acidity.  A note of floral tea leaves and lemon lingered on the finish.  This wine should continue to develop for years and I'm really interested to see where it will end up.  For now--enjoy it with food.  (90 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2008 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - A very interesting, value Riesling that really packs a punch. The nose showed ripe lemon, sour cream with hints of banana and ripe brea. On the palate, it showed great energy and ripeness with a mix of tropical fruits, ripe peach and roasted nuts--yet mouthwatering. The finish pulled things together nicely, as the wine's acidity sizzled across the senses. (90 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher! 

2001 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese - The nose was beautifully finessed with masses of depth, showing dried figs, lemon skin, floral peach, almond and hints of petrol. On the palate, it was seamlessly ripe yet juicy with a dollop of brisk granny smith acidity and a bitter twang. The finish went on and on, remaining biter yet rich and satisfying. It was the Yin Yang of a wine that kept me guessing at every sniff and indulging in every sip. Very Nice. (94 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2001 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese - The nose was focused and refined yet ripe and fruit forward with white berry, mango, almond cake and a spritz of lime. On the palate, it showed great intensity and richness, like a fresh lemon curd with a slight sour and creamy note, yet offset by balanced acidity and a hint of cranberry, resulting in a cheek-puckering experience. The finish lingered on with center-focused spiced pineapple and peach skins. This is a beautiful wine with years of great drinking to come. (95 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2010 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling 'Rotlay' - The nose was insanely beautiful, showing sweet spices and floral notes, lemon curd, ripe peach with hints orange and green grass. On the palate, it was all about perfectly balanced intensity. The weight and sweetness of this wine is at first perceptible, but then is swept away by a burst of green apple acidity, leaving a slightly oily texture with tropical fruit and citrus notes, which seem to last for over a minute throughout the finish. This is a sweet wine, balancing it's girth as if on the point of a needle, swinging this way and that--yet never tipping over. Love it. (94 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!