Visting the Rheingau - Part One

Vineyards along the Rhine River across from the town of Bingen (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

It had been far too long a wait, but I finally made it to Germany to visit wine regions. I had been on German soil, so to speak, dozens of times, but it was always to connect to a flight to Italy or back home to Chicago. How nice then that in early July, I was able to land at the Frankfurt airport and head to the baggage claim after having my passport stamped, instead of connecting to another flight!

I visited two regions over the course of three days, the Rheingau and the Rheinhessen, both named for their proximity to the Rhine River. This post will be part one about my time in the Rheingau; I'll write about my experience in the Rheinhessen soon.

While the Rheingau is one of the most famous and certainly one of the very best in terms of wine quality, it's also one of the smallest. The region's vineyards are situated just north of the Rhine River, taking a west to east orientation along the river. The large cities of Wiesbaden (north of the river) and Mainz (south) are at the far eastern boundaries of the region.

Vineyards at Johannisberg (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

The towns that give their names to the most celebrated wines of the Rheingau are quite famous in their own right, names such as Johannisberg, Eltville, Erbach and Rauenthal, to mention just a few. The primary grape here - as it is throughout much of Germany - is Riesling, though the village of Assmannshausen, near the junction of the Rhine and Nahe rivers, is well known for its Pinot Noirs. Some estates also produce smaller amounts of Grauburgunder- aka Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Gris) and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc).

I visited four producers during my brief stay. Here are notes on two of these producers and the wines I tasted (I will profile the other two producers in my next post):

Georg Breuer (Rudesheim) - This outstanding estate, founded in 1880, has been owned by the Breuer family since the early 20th century. I met with Theresa Breuer, the granddaughter of Georg, who managed the firm for several decades. 

The wines here are very clean with admirable varietal purity; I was quite impressed with the 2009 Grauer Burgunder, which seemed much younger than five years old. This was a example of this variety with very fine texture, something not seen in most examples. The 2011 Spatburgunder is a pleasant wine with attractive wild cherry and iodine notes; though not meant for cellaring, this is a fine choice for the next 2-3 years.

Of course, it was the Rieslings that stood out here. Especially nice is the 2013 "Charm" Riesling, sourced from grapes from both Rauenthal and Rudesheim. This is a wonderful, absolutely delicious entry level Riesling with notes of white peach, lilacs and a touch of honey. There is very good acidity - a trademark of the very fine 2013 vintage, so this should retain its freshness over the next 3-5 years. It's also a wonderful value, priced at 9.50 Euro; this was a welcome sight, as quality Riesling is not inexpensive to produce, especially in this area.

One of my favorite wines at Breuer was the 2012 Rudesheim Estate Riesling with its inviting yellow peach and apricot aromas (classic Rheingau perfumes) and ripe, almost lush fruit. The wine has lovely complexity, with just a hint of sweetness and very good acidity; look for this wine to drink well for 7-10 years.

Kellerwelt (tasting room) at Breuer

Then it was on to the single vineyard Rieslings at Breuer. The top wines for me were the 2011 Rauenthaler Nonnenberg, a monopole of Breuer and the 2011 Berg Rottland Auslese. The former is designated as Trocken, meaning dry. (This descriptor has been used in conjunction with the praedikat designations of Kabinett and Spatlese, e.g., in the past, but will now be listed by itself,  if at all - see final section of this post below for further explanation).

The Nonnenberg Trocken offers the classic yellow peach and apricot aromas along with a hint of magnolia and has a very rich mid-palate and excellent complexity and a long, long finish. Here is a beautifully precise Riesling that truly speaks of the local terroir - this should age beautifully for 10-12 years.

The Berg (berg simply means "hill") Rottland Auslese has classic Rheingau aromas of apricot along with some tropical notes of mango along with flowery nuances of magnolias and lilacs. Medium-full with excellent concentration, there is also a delicate honeyed character on the palace and in the finish. This has outstanding complexity and a lengthy finish that has moderate sweetness, as there is very good acidity that cleans the palate. This is an outstanding sweet wine which can be enjoyed now, but will reveal greater complexities in 10-12 years.

I also loved their 2006 Brut, a blend of the Pinots - Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. Most people don't realize that Germany is the world's leading producer of sparkling wine, known as sekt; fewer still realize that most of these wines are made from grapes imported from other countries. Of course, these sparkling wines are for supermarkets; they do not reflect much, if any, character.

Thankfully, there are producers of sparkling wine in Germany that make wine according to the classic method, where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle. This is an excellent sparking wine of impressive complexity, very good persistence and style. Quite dry, this is beautifully made and will be a pleasure to drink for the next 3-5 years.

I also enjoyed the wines of Leitz, a small cellar located in Rudesheim, managed by 50 year-old Johannes Leitz, who has been at the helm here since 1985. Today, the firm has 40 hectares (100 acres) of vineyards of some of the most prized sites in the Rheingau.

The first wine I sampled here was the cleverly titled Eins-Zwei-Dry from the 2013 vintage. A trocken Riesling, this is a straightforward and charming wine; Letiz explained the name by telling me that he wanted his customers know that Riesling can be dry (and that he produces one). It's tasty, with simple charms and at 8.50 Euro, it's nicely priced.

The best wines here are quite rich with a distinct minerality that the finest German Rieslings are known for. A first-rate example of that at Leitz - at least for me on this occasion - was the 2013 Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling (trocken). This particular site is at the far western end of the Rheingau where the river turns north; the vineyard has a southwestern exposure and sits just a few hundred feet above the river banks.

Along with beautiful aromas of peach, there is also a strong note of flint, derived no doubt from the blue slate soil. Medium-full with excellent concentration, this has rich minerality, big persistence, very good acidity and excellent complexity; this should drink well for 7-10 years.

Even better was the 2012 Rudesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spatlese, a wine with only 8% alcohol. Offering intriguing aromas of petrol, guava and honey, this is a bright and delicious wine with a rich mid-palate, very good acidity and a lengthy finish with just a hint of sweetness. This should be in fine shape for 10-12 years more; in my opinion, this is a classic, first-rate Spatlese.

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One of the things I learned on this trip was the recent shift as far as labeling German wines. The trend is to move away from the Prädikat designations of the 1971 German wine law; now wines would be named by quality level - entry level, commune (town) wines and finally single vineyard wines (lage). Of this last category, the absolute best vineyards, basically the Grand Cru would be known as Grosse Lage, with a few select wines being classified as Grosses Gewächs (G.G.) - great growths.

Also the term trocken is written on some wines, while not on others; the belief here from producers is that if the wine is not a Spatlese or Auslese, it is dry. Thus in their mind, their wine would not need the term trocken. Yet some producers believe it should be written on a label. 

It's all a bit confusing, even for some Germans that closely follow their country's wines. Hopefully this will all be straightened out soon.

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Next post on the Rheingau: Robert Weil and Staatsweinguter

The Glories of Riesling (Part One) - Germany

Vineyard in Germany's Rheingau Region (Photo from Peter Jakob Kühn website)

Recently I wrote a series of posts about Sauvignon Blanc (click here), calling it the "greatest grape." Of course, there is not one grape variety that is the greatest- there are several and Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorites, if not my single favorite. I did mention Riesling in the first post, noting that there are some important wine writers who label that variety as the world's most accomplished. I love Riesling, but don't get the opportunity to taste as many as I'd like, so I decided it was time to reacquaint myself with the grape. I've tasted a couple dozen wines made from Riesling over the past several weeks and starting with this post, I'll report about these wines. 

One of the reasons I labeled Sauvignon Blanc as the greatest grape was the fact that there are few varieties that display such brilliance in so many regions, be it the Loire Valley from France, Marlborough Valley from New Zealand, San Antonio Valley from Chile as well as a few zones in Washington State, California, Italy and a few others. Given that, Riesling deserves acclaim as well for its performance in so many wine zones around the world, from Germany and Austria to Alsace, Australia, New Zealand as well as California and Washington State.


So let's start with Germany, the cradle of Riesling. There are several major production zones with two most famous being the Mosel and the Rheingau. These zones are in southwestern Germany, with the Mosel - aka Mosel-Saar-Ruwer for the three rivers that define this area - further west. Both zones are imbued with stunning hillside slopes, the better to catch the sun at this far northern latitude.

Generally speaking, the Rieslings from the Mosel tend to be lighter in the mouth than those from the Rhiengau, as wines from this latter zone are generally more lush with apricot and peach flavors. The Mosel Rieslings are often more mineral driven and though not as fat as those from the Rheingau, do offer amazing structure and tremendous cellaring potential. German Rieslings, no matter the origin, are known for their long aging ability, even for the less sweet versions (Kabinett, Trocken), which can still drink well at 7-10 years of age. Then you have wines such as Auslese and sweeter (Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese) that can drink well for 20-40 years in some instances.

But even for the basic German Rieslings not meant for the long haul, there is a purity of flavor as well as vibrant acidity that defines these wines. It is no wonder then that producers all over the world use Germany as the goal they have in mind when producing their own versions of Riesling.

Here are notes on a few German Rieslings I tasted recently:

2010 Villa Huesgen Kabinett "Feinherb" (Mosel) - Aromas of yellow pear, magnolia and yellow peach. Medium-bodied, this has good varietal character, and is nicely balanced with good acidity. Pleasant and dry, with very good persistence and delicious apricot flavors in the finish. Enjoy over the next 1-2 years. ($38) - Imported by Qunitessential, Napa Ca.

2011 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett (Mosel) - Straw/light yellow; pretty aromas of lime, white peach and lilacs. Medium-bodied with very good concentration. Juicy, lush fruit, good acidity and persistence. Clean with excellent varietal focus. Straightforward, this is a nice exmple of the Mosel style of Riesling; enjoy over the next 2-3 years. ($23) - A Michael Skurnik Selection, Syosset, NY.

2012 Weingut Spreitzer Oestricher Lenchen Kabinett (Rheingau) - Brilliant light yellow with pale green/gold reflections; lovely aromas of white peach, lilacs and chamomile. Medium-full with very good concentration. This is beautifully balanced with lovely vareital purity. The fruit is perfectly ripe with a light juiciness and there is very good cleansing acidity. The finish is dry with very good persistence; this is a delicious wine. Enjoy now and over the next 3-5 years – perhaps longer. At a suggested retail price of $21, this is an excellent value! - Michael Skurnik Selections. 

2012 Peter Jakob Kühn Oestrich Riesling Trocken "Quarzit"(Rheingau) - This is a biodynamic producer with Demeter certification. Some of the wines are aged in amphora, so the winemaking here is according to a very strict philosophy. That said, these are very distinctive wines and they are not for everyone. Bright yellow; aromas of yellow peach, apricot and daffodil. Medium-full with very good concentration. Round, elegant finish, very good acidity and persistence. Clean and nicely balanced, this ia a well made wine for enjoyment over the next 2-3 years – perhaps longer. ($33) - Imported by Domaine Select Wine Estates, New York City, NY

2010 Peter Jakob Kühn Mittelheim Nikoulas Riesling Trocken (Rheingau) - Bright golden yellow; aromas of apricot, yellow peaches and a hint of saffron. Medium-full with very good concentration. Quite ripe and lush, this is big and perhaps a touch heavy with a dry, slightly bitter finish. A very distinct, unusual style of Riesling. Best over the next 2-3 years. ($55)

2011 Peter Jakob Kühn Oestrich Lenchen Riesling Auslese - Brilliant light yellow; beautiful aromas of ripe apricot, honey and golden apples. Medium-full, this is lush and quite delicious, this has very good acidity, excellent persistence and beautiful varietal purity. This is medium-sweet, so I’d like to see a bit more acidity to balance the finish. Still, this is a lovely wine that should only improve for another 5-7 years. ($65/375 ml - 7.5% alcohol)  

2009 Prinz Von Hessen Riesling Kabinett (Rheingau) - Light yellow; beautiful varietal aromas of yellow peach, Anjou pear and lilacs. Medium-bodied with good persistence, very good acidity and impressive varietal purity. A charming wine that is delicious and easy to drink, this has a delicacy and a nice sense of finesse and freshness to it. Enjoy over the next 2-3 years – perhaps longer.  ($25) Imported by Folio, Napa, CA.

2007 Prinz Von Hessen Johannisberger Klaus Riesling Kabinett Trocken (Rheingau) - Light yellow; pleasing aromas of petrol, mint and jasmine. Medium-full with good concentration. Good ripeness, light earthiness in the finish with good persistence and good acidity. Still displaying good freshness, this will drink well for another 2-3 years. ($30)

2007 Prinz Von Hessen Johannisberger Klaus Riesling First Growth (Rheingau) - Light yellow; aromas of Bosc pear, magnolia and dried pear. Medium-full with very good concentration. Beautifully structured wine; very good acidity, excellent persistence and lovely varietal character. Earthy finish, impressive complexity. Good freshness, enjoy now and over the next 3-5 years. ($60)

2006 Prinz Von Hessen Johannisberger Klaus Riesling Auslese (Rheingau) - Pale yellow – lovely color; aromas of apricot and geranium. Medium-full with excellent concentration, beautifully defined mid-palate. Vibrant, cleansing acidity and excellent persistence. Ultra clean with beautiful varietal character. Delicious now; enjoy over the next 7-10 years. Outstanding! ($50/375 ml).

In part two of this series, a look at Rieslings from Alsace and Austria.

 

Pinot Days - The Latest, Greatest Pinot Noirs

(Photo) Tanya Walker and Jim Ball of Jim Ball Vineyards, Photo ©Tom Hyland

I don't attend too many big tastings these days, as the setting is usually not the proper one for me to sample wines and get the proper feel for what's in my glass. So when I leave feeling like I learned a lot, that's the sign of a good tasting. The Pinot Days event in Chicago this past Saturday was such an event.

I love Pinot Noir, so when I saw the list of producers whose wines would be represented, I was excited about attending. There were some of the who's who of California Pinot Noir estates, such as Siduri, Arcadian and Dutton-Goldfield as well as some lesser-known producers such as Inman, Scherrer and Jim Ball Vineyards (more on Jim Ball later) as well as some old standbys such as Gary Farrell, Buena Vista and Bouchaine Vineyards. Oregon was represented (Archery Summit) as was Chile (Veramonte) and there were even a few bottlings from Germany.

As for the best wines, well you certainly couldn't go wrong with any of the selections from Arcadian or Siduri. Joe Davis was there pouring his Arcadian wines, of which the most impressive for me were the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard from the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterey and the Clos Pepe from Santa Barbara, laden with attractive red cherry fruit and loads of spice.

As for Siduri, is there a better Pinot Noir winemaker working today in California than Adam Lee? Along with his wife Dianna, Adam has put together a superb assortment of PInot Noirs from almost every great growing region in California (as well as one from Oregon). Adam was present pouring five of his wines; the finest for me were the 2006 from Garys' Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the 2006 Sonatera from the Sonoma Coast, which in my notes, I listed as having a long, lush finish with silky tannins. Along with his precise winemaking, I applaud Adam Lee for keeping these limted production wines reasonably priced in the mid $40 to lower $50 price range.

Other favorites included the 2007 Kanzler Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) from Landmark Vineyards, with a beautiful harmony of vanilla and wild strawberry notes, the seductive 2006 Paraiso "West Block" from their estate in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the 2006 Sanchietti from Dutton-Goldfield in Russian River Valley. In my previous post, I wrote about this winery's 2006 McDougall Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. For my money, Dutton-Goldfield may be the most underrated Pinot Noir producer in California; certainly Dan Goldfield is one of the best winemakers working with Pinot Noir today!

I also liked the two wines from Jim Ball Vineyards in Anderson Valley. This is a brand new winery and these offerings are their first releases. The 2006 Signature has good depth of fruit and is made in an earthy style, while the 2007 Booneville has more forward fruit and a longer, more elegant finish. A nice start for this producer - best of luck to them!

Finally, I tasted four examples from Germany. I've read a lot about how producers in Germany are working with Pinot Noir these days and judging by the bottlings I tried, I'd say they're starting to get the hang of it. A few of the wines were quite light, but some of them had nice depth of fruit. Most impressive was the 2004 from Georg Breuer from the Rheingau with tasty red cherry fruit and moderate tannins; this was a nicely balanced wine with excellent varietal character. A few more wines like this and we'll all have to start paying attention to Germany as a top Pinot Noir producing country!