What can I say? I'm hooked. This style is very similar to the wine I profiled earlier this week. Apologies for the monotony.
This is a bit younger than the previous Riesling I tried. It's also from a very similar location, being only a few miles further upriver from Bernkastler. I'll be tasting and then having a glass of Richter Estate's 2012 Riesling.
This one again came from Vine & Brew. It's a beautiful straw color that Riesling takes on after a few years in the bottle. Generally speaking, the longer white wines stay in the bottle, the deeper the color will get. This isn't a bad thing, unless it's a style of wine that's meant to be consumed young.
The nose of this one also exhibits high aromatics, but the fruit is more forward here, likely due to the youth. It seems to me that this one also has a much more expressive minerality, the wet cement/slate smell is actually a lot like an early spring rain. In a blind tasting situation, this is an incredibly important observation. When trying to decide between a New World or Old World style, one of the most important things to watch for is what's 'driving the bus,' noting whether fruit or non-fruit aromas are dominant in the glass. Fruity styles are more akin to New World wines, earthy, mineral-driven ones are aligned with old World Styles, though exceptions exist.
The fruit caught me after the minerality. Apricot, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, apple and citrus fruits dominate with hints of banana. The palate is a bit heavier than I expected, bringing up lychee, orange and candied orchard fruits. The acid is refreshing but mellow.
Overall, I think this would pair well with a rough Monday or Tuesday and some good take-out Thai food with a little spice in it. The sweetness would balance with a medium spice pad Thai well. This is a great wine to also drink just by itself!
Case and point, YOU NEED GERMAN RIESLING AT LEAST ONE TIME THIS DECEMBER!
This is a bit younger than the previous Riesling I tried. It's also from a very similar location, being only a few miles further upriver from Bernkastler. I'll be tasting and then having a glass of Richter Estate's 2012 Riesling.
This one again came from Vine & Brew. It's a beautiful straw color that Riesling takes on after a few years in the bottle. Generally speaking, the longer white wines stay in the bottle, the deeper the color will get. This isn't a bad thing, unless it's a style of wine that's meant to be consumed young.
The nose of this one also exhibits high aromatics, but the fruit is more forward here, likely due to the youth. It seems to me that this one also has a much more expressive minerality, the wet cement/slate smell is actually a lot like an early spring rain. In a blind tasting situation, this is an incredibly important observation. When trying to decide between a New World or Old World style, one of the most important things to watch for is what's 'driving the bus,' noting whether fruit or non-fruit aromas are dominant in the glass. Fruity styles are more akin to New World wines, earthy, mineral-driven ones are aligned with old World Styles, though exceptions exist.
The fruit caught me after the minerality. Apricot, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, apple and citrus fruits dominate with hints of banana. The palate is a bit heavier than I expected, bringing up lychee, orange and candied orchard fruits. The acid is refreshing but mellow.
Overall, I think this would pair well with a rough Monday or Tuesday and some good take-out Thai food with a little spice in it. The sweetness would balance with a medium spice pad Thai well. This is a great wine to also drink just by itself!
Case and point, YOU NEED GERMAN RIESLING AT LEAST ONE TIME THIS DECEMBER!
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