German wine help!

WINE TALK
#1

Ok…so I am going with some friends to sushi tomorrow night and I wanted to bring an off-dry riesling. I found a btl of 1993 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese in the cellar, but I can’t tell if it is a sweet (dessert wine) riesling or an off dry style. I have had Ausleses’ in both categories. Anyone know what this is???

Thanks!

#2

Dessert wine. All three notes here refer to botrytis: http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=205324" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

#3

'93 was a very good vintage, they’re drinking well now, but as Eric notes, it’ll be sweet and probably too much for sushi.

Cheers,
-Robert

#4

Jake,

While I would not categorize it as a dessert wine, Auslese-level Riesling can definitely verge on that category - but I would never compare it to Sauternes. Another thing to consider is that German Riesling will ‘dry-out’ as they get older, so the bottle age will help. But overall you really need some spicy Thai or Indian food to balance the ripeness/sweetness in that wine.

Have any Kabinett or Spatlese?? Actually if your idea of sushi is 50% fish / 50% wasabi, then this might be the ticket! [wink.gif]

#5

cool…thanks guys. good info!

#6

It’s very sweet. Dessert wine. Weil’s Rieslings usually tend to be on the very opulent/sweet side, and even his Spätlese at times seem like they’d be most appropriate as/with dessert.

(That said, I’ve had the wine in question before and it’s quite spectacular. Hope your bottle shows well.)

#7

I like young Kabinett for sushi

#8

Yes, Weil tends to be rich and sweet. It is the Rheingau.

#9

What’s wrong with drinking a good Junmai Ginjo or Junmai Daiginjo sake, which are a much better match with sushi and sashmi than anything else.

#10

Weil does produce some good dry Rieslings, including one with the same vineyard designation, but a Kabinett Trocken (Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken) instead of the Auslese that you have. I got the chance to visit the winery recently and walked away with a number of the 07’s. Although in general, most of what is available by them here does tend to be sweeter. If you can find the Trocken, I really enjoyed the wine.