A tasting in which the focus was on Bründlmayer’s Riesling from the Steinmassel (or Steinmassl) vineyard in Kamptal. A few Grüner Veltliners before the Rieslings and a few older heavy hitters in the end - before we finished with a bunch of very random blinds (although I didn’t taste that Chenin blind, since it came from my cellar).
What became obvious was that there is quite a bit of vintage variation, and the wine really needs some age! Most of the wines felt too young for my enjoyment, and only that 2016 vintage seemed to be in a great spot - even if it, too, was still very young.
This tasting also - once again - exemplified perfectly why I don’t really like screwcaps: the 2014 that was bottled under a screwcap felt younger or as young than basically any other vintage we tasted, apart from the 2022 vintage that was also bottled under a screwcap. The wines seem to age wonderfully under a natural cork, but they are in a time capsule when under a screwcap - and that is a feature I don’t enjoy.
- 2012 Johann Schwarz Weiss - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee (15.11.2024)
A blend of Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner and Sémillon. 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous neon yellow-green color. The nose feels rich, creamy and somewhat developed with slightly sweet-toned aromas of pineapple, some juicy Golden Delicious apple notes, a little bit of honeydew melon, light toasty oak notes, a hint of white peach and a touch of toffee. The wine feels dry yet ripe and sweetly-fruited on the palate with a rather full body and rich flavors of creamy oak and grilled pineapple, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of toffee, light sweeter nuances of acacia honey and peach marmalade, a hint of spicy red apple and a touch of stony minerality. The moderately high acidity manages to keep the overall feel pretty nicely in balance. The finish is dry, robust and somewhat spicy with a long, ripe aftertaste of white peach and creamy oak, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of honeyed richness, light sweeter nuances of apricot marmalade, a hint of ripe pineapple and a toasty touch of caramel oak.
A rather modern and toasty but also enjoyably developed Austrian white. I can imagine this might've been a very big, clumsy and heavily oaky wine in its youth, but most likely the wine has benefited much from the aging; you can still notice the impact from the new oak barrels, but the overall feel is surprisingly balanced and harmonious - it's getting harder to say where the toasty oak notes end and where the tertiary notes of caramel and creaminess begin. Although the wine is not really in my wheelhouse, I found it surprisingly enjoyable for such a big, modern and polished white wine. Nice.
(90 points) - 2017 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Vincent Spiegel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% Grüner Veltliner from Ried Spiegel. The grapes are whole bunch pressed, then fermented in stainless steel tanks (30%) and in a combination of Austrian oak casks, acacia barrels and French oak barriques (70%). The separate lots are aged for 3 months on the lees, then blended together and left to age in large oak casks. Bottled after 12 months of aging. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels fresh, somewhat sweetly-fruited and quite attractive with aromas of cantaloupe, some sweet Golden Delicious apple, light spicy notes of white pepper, a hint of crunchy pear and a floral hint of apple blossom. The wine feels dry, fresh and airy with a medium body and somewhat linear but also quite intense flavors of fresh red apples, some crunchy white fruit, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe white currant and a floral hint of apple blossom. The moderately high acidity keeps the overall feel pretty balanced. The finish is ripe, juicy and airy with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh white fruits, some appley tones, a little bit of white currant and a floral hint of apple blossom.
A nice, fresh and balanced Grüner Veltliner, but ultimately maybe a bit linear and harmless effort. I honestly expected something a bit more from a single-Ried bottling - while a pleasant effort in its own right, this felt more like an entry-level bottling. Nothing bad - just nothing particularly memorable, either.
(88 points) - 2007 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Lamm - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% Grüner Veltliner from Ried Lamm. Whole bunch pressed slowly, resulting in a tiny bit skin contact. Fermented in small Austrian oak and acacia barrels, then blended into large 2500-liter oak and acacia casks for aging. 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous, medium-deep neon yellow-green color. The nose feels juicy and considerably ripe with aromas of poached pear, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of beeswax, light creamy oak nuances, a hint of ripe apricot and a touch of assorted spices. The wine feels broad, concentrated and slightly oily on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of honeydew melon and ripe nectarine, some exotic fruit candies, a little bit of beeswax, light spicy mineral notes, a hint of quince jam and a touch of creaminess. The overall feel is pretty weighty, yet not one bit heavy or clumsy - partly thanks to the relatively high acidity that keeps things quite effortlessly in balance. The finish is long, rich and moderately oily with a powerful, intensely-flavored aftertaste of pineapple and cantaloupe, some honeyed tones, a little bit of apple jam, light crunchy apricot nuances, a hint of mineral spice and a touch of creaminess.
A bold, substantial and quite impressive powerhouse of a Grüner Veltliner. Although the wine packs relatively high acidity for such a big wine, I'd say even a bit more wouldn't have hurt the wine, meaning that I highly recommend serving the wine quite cool - it starts to get a bit fat as it warms up. But even then, this is a rather wonderful example of single-vineyard Grüner Veltliner and a testament how even very ripe examples of the variety can easily age, evolve and improve easily for a decade or two. Superb stuff, recommended.
(93 points) - 2004 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Lamm - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% Grüner Veltliner from Ried Lamm. Whole bunch pressed slowly, resulting in a tiny bit skin contact. Fermented in small Austrian oak and acacia barrels, then blended into large 2500-liter oak and acacia casks for aging. 14,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep neon yellow-green color. The nose feels ridiculously corked with a huge, mildewy smack of TCA. The wine feels broad, oily and heavy on the palate with a very full body and somewhat sweet-toned overall feel and quite soft medium acidity. Lots of very unpleasant, dusty and mildewy flavors of TCA.
This was as corked as a wine can be.
(NR/flawed) - 2022 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% organically farmed Riesling from Ried Steinmassel. The grapes are slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in summer 2023, after approximately 9 months of aging. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale, almost colorless whitish-green color. The nose feels fresh, a bit understated and subtly green-toned with aromas of Granny Smith apple, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of ripe lemony citrus fruits, light youthful grapey nuances, a hint of something herby and a sharp, slightly gaseous touch of something - perhaps an unintegrated whiff of SO2? The wine feels airy and quite salty on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits and steely minerality, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light crunchy notes of whitecurrants and a hint of chalk dust. The medium-plus acidity feels a bit soft for a Riesling, making the overall feel gentler and more round than I anticipated. The finish is youthful, lively and quite crunchy with a dry, medium-long aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple, some lemony citrus fruit notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light whitecurrant tones and a mineral hint of wet rocks.
A pleasant but also somewhat mild and a bit round Riesling, lacking the cut and drive Steinmassel Riesling normally shows. Furthermore, the wine is so young, it comes across as quite simple and foursquare, lacking the depth of flavor this label usually shows with age. At least at the moment the overall feel is a bit disappointing.
(87 points) - 2020 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% organically farmed Riesling from Ried Steinmassel. The grapes were harvested on October 22nd, slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in July 2021, after approximately 9 months of aging. 12% alcohol and 7,6 g/l acidity.
Pale greenish color. The nose feels quite fruit-forward and bit understated with aromas of ripe Granny Smith apple, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of lemon zest, light sweeter notes of juicy white peach and a floral hint of apple blossom. The wine feels ripe, juicy and fresh on the palate with a medium body and youthful, slightly concentrated flavors of crunchy Granny Smith apple, some ripe lemony citrus fruit notes, a little bit of sweet white peach, light mineral notes of wet rocks and a sapid hint of salinity. Nice, balanced overall feel, thanks to the rather high acidity. The finish is fresh, lively and balanced with a moderately long aftertaste of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of ripe white peach, light crunchy Granny Smith apple nuances and a hint of incisive steely character.
A balanced and promising vintage of Steinmassel that still comes across as too youthful and quite linear, but nevertheless showing good potential for further development. Quite similar to the 2019 vintage, only a bit lighterweight and less nuanced in style - although it might be only because of the age difference. I'm positive this wine will evolve into something pretty nice with age, but it might take another 10 years or even more before this wine really starts to show some age.
(90 points) - 2019 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% organically farmed Riesling from Ried Steinmassel. The grapes were harvested between October 1st and 3rd, slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in July 2020, after approximately 9 months of aging. 12,5% alcohol and 7,6 g/l acidity.
Pale yellow-greenish color. The nose feels fruity, somewhat sweet-toned and quite expressive with aromas of juicy peach, some fresh nectarine, light zesty citrus fruit notes, a little bit of appley fruit, light candied primary nuances of gummi bears, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of beeswax. The wine feels lively, youthful and even slightly concentrated with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite intense flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some grapefruity tones, a little bit of beeswax, light lemony nuances, a hint of key lime marmalade and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity lends great sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is long and fresh with a ripe yet dry aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits, some honeydew melon, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe grapefruit, a tart hint of key lime and a touch of beeswax.
A tasty, youthful and very promising Riesling. All the pieces are there in the right places and all the wine needs is some more time - it is still borderline primary at the age of 5 years, but most likely in another 5 years or so, this will be singing. Wonderful harmony between the fruit, the sense of concentration, the minerality and the structured acidity. Lovely.
(91 points) - 2018 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% organically farmed Riesling from Ried Steinmassel. The grapes were harvested between October 16th and 18th, slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in August 2019, after approximately 10 months of aging. 12,5% alcohol and 7,8 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep lime-green color. The nose feels ripe and sunny with aromas of key lime marmalade, some greengage, light sweet honeyed tones, a little bit of petrol, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a faint, fragrant touch of crushed mint leaves. The wine feels lively, quite airy and rather noticeably ripe - yet not heavy nor sweet-toned - on the palate with a medium body and somewhat direct flavors of mealy Granny Smith apple, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of savory umami, light tart notes of key lime and a hint of petrol. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is dry and quite long with a rather linear aftertaste of mealy Granny Smith apple, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of savory umami, light citrus notes of key lime and grapefruit and a hint of chalk dust.
A youthful but also somewhat direct and linear vintage of Steinmassel. The wine is starting to show some age, yet it doesn't seem to have developed much depth or complexity in the process. The wine doesn't really come across as youthful anymore, and the nose is actually quite nice, but on the palate the wine comes across pretty straightforward without much sense of nuance. The overall feel is refreshing and enjoyable, but not quite on par with the other surrounding vintages we tasted at the same time.
(89 points) - 2017 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% organically farmed Riesling from Ried Steinmassel. The grapes were harvested between September 29th and October 5th, slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in June 2018, after approximately 8 months of aging. 12,5% alcohol and 7,9 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep lime-green color. The nose feels open, vibrant and still quite youthful with intense, subtly sweetish aromas of passion fruit and ripe greengage, some white peach tones, a little bit of crunchy red apple, light steely mineral notes, a candied hint of gummi bear and a floral touch of orange blossom. The wine feels ripe, balanced and slightly concentrated on the palate with a moderately full body and intense, dry flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruit, some chalky mineral notes, a little bit of passion fruit, light grapefruity tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of incisive steely character. Firm, structured acidity. The finish is youthful, refreshing and precise with a quite long aftertaste of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of crunchy white currant, light passion fruit notes, a hint of steely mineraltiy and a touch of white peach.
A balanced, sophisticated and vibrant vintage of Steinmassel. While quite concentrated, the wine also comes across as very youthful and still maybe a bit straightforward - but also showing good sense of promise. Nice, harmonious stuff; not really a wow wine, at least yet, but feeling like it is on its way there. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2016 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% Riesling from Ried Steinmassel. The grapes were harvested between October 22nd and 24th, slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in August 2017, after approximately 10 months of aging. 12,5% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar and 7,4 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep lime-green color with a faint golden-yellow hue. The nose feels sweet-toned, expressive and rather concentrated with intense aromas of exotic fruits like ripe pineapple and mango, light steely mineral notes, a little bit of pear marmalade, a floral hint of apple blossom, a touch of greengage and a whiff of orange zest. The wine feels somewhat concentrated and quite ripe yet still dry on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe citrus fruits and nectarine, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of exotic fruit, light floral nuances, a hint of mineral spice and a touch of tangy salinity. The overall feel is not young anymore, but the wine doesn't come across as particularly evolved, either. The high acidity makes the wine come across as structured and balanced. The finish is ripe, firm and concentrated with a long, youthful aftertaste of steely minerality, some saline nuances, light citrus notes of grapefruit and ripe Meyer lemon, a little bit of mango, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of white currant.
A somewhat ripe and concentrated yet still wonderfully fresh, balanced and precise vintage of Steinmassel. I tasted the wine soon after release in 2018, and back then it showed good promise, but was so candied and primary that it didn't leave a lasting impression. Now the wine has dropped all those sweet, candied qualities, yet it still comes across as very vibrant and relatively youthful for its 8 years of age, still showing tons of promise regarding further aging. This was my favorite vintage in our 2022-2014 vertical of Steinmassel. Fine stuff with lots of upside. Highly recommended.
(92 points) - 2014 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% Riesling from Ried Steinmassel. The grapes were slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in the summer of 2015, after approximately 9 months of aging. 12,5%.
Quite youthful and rather pale lime-green color with faint yellow highlights. The nose feels remarkably fresh, almost primary and subtly green-toned with somewhat linear aromas of crunchy Granny Smith apple, some key lime, light herbal green notes, a little bit of stony minerality and a gaseous hint of something - perhaps SO2? The wine feels very youthful - almost backward, considering the wine is already 10 years old - with a medium body and linear, slightly watery flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some sweet herby tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light zesty citrus nuances and a hint of chalky bitterness. The medium-plus acidity feels quite modest for a Riesling, and even more so for this label. The finish is dry and a bit thin with a medium-long, slightly underwhelming aftertaste of Granny Smith apple, some ripe key lime notes, light herby nuances and a mineral hint of chalk dust.
A somewhat modest, underwhelming and even a bit watery vintage of Steinmassel. The poor vintage really shows here - this wine showed a considerable drop in intensity after a streak of 2020-2016 Steinmassel Rieslings in our vertical tasting. Furthermore, the wine showed obvious signs of "screwcap fault"; even when the wine was the oldest Steinmassel in our tasting, it seemed much younger and less evolved than almost all the other vintages we tasted - bar the even more youthful 2022 and 2020 vintages. If I'm aging wines for 10 years, I'd love them to actually show some age and not come across as wines that were bottled yesterday! All in all, while not a bad or disagreeable wine in any way, this was still a rather disappointing effort.
(85 points) - 2014 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Lyra 1ÖTW Reserve Ried Heiligenstein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% Riesling from the small portion of lyre-trained vines in Ried Heiligenstein. The grapes were slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in summer 2015, after approximately 9 months of aging. 13% alcohol, 8 g/l residual sugar and 9,0 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep and still somewhat youthful lime-green color. The nose feels sweetish and a bit reticent with aromas of ripe Granny Smith apple, some cantaloupe, light herby notes, a little bit of greengage, a hint of honeyed richness and a faint candied touch of white gummi bears. Contrasting the youthful nose, the wine comes across as somewhat more evolved and a bit concentrated on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and layered flavors of lemon marmalade, some cantaloupe, light greengage tones, a little bit of beeswax, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of tangy salinity. The firm acidity keeps the overall feel enjoyably fresh and structured, yet the mouthfeel remains textural and subtly viscous. The finish is fresh, firm and lively with a long, slightly concentrated aftertaste of beeswax and salty minerality, some cantaloupe tones, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light herby nuances, a hint of chalky bitterness and a touch of sweet Fuji apple.
A very impressive, fresh and somewhat evolved Riesling that feels remarkably good and even surprisingly concentrated for the miserable 2014 vintage. Tasting this next to the 2014 Steinmassel Riesling really shows how remarkably different expressions of 2014 Riesling these two wines are - that Steinmassel was watery and underwhelming with a somewhat dilute level of acidity, whereas this wine shows great sense of fruit intensity, concentration and structure. I'd say the wine felt slightly more evolved than any of the Steinmassel Rieslings we had in our vertical of vintages 2022-2014, but even then, the wine is still on an upward trajectory, and will probably remain on it for a good handful of years more. Fine stuff, drink now or within the next 10-15 years. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2003 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling 1ÖTW Alte Reben Reserve Ried Heiligenstein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (15.11.2024)
100% Riesling from the oldest portion of vines in Ried Heiligenstein where the average vine age is around 50 years and the oldest vines can be more than 75 years old. The grapes were slowly whole bunch pressed, resulting in brief skin contact, then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks and old oak casks. Bottled in winter 2005, after approximately 15 months of aging. 14,5% alcohol.
Intense, medium-deep neon yellow-green color. The nose feels evolved, concentrated and somewhat spicy with noticeably ripe aromas of sweet red apple, some peachy tones, a little bit of extracted waxy character, light sweet floral nuances of orange blossom, a hint of something vaguely minty and a touch of honeycomb. The wine feels broad, oily and rather heavy on the palate with a full body and developed, rather voluptuous flavors of wizened peaches and honeyed richness, some extracted bitter tones, a little bit of apricot marmalade, light minty notes, a hint of apple jam and a touch of stony minerality. The overall feel is quite dull and blocky, lacking badly in freshness and energy. The medium acidity is not sufficient for such a big wine, and the high alcohol lends some obvious heat to the palate. The finish is broad, heavy and warm with a long, ripe and somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of apple jam, some beeswax, a little bit of extracted bitterness, light floral nuances, a hint of overripe apricot and a touch of pineapple jam.
Ugh. While this wine was still somewhat drinkable some five years ago, it was getting way too ripe, heavy and extracted for my preference now. I imagine the wine has never been a particularly fresh or elegant example of Kamptal Riesling, but now, at +20 years of age, the sense of concentration and richness that comes with maturity has only accentuated the sense of weight a bit too much here, and the lack of youthful fruit combined with almost overripe tones and extracted bitterness makes the wine come across as evolved, quite dull and not particularly pleasant. This is definitely impressive in its own way, but not that enjoyable - at least not in my books. Can't recommend.
(84 points) - 2021 Šimák Zámok Pezinok Ryzlink Rýnský Club 1271 - Slovakia, Južnoslovenská (15.11.2024)
100% Riesling vinified in the cellars of a historical 14th century castle in Pezinok, western Slovakia - just a stone's throw away from the Austrian border. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, pale greenish color. The nose feels youthful, fresh and lively with brisk aromas of greencurrants and chopped herbs, some crunchy appley tones, a little bit of sweet white peach, light floral notes of apple blossom, a hint of creaminess and a faint touch of sweet spice - perhaps the wine sees some oak? The wine feels moderately ripe, balanced and a bit round on the palate with a medium body and subtly sweet-toned flavors of white peach, some steely minerality, light creamy nuances, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of greencurrants. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine pretty nicely in balance, although the overall feel is maybe a bit round and mellow for a Riesling. The finish is fresh, ripe and subtly sweet-toned with a moderately long aftertaste of spicy red apple, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light steely nuances and a hint of sweet spice.
A pleasant and surprisingly serious effort for a Slovakian Riesling - although the wine might not be that true to the variety. It feels like the wine has seen a little bit of new oak, and while not soft, the acidity still comes across as a bit modest for the variety. Fun stuff and much better than I would've anticipated, had I seen the label first!
(89 points) - 2021 Philipp Kuhn Chardonnay Reserve - Germany, Pfalz (15.11.2024)
100% Chardonnay. Aged in barriques. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels outrageously toasty and aggressively robust with aromas of grill grease and smoke, slowly opening to reveal aromas of popcorn, some gunpowder smoke, a little bit of grilled pineapple, light woody nuances and a hint of zesty citrus fruit. The wine feels ripe, somewhat concentrated and slightly viscous on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of popcorn, some smoky notes of toasted wood, a little bit of charred pineapple, light stony mineral notes, a hint of ripe citrus fruits and a hint of sweet wood spice. The high acidity keeps the overall feel quite balanced and structured. The finish is long, powerful and heavily toasty with an intense aftertaste of smoke and burnt popcorn, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of grilled and slightly singed pineapple, light citrus tones, a hint of spicy red apple and a touch of sweet oak spice.
I guess this was a fresh, balanced and structured wine with good sense of potential for future development. However, for me, it was very hard to get a clear picture of the wine as it was so darn toasty and oaky that remarkably little fruit managed to show through. I don't know if any amount of aging is capable of integrating that much wood into anything, but based on how the wine performed now, I wouldn't touch the wine in another 10 years or so. This needs a ton more time, because it wasn't particularly enjoyable to drink now - just way too over-the-top.
(82 points) - 2005 Domaine Vincent Denis Montlouis-sur-Loire Coulées Antérieures Tendre - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (15.11.2024)
100% Chenin Blanc. 12% alcohol, 17 g/l residual sugar and 7,7 g/l acidity.
Surprisingly youthful yellowish color with lime-green highlights. The nose feels fine-tuned and nuanced with slightly evolved aromas of apple jam, some nectarine, a little bit of beeswax, light creamy oak nuances, a hint of savory wood spice and a sweeter touch of candied character. The wine feels off-dry and somewhat rich - yet less sweet than the residual sugar would indicate - with a full body and nuanced flavors of white peach, some apple jam, light honeydew melon tones, a little bit of creamy oak, nutty hints of almond and a touch of saline minerality. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine while offsetting some of the sweetness from the residual sugar. The finish is quite ripe, juicy and slightly sweet-toned with a long, off-dry aftertaste of apple jam, some honeydew melon, a little bit of white peach, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of creamy oak, a touch of salinity and a candied suggestion of gummy bears.
A sophisticated and nuanced off-dry Chenin. Surprisingly youthful for its age, showing very little if any aged complexity - thus making the wine come across as a bit linear. Even then, this is a pretty lovely and tasty little drop that can probably age and improve at least for a little bit more from here. Most likely the wine isn't going to evolve into something exceptional with additional aging, but I feel there is still some room for additional development. Solid value at 22,05€. Nice stuff.
(91 points) - 2022 Otmar Sturm Renski Rizling Sladko - Slovenia, Posavje, Bela Krajina (15.11.2024)
100% late-harvested Riesling. Lot number 340/2023, so perhaps the wine is bottled in late 2023? 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels sweet and youthful with somewhat waxy aromas of ripe white fruits and apple jam, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light raisiny notes of Sultanas, a hint of honeysuckle and a touch of beeswax. The wine feels rich and vibrant on the palate with a moderately full body and sweet flavors of apple jam, some lemon marmalade, light raisiny notes of Sultanas, a little bit of stony minerality, light nectarine tones, a hint of juicy white peach and a floral touch of orange blossom. The finish feels ripe and juicy with a long and rather sweet aftertaste of acacia honey and white peach, some apple jam tones, a little bit of honeysuckle, light raisiny notes of Sultanas, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of beeswax.
A classy, tasty and harmonious sweet wine. My guess was an Alsatian Vendanges Tardives, and I was at a loss when this wasn't one. I wouldn't say you'd confuse this for a sweeter German Riesling, because the style was somewhat different. The wine was still tasty, however. Maybe still a bit linear, thanks to its youthful overall feel, but showing good potential for further development. Drink now or within the next decade or two.
(90 points) - 2016 Doja Prokupac - Serbia, Nišava-Južna Morava, Leskovac, Vinarce (15.11.2024)
100% Prokupac. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, macerated with the skins for 15-20 days. Aged in 500-liter Serbian oak casks for 12 months. Bottled on 1st of December, 2017. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Somewhat translucent black cherry color that does not appear young nor particularly evolved. The nose feels savory and somewhat Bordeaux-like with aromas of ripe redcurrants and fresh blackcurrants, some tobacco, light woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, a little bit of ripe red plum, hints of earthy spices and licorice root, a touch of crowberries and a faint sweet whiff of strawberry jellies. The wine feels dry, firm and crunchy on the palate with a light-to-medium body and quite intense flavors of ripe dark berries and fresh blackcurrants, some woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, a little bit of licorice root, light earthy tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of chokeberry bitterness. The moderately high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins make the overall feel enjoyably fresh and structured. The finish is ripe, dry and moderately grippy with a long aftertaste of juicy forest fruits, some fresh blackcurrants, light woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, a little bit of tobacco, a hint of licorice and a sweeter touch of juicy red plum.
A firm and tasty everyday wine with a somewhat Bordeaux feel to it - even though the wine doesn't seem to have anything to do with a Bordeaux, not from varietal nor from winemaking perspective. Enjoyable stuff that is still surprisingly youthful for the 8 years of age - I can see this wine still evolving and improving for a handful of years more, even if the wine is drinking really well right now. I was pretty surprised that such a nice and serious wine turned out to be Serbian! Nice.
(92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
