2010 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Gerümpel Riesling Trocken P.C. –Pfalz, Germany 13,0% Alc.
Wow.
Spontaneous fermentation in traditional Pfälzer Doppelstück Oak Casks (2400 liter.) 40 year-old vines.
This is the most renowned and most characteristic site in Wachenheim and it would be hard to argue that it is not the greatest of the village. Within the internal classification that Bürklin-Wolf uses, it is classified as Premier Cru (P.C.), but it is absolutely one of the better wines that they make and hands-down the most elegant.
Gorgeous aromas of almond blossom, marzipan, crème brulee, and apricot. It has a creamy texture with just the faintest spike of acidity and pushes the limits of trocken in residual sugar with almost 9g/l. Drinking it I am reminded of Carillon Puligny-Montrachet. Not bad company. Excellent dry Riesling.
2008 Andreas Schick ‘Schwarz’ Lemberger Trocken –Württemberg, Germany 13,5% alc.
I’ve been trying to visit Württemberg with some regularity lately because I love the landscape and the uniqueness of the wines. The region is so scattered that you have to cover a lot of ground to get a good feel for what is good and what is mediocre and the top producers are seldom located in the same town (or within 50 km of each other), I expect my journey there to take some time, but there are excellent vineyards and the region is emerging as an exciting one. The wines are popular within Germany and for such a big region (it is half the size of the Pfalz at just under 12,000 ha), but outside of the eastern Weinbaugebiete (Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen), they are probably the least known to foreign markets. That most of the wine is red from a Country not always prized for its red wine outside of its own borders doesn’t help that, but believe me if you will, the wines can be great.
Lemberger is the same grape as the Austrian Blaufränkisch (a synonym that is catching on in Germany for labeling purposes). I was at a large tasting late last year and was able to try almost 50 different Württemberger wines, most of them Lemberger. A lot of producers in Württemberg use the grape as their clean-up hitter (the other red wines being Trollinger/Vernatsch, Schwarzriesling/Pinot Meunier, and Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir) and as such go for brawnier, more powerfully tannic versions that are sometimes whored up in new barrique. I’ve tasted and enjoyed Blaufränkisch of that style (Austrian producer Prieler makes the most impressive wine that I’ve ever had from the grape with their Goldberg vineyard –around a hefty $120 a bottle), but I’ve been just as pleased with simpler versions. The most versatile seem to fall somewhere between Cru Beaujolais and Cabernet Franc in body and spiciness and that is just about where this one falls.
Characteristic white pepper and blueberry, elderberry blossoms, smoke, chicory. Mildly tannic, but also juicy with a tail of acidity. Yum.
Cheers,
Bill