Prof, I know how much you love Nebbiolo, care to share any insight into your favorite Rieslings?
Chardonnay in the form of Champagne - to lay down. It seems we are in the golden age of Champagne and they age so effortlessly.
Me, too. Need far more Riesling, especially now that my wife has gone crazy over it.
Petit Sirah or Riesling
Without a doubt, Pinot Noir.
It currently only makes up about 80% of the cellar.
Your cellar balance percentages mirror mine with different grapes. I have 5x more Riesling than the next grape, then my next is around 8% with gradual decreases like yours.
Chardonnay - I’ve got plenty of Champagne…but I could use more “normal” Chards.
That’s mostly Donnhoff Spatlese, wines I find immensely enjoyable and complex in almost every vintage and vineyard.
Yes, Donnhoff is all you need.
Riesling
Already pushing 40% Riesling, I would like more red Burgundy but I don’t really need much more of anything, hard to stop buying though - A dozen Muller 97 Spatlese and a trio of Chevillon Cailles 96 this week so far…
Rioja. Especially back vintages from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Hilarity aside, it is vinifera.
Not really seeking more stuff to buy to cellar, but as far as current exploration goes, Nerello Mascalese is at the top of my current agenda.
Nebbiolo
Agree with a couple earlier.
Gewurtztraminer and Champagne.
Malvasia.
So the post does beg the question, why don’t we have more of this grape that we love?
I love Kabinett but never really thought of it as a grape to cellar, to mature. It know that’s wrong, but I love them in their youthful exuberance. They are also quite easy to find and relatively inexpensive, so I buy as I drink. Got a nice case delivery of Lauers and Donnhoffs coming in today . . . .
Another big vote for Riesling, with Nebbiolo in second place.
The reason, as best I can figure, that I don’t have much of either is lack of exposure. The events/tastings/dinners that I go to on a regular basis exposes me to plenty of Cabs, Brunellos, Pinot, and Chardonnay, and I end up with a lot of that in my cellar (except Brunellos, I just don’t quite understand those). No one pours any Riesling around here, so out of sight - out of mind unfortunately.
That’s a good point, Dusty. Down here in the cultural wasteland of Orlando, and I have no friends as I pour Riesling, Chinon, Beaujolais and Bordeaux. Everyone here wants big Cab and buttery Chard! At least I have my fellow Berserker, my little buddy, MarcF, he’s the gilligan to my skipper! LOL.