Category Archives: Wines

France, Wines

Wine Notes: Champagne Cotes des Bars

 

What I Learned

Champagne, the sparkling wine, can only come from Champagne, the region, about 90 miles northeast of Paris. Although grapes were cultivated in this northern region of France as early as Roman times, the often cold, foggy climate worked to ensure that grape ripening was not consistent from year to year. Hence ripe grapes in Champagne were sought high and low to add to the big houses’ champagne blends.

But what constitutes the champagne producing area of Champagne? That was a contentious question at the turn of the 20th century. In 1911, such a question provoked massive riots. At issue was the right of the wine-makers in southern Champagne to use the champagne appellation for their sparkling wines made from their grapes.

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Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Ahrtal

 

What I Learned

Germany’s Ahr Wine Region, almost 50 kilometers north of the Moselle at Koblenz, is the Rhineland-Palatinate’s northern-most wine region, though it is not Germany’s northern most wine region. (That honor goes to the Saale-Umstrut region in Saxony.)  But it is the furthest north red wine region in Germany. Until seen, it would be hard to credit that red varietals could ripen well enough this far north. But the vines grow on steep, mostly south-facing slopes of dark volcanic rock, along a very narrow valley that runs (in a very serpentine fashion) from west to east. Nature and geologic activity have combined to create some ideal conditions for red varietals here, with volcanic stone soils in the western end of the valley, and loess soils in the eastern end of the valley, as it approaches the Rhine.

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Austria, Wines

Wine Notes: Schilcher Wine

 

What I Learned

There are three districts of Austria’s Steiermark wine region, but only the Weststeiermark vintners produce Schilcher wine. This unique wine is a delicious rosé with unique characteristics. The name Schilcher stems from an old Germanic word meaning to shimmer (as in: with color).

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Italy, Wines

Wine Notes: Piedmont’s Monferrato

 

What I Learned

Monferrato has a long tradition of wine-making, pre-dating even the Romans. As the famous Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder noted, the Romans greatly appreciated the wine coming from the Muscat grape cultivated in the Monferrato as a varietal more resistant to cold weather.

The rise of Christianity and establishment of monastic organizations ensured that even after the fall of the Roman Empire, and especially after the barbarian invasions, the production of wine would continue in the Monferrato up until today.

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Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Mittelrhein Reichenstein

 

What I Learned

The Mittelrhein (Middle Rhine) is famous for its dozens of castle ruins, towering cliffs, and dramatic oxbow bends along the course of the Rhine through this section of it. The Upper Middle Rhine is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It begins in Koblenz, and continues to Bingen.

This also defines the wine region known as the Mittelrhein. Unlike other wine regions on the Rhine, this region covers both banks of the river (beginning north of Lorchhausen, which is part of the Rheingau region). Many areas of the Upper Middle Rhine do not produce wine: the topography and geology just aren’t suitable or practicable, even for growing other crops. That just makes the vineyards along this section of the Rhine even more esteemed.

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Germany, Switzerland, Wines

Wine Notes: High Rhine Wines

 

What I Learned:

In Germany, the Steinler in Nack, a hamlet south of Lottstetten, the Kapellenberg in Erzingen to the northwest of Nack, and the Oelberg outside Hohentengen to the southwest of Nack, are the vineyard areas in this remote pocket of the Baden-Wuerttemberg. With no grossanlage, the labels on local wine bottles simply designate the name of the wine region: Baden. The small Steinler vineyard is the only one in this Jestetten/Lottstetten area, and I could only catch glimpses of its south facing vineyards from time to time. Nevertheless, the local Weingut Clauss in Nack enthusiastically produces some very good wines.

Only two miles away, the Swiss vineyards in this area begin in the village of Ruedlingen, and continue up to the top of the hill to Buchberg. These vineyards visited fall within the Schaffhausen appellation. Buchberg is the southernmost village in the Schaffhausen canton, therefore it automatically has the southernmost vineyards in the appellation. While about one-eighth of the grape vines here are Mueller-Thurgau, known locally as Riesling x Sylvaner (yes, with the “y”), the vintners here grow the Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) varietal more than any other. In fact, the Schaffhausen appellation area is known as “Blauburgunderland” (Pinot Noir Country).

In Buchberg especially, the vineyards are ideally sited on steep, south-facing terrain, directly overlooking the Rhine River. However, true to my experiences in Switzerland, none of the wineries, and only one tavern (in Ruedlingen) was open on the day I was there!

 

What I Tasted:

2017 Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Belemnit, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Clauss (Nack, Germany): A dry white wine with medium gold color; fruity and spicy nose, with peach and vanilla flavors; medium plus acidity.

2017 Ruedlinger, Riesling x Sylvaner, AOC Schaffhausen, by Peter Matzinger, local grower, (Ruedlingen, Switzerland) with Gebrueder Kuemin Weinbau (winery) (Freienbach, Switzerland): A dry white wine with medium minus gold color; neutral nose with a hint of citrus, with vanilla and citrus flavors, with a hint of nuts; medium acidity, and a belatedly tart finish.

2017 Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), Nacker Rose, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Clauss (Nack): A dry rose wine with dark minus salmon color; slightly fruity nose, with sweet cherry and slight smoke flavors; medium tannins

2017 Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), Nacker, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Clauss (Nack): A dry red wine with dark minus ruby red color; sweet dark cherry wood nose and flavors, with a hint of tar; medium tannins, and a smooth finish.

 

 

France, Wines

Wine Notes: Chablis 

 

What I Learned

The Chablis wine sub-region is in Burgundy, a land of incredible wines. Further north and west than the rest of Burgundy, it is a cooler, wind-swept area, once covered for millennia by a vast sea. The local soil, soil known as Kimmeridgian, is a combination of clay and limestone. The limestone’s most notable aspect is the presence of fossilized seashells within it. As a result, the stones here have a unique note of salty chalk, giving the wine a crisp, clean, fresh mineral flavor notes not often found in Chardonnay from elsewhere.

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Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Wuerttemberg’s Remstal-Stuttgart District

 

What I Learned

While set geographically speaking close to the Upper Neckar valley, the vineyard area by Metzingen and Neuhausen does not fall within the wine district of that name. It falls instead within the Remstal-Stuttgart wine district of the Wuerttemberg wine region. This district includes nearby Neuffen and Beuren, as well as the vineyards in the Stuttgart and the greater Stuttgart area, as far west as Leonberg, and as far north as Winnenden. By Metzingen and Neuffen, it is easy to see that the area was once volcanic. Indeed, volcanic elements are partly present in the soils in this general area (although not so in Metzingen), which consist of marl and clay.

Historically, wine making figured largely the local economy and culture. The Kelternplatz in the center of historic Metzingen which once contained seven large wine presses, showcases wine making’s importance to the town and nearby village of Neuhausen. Both contain sections of the vineyard parcel called the Hofsteige.

The local cooperative Winzergenossenschaft Metzingen-Neuhausen produces Schillerwein. Of local (broadly speaking) tradition, Schillerwein is a cuvee of red wine blended with white wine. This practice was noted as early as the middle ages in Wuerttemberg. More than one grape varietal of either red or white grapes can be in the mix, resulting in an extremely large variety of wines to experience. The rose-colored wine blends made by local wineries are often favorites at local fairs or festivals, and in wine taverns (Besen), where they are served cool on a hot summer day. It is truly a local, Wuerttemberg wine experience not to be missed.

Another popular red wine cuvee in the Wuerttemberg region is the Schwarzriesling with Spaetburgunder.  It is a combination of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. Needless to say, each winemaker’s cuvee is unique and uniquely delicious. Another “must try” when in this area.

 

What I Tasted

2017 Mueller-Thurgau, Metzinger Hofsteige, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingaertnergenossenschaft Metzingen Neuhausen (Metzingen): A dry white wine with medium gold color; green apple and citrus nose, with green apple and citrus flavors, high minus acidity, with a tart finish.

2017 Schwarzriesling mit Spaetburgunder, Metzinger Hofsteige, Qualitaetswein, Halbtrocken, Weingaertnergenossenschaft Metzingen Neuhausen (Metzingen): A dry red wine cuvee (Schwarzriesling/Pinot Meunier and Spaetburgunder/Pinot Noir) with medium ruby color; cherry and spice nose, with cherry and spice flavors, with a hint of leather; medium tannins, medium body, and a smooth finish

Schillerwein, Metzinger Hofsteige, Deutscher Qualitaetswein, Halb-trocken, Weingaertnergenossenschaft Metzingen Neuhausen (Metzingen): A dry rose wine with medium salmon color; with cherry nose, and green apple, cherry, and honey flavors; well balanced, with the honey on the finish.

Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Germany’s Saale-Unstrut

 

What I Learned

In 998 Emperor Otto III gave vineyards to Memleben Abbey, thus providing the first historic evidence we have of vineyards along the Saale and Unstrut.

The Saale-Unstrut winegrowing region covers some 770 hectares. The landscape is characterized by hills of shell limestone and variegated sandstone soils, often terraced, contained by centuries-old dry-stone walls.

Sited on the 51st degree of latitude, it is the northernmost designated quality wine region in Germany. The Saale Unstrut region extends over three German states: Saxony-Anhalt (639 hectares), Thuringia (108 hectares), and a real northern outlier in Brandenburg (by Potsdam) (8.4 hectares). Overall, the wine region receives about 1600 hours of sunshine, more than Trier in the Moselle wine region but less than Freiburg, in the southern Baden wine region in the Rhine River Valley. It gets about 500 milliliters of rainfall a year.

With over 50 grape varieties, the Saale-Unstrut wine region offers a wide variety of wines. Many of the grape varietals, both red and white, are known to do well in colder, wetter climates.

Of the white varietals, both Pinot Blanc and Müller-Thurgau, which can be surprisingly spicy here, lead by far in terms of production. Riesling, Bacchus, Gruener Silvaner, Pinot Gris, Kerner, Traminer and Gutedel, one of my favorite German whites, follow in order of quantity.

Red wine constitutes about 25 percent of all production, and comes primarily from Dornfelder (by far the most grown and vinified red varietal), followed by Portugieser; Blauer Zweigelt, and Spaetburgunder. Regent, one of my favorite German reds, is growing in popularity. One rare red varietal grown here only in tiny amounts is the André, which is a cross between the Blaufraenkisch (aka: Lemberger) and the Saint Laurent. It is difficult to find a bottle, or even a glass, of this wine.

There are over 50 private wine estates, and the Winzervereinigung Freyburg-Unstrut winegrowers’ association, the state-owned Kloster Pforta (over 850 years of wine-making), and the Wein und Sekt Manufaktur in Naumburg-Henne, and the Rotkäppchen Sektkellerei in Freyburg, both produce sparkling wines.

 

What I Tasted

2016 Spaetburgunder, Kabinett, Trocken, Winzerverein Freyburg (Unstrut): A dry red wine with medium plus ruby red color; slight red berry nose, with cherry, red berry, vanilla and oak flavors; medium minus tannins, with a smooth finish.

2015 Weiss Burgunder, Qba, Trocken, Landesweingut Kloster Pforta: A dry white wine with light gold color; floral and grass nose, with apricot, floral and grassy flavors; medium minus acidity, with a tart finish.

2015 Weiss Burgunder Kabinett, Trocken, Weingut Herzer (Rossbach): A dry white wine with light gold color; peach nose, with peach and toasted nuts flavors; medium minus acidity.

2015 Gruener Silvaner, Deutscher Qualitaetswein, Halb-trocken, Weingut Herzer (Rossbach): A dry white wine with medium minus gold color; a grass and herbal nose, with same flavors; medium minus acidity.

 

 

Source for the first section: https://www.weinregion-saale-unstrut.de/de/9/die-weine/rebsorten

 

France, Wines

Wine Notes: Alsace’s Crémant

 

What I Learned

The Alsatian wine region is famous throughout France, and the world. It is a great place to try excellent white wines, at very reasonable prices. In addition to the still wines made from the six main white varietals grown in Alsace – Riesling, Sylvaner, Gewuerztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris – sparkling wines are produced here.

Crémant is the name for the Alsatian sparkling wine made using the Champagne method. But unlike most Champagnes, Alsatian winemakers traditionally use Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling to produce the classic Alsatian crémant. (Riesling brings a nice touch of acidity, as well as fruitiness to the blend, and is a unique addition to French sparkling wines.)

Vintners here also make good use of some of the other appellation Alsatian varietals. Some cremants use Pinot Blanc exclusively. The Rose cremants are made with exclusively of Pinot Noir (the only red appellation varietal grown in Alsace). Additionally, for the specific Appellation Crémant d’Alsace, Auxerrois and Chardonnay grapes may be used.

The appellation Crémant d’Alsace dates to 1976, and currently represents almost a quarter of Alsace’s total wine production.  While the most well-known Alsatian crémant producer is Wolfberger, located in the Haut Rhin department, there are some Bas Rhin producers who consistently produce excellent sparkling wine as well. In the Bas Rhin, the cooperative winery Cave du Roi Dagobert, produces a nice line of Crémant. (Their winery (in Traenheim, less than ten kilometers/six miles from Molsheim) offered a wonderful tasting of their Crémant line, but unfortunately, I lost my tasting notes. Suffice it to say, they were all delicious and very reasonably priced.)

 

What I Tasted

Crémant, Dagobert Prestige, Demi-Sec, Appellation Crémant d’ Alsace Controlee, Cave du Roi Dagobert (Traenheim): A semi-dry white sparkling wine with fine, swirling, persistent bubbles and light gold color; floral and yeast nose, with floral and toast flavors; very smooth with mild acidity.

Crémant, Chardonnay, Brut, Appellation Crémant d’Alsace Controlee, Domaine Robert Klingenfus (Molsheim):  A dry white wine with very fine bubbles, and medium gold color; floral and slight yeast nose, with floral and bread flavors, medium acidity.

2018 Cuvee d’Antoine, Domaine Robert Klingenfus: A dry white wine cuvee (mostly Pinot Gris, and a bit of Riesling), with medium minus gold color; a Riesling nose, with pear and floral flavors, high minus acidity.

2018 Pinot Gris, Signature, Appellation Alsace Controlee. Domaine Robert Klingenfus (Molsheim): A dry white wine with medium plus reddish gold color; a rich floral and spicy nose, with flavors of ripe peaches, roses, and vanilla and nutmeg spice; medium acidity, very smooth finish

2015 Gewürztraminer Glintzberg, Vendanges Tardives, Domaine Anstotz et Fils (Balbronn): A dry white wine with dark gold color; rich aromatic nose, with powerful lychee and concentrated exotic fruits flavors; mild acidity. (201908)

2015 Riesling, Westerweingarten, AOC Alsace, Domaine Anstotz et Fils (Balbronn): A dry white wine with medium plus gold color; a mineral nose, and peach and spice flavors, with a hint of turpentine; medium plus acidity.

2011 Riesling, Altenberg de Bergbieten, Grand Cru, Appellation Alsace Controlee, Domaine Roland Schmitt: A dry white wine with medium gold color; intense nose of spice and white fruit; citrus, floral and spice flavors; a full-bodied wine with medium acidity. (Tasted in 2014)