Two Traditional, Disappointing White Wines

 Remember buttery Chardonnays? White wine is quite susceptible to different winemaking techniques. I recently tasted two mainstream varieties, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Riesling, which reminded me how these wines used to taste in the ‘old days’. Passionate wine drinkers have moved on, and so have leading producers.

The first was the Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. Immediately, the palate gets attacked by grassy and gooseberry flavours. They are so strong, it is irrelevant that otherwise the wine is well made.

Score: 85/—

Gunderloch is highly regarded for their sweet and late harvest wines, such as Trockenbeerenauslese. The entry level is the Gunderloch Fritz Riesling. This wine is slightly sweet, but the main issue here is the lack of structure. The wine sits slightly round in the mouth, not moving down the palate. It is neither refreshing nor delicate.

Score: 85/—

Keller von der Fels Riesling

 The internationally best known German Riesling estates are from the Mosel; think Dr. Loosen, J.J. Pruem etc. This is partly due to their marketing skill, partly the American sweet tooth and their interest in Auslese and Spaetlese wines. In Germany, wines from the Rheingau and Rheinhessen are held in the highest esteem. The Keller wines sit right at the top.

A little while ago, I reviewed an astonishing Riesling from Keller. Today we step down from those lofty heights, and I will review a still very good Kabinett Riesling from Rheinhessen.

The 2015 Keller 'von der Fels' Riesling shows a brilliant green-golden colour. This wine from a warm vintage fills the mouth with grapefruit, stone fruit and some tropical flavours, yet has enough energy and acidity to drive down the palate to a dry finish. This is an elegant wine, a little forward perhaps, but the focus and fine finish are rewarding.

Score: 90/++ 

  

Three Taste Expanding Wines

During a blind tasting, I encountered three wines, two wines, one Champagne, actually, which delivered an unusual and very exciting flavour profile. The Champagne was a dry blanc de blanc from the grower Ulysse Collin 'Les Enfers'. In my simplistic way of thinking, I would normally characterize Champagne along a freshness/acidic/yeast spectrum. This one was quite floral with delicate pear and apple notes - very unusual. The wine was delicate, but with piercing intensity. There was a lot of complexity on the palate. Small and slow rising bubbles confirmed the quality of this drink.

Score: 95/+++

The wine of the night was a 2014 Keller Abts Erde GG from Rheinhessen. This area is flat to undulating as opposed to the river facing vineyards of the Rheingau and Moselle. It comes from a small block of the Westhofer Brunnenhaeuschen vineyard. The history of this esteemed limestone and ironstone vineyard goes back to the 14th century. When the highly regarded Kellers purchased this vineyard in 2001, the stars aligned. The texture of this wine is aristocratic Riesling, and the nose and palate is quite unique. Quince and yellow fruits on the nose are enticing. On the palate, there is peach, apple, grapefruit, passionfruit, and tight minerality. This complex flavour is hardly that of a typical Riesling. There is a good drive on the palate, without the wine being linear. Superb! The quality of this wine is only matched by its price.

Score: 97/+++

The third wine's story is altogether different. The 2013 Bressan Schioppettino frum Friuli tastes like nothing I have ever tasted before. This is a special wine, to start with, due to its history. The Schioppettino grape, also known as Ribolla Nera, was nearly extinct. Bressan collected the last vines, and established a new vineyard of this indigenous variety. Strong peppery notes and a cherry and wild berry bouquet jump out of the glass. On the palate, pepper and exotic spices are the main game. Underneath, raspberry, plum, candied fruit, and mossy flavours deliver an unusual sensation. I will not forget this for some time.

Score: 93/+++