LOOK TO GERMANY AND FRANCE FOR WHITE WINE ALTERNATIVES
For the last installment in my series of columns on white wines to cool off this hot summer, I am excited to be reviewing wine from Germany and Alsace. These regions source my favorite white grapes, specifically riesling and gewürztraminer, but also pinot gris and pinot blanc.
From my recent tasting, I present several good entry-level wines that are notable for their fresh fruit, mineral or spice character, and refreshing acidity, and for being mostly dry and low alcohol.
The Mosel River Valley is the most picturesque and romantic of all German wine regions and the Fritz Haag winery and vineyards is located in Brauneberg in the heart of the central Mosel, considered by many the prime source for great German Riesling.
These 2014 Rieslings are fantastic values at $22. The “Trocken” is dry as its name indicates, with bright green apple and peach and a sense of its reddish slate origins. The Mosel “Qualitatswein” reveals hints of sweetness with fresh peach, citrus and fine slate. Both are rather intense but drink with finesse.
Great wine also is made along the Ruwer River, a tributary of the Mosel, south of the city of Trier. Here, the von Schubert family has produced great wines under the name Maximin Grünhauser since the late nineteenth century.
The 2014 estate Rieslings also are fine values at $22 and are light and elegant but full flavored. The “Feinherb” is juicy and a smooth texture mineral grip spice honey and apple off dry savory and complex. The “Trocken” is bright and fresh, solidly structured with steely, crisp apple and pear savory notes.
In the nearby Rheingau, the Robert Weil estate’s Wilhelm Weil farms the family’s vineyards, which have been around since 1875, organically. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the 2014 Rieslings are great values delivering aromatic, intense and bracing drinks at just $20.
The “Trocken” offers abundant pome, citrus, pear and stone fruits, with power and a sense of richness, accented with steely and stony impressions, finishing with a touch of spice. The “Tradition” is slightly sweet, with tangy, brisk lemon and peach, and a steely finish.
Robert Weil also supplied the two exceptions to this column’s mostly dry criteria. They are more expensive but their extra ripeness and intensity justify the splurge. The 2013 Tradition Kabinett ($30) wraps stony, mineral qualities around slightly sweet, luscious peach, lemon and apple. The 2013 Tradition Spätlese ($40) impresses with its aromatics and lively but creamy texture, while presenting deep, honeyed fruit.
The Pfalz is Germany’s second largest wine region and a leading proponent of dry Riesling. Villa Wolf, an estate dating to 1750s, has produced two fine 2014 wines for a modest $12. The Dry Riesling sports steely green citrus and the (surprise) Gewürztraminer offers a lovely peach and citrus with a gulpable freshness.
Just across the border between Germany and France, the Alsace region also is revered for its Rieslings. Typically the wines carry more weight but the aromatics and acidity are just as bracing. The 2013 Hugel Riesling “Hugel” ($22) is a fine example. Founded in 1639, this still family owned company rich and ripe white fruits dry citrus fruit
But Alsace excels with other grapes, too. Like the very aromatic 2013 Trimbach Gewürztraminer ($24) and its bright fruit, full-body, concentrated orange and spicy finish. I also enjoyed the 2013 Gustave Lorentz Pinot Blanc Reserve ($20) for its citrusy freshness and the 2014 Cave de Cleebourg Pinot Gris “Prestige” ($15), a fairly full-bodied wine with nice pear and peach and a rich texture.
Look to Germany and France for White Wine Alternatives
For the last installment in my series of columns on white wines to cool off this hot summer, I am excited to be reviewing wine from Germany and Alsace. These regions source my favorite white grapes, specifically riesling and gewürztraminer, but also pinot gris and pinot blanc.
From my recent tasting, I present several good entry-level wines that are notable for their fresh fruit, mineral or spice character, and refreshing acidity.
2014 Maximin Grünhauser
Carl von Schubert produces beautifully light and clear, highly delicate Rieslings from the Ruwer. Riesling cannot taste finer than here. finesse and transparency
Riesling Feinherb, ($22)
[87] pure and elegant and balanced with juicy fruit and a smooth texture but also a nice mineral grip and salinity in the long finish.
(90) exotic spice here with honey and apple off dry and juicy but also savory and complex, finishing on a lingering, slightly bitter note.
Riesling Trocken ($22)
[87] bright and fresh light, round and dry elegance and finesse, and nicely structured finish with nutty flavors. The delicate acidity is stimulatingly fresh.
(85) Ripe apple and baked pear are matched to savory notes
(88) earthy and bitter minerals lend a savory tone to the apple and lime- dry crisp and sheer but finishes bold with a steely, cool resonance
2014 Fritz Haag
bright, clear, elegant and finesse stunning, refined and terroir-driven wines
For Fritz Haag in nearby Brauneberg in the heart of the central Mosel, the tradition goes back to 1605. Also an accomplished producer of sweet Rieslings, even the entry level 2013 Trocken ($22) transmits a sense of the reddish slate soil under pinning the bright green apple and honeydew.
Riesling Trocken ($22)
[88] clear and intense bouquet of ripe apples intermixed with lovely slate aromas Full-bodied, round and elegant, juicy Riesling with tropical fruit and ripe peach aromas; well balanced Bottled stunningly intense and aromatic
(87) Notes of honeysuckle and almond to the citrus and ripe apple and pineapple crisp acidity.
(91) Cool, mineral elegance and pristine tangerine and quince zesty, dry and light bodied with a lemony finish
Mosel Riesling QbA ($22)
[90] lovely, clear, bright, fresh and delicate with nice white stone fruit and fine slate, round, light and fruity, frisky and filigreed Riesling of great finesse.
(86) Peach and ripe apple, with firm acidity and notes of dried herb. Finishes with hints of pineapple and sage.
(91) a touch of honey-lemon sweetness zesty, citrus, lip smackingly fresh, green herb and lime notes
Robert Weil Rheingau
Wilhelm Weil, organic farming
Across the Rhein River north of Rheinhssen, the Rheingau, is one of the most distinguished wine regions of the world. And while that reputation has been built on the sweeter wines, today many fine trocken are being made – like these two from Robert Weil. The 2013 Riesling Trocken ($20) delivers a lot of wine for the money. Following pure, intense aromas of nectarine and gooseberry, an initial steely, minerally impression in the mouth is joined by juicy and a touch spicy flavors.
2014 Trocken ($20)
[87] clear, precise and aromatic white peach, intense and racy, with power and juiciness, mineral
(88) Juicy and fresh, citrus, pear and apple, hints of pepper and dried sage show on the crisp, minerally finish
(90) Steel and stones, lemon and grapefruit, medium bodied but texturally quite rich,
2014 Tradition ($20)
[90] a lovely, clear, precise and aromatic, white fruits, piquant and racy, slightly sweet great finesse and elegance, low alcohol is below 11%
(89) a bit tight and closed off, brisk off-dry fresh, tart lemon and peach flavors, mineral with a honed, steely finish
2013 Tradition Kabinett ($30)
[89+] 2014 intense and stony, quite ripe and sweet, concentrated, almost Spätlese and quite rich
(89) Well-structured, lemon and apple, accented by hints of cream, crisp and pure, with a zesty finish
(92) Whispers of saffron and pollen lend mineral intensity to succulent yellow peach and cherry notes juicy revitalizing semisweet
2013 Tradition Spätlese ($40)
[87+] 2014 a selection from the three hillside crus and the Wasseros; intense fruit and slate, round and sweet, elegant, very accessible with a nice grip and salinity in the finish
(91) Direct and fresh, with delicate apple and lemon, hints of honey and allspice, lively and elegant, creamy texture.
(94) profoundly aromatic, sprightly-sweet, opulent floral perfume of rose petals and orange blossoms, remarkably elegant, crisp honeydew and peach flavors zesty
2014 Villa Wolf Pfalz
Just to the south of the Rheinhessen, the Pfalz is Germany’s second largest wine region. Growers here have been proclaiming the greatness of dry Riesling more than any other German region. In my tasting, the Pfalz was represented by Villa Wolf, an estate dating to 1753.
Riesling Dry ($12)
(86) relaxed, apple and pear, zesty spiciness, mint and citrus notes
(87) savory, nutty, slightly smoky fresh tangerine crisp, cutting acidity elegance
2014 Gewürztraminer ($12)
(88) invigorating freshness not complex or concentrated, floral exuberance and crisp peach and pear, quaffable
Alsace
Alsace wines have the weight, aromatics and acidity to accentuate the unique character of just about any fermented food.
Another fun choice would be crisp, dry Alsatian versions of these grapes, like these from Hugel, a family owned company since 1639! The 2013 Riesling ($12) is aromatic and refreshing; the 2012 Pinot Gris “Classic” ($24) is a special selection revealing impressive weight and enticing nutty qualities. Also, check out the spicy lychee of the 2012 Gewürztraminer ($24) and the 2014 “Gentil,” a delicate but aromatic blend.
2013 Hugel Riesling “Hugel” ($22)
pleasing sourness of bracing acidity but fairly rich and ripe
[86] white fruits some nutty lively, bright and clean Pure, racy, bone dry and slightly salty good structure, and grip and refreshing citris fruit
(90) fresh, harmonious, floral overtone mix of nectarine, chalky mineral, orange and pink grapefruit zesty
2013 Trimbach Gewürztraminer ($24)
very aromatic, full-bodied and slightly spicy
[89] bright fruit quite spicy, herbal and floral, lemon, elegant, piquant and mineral mouthwatering salinity and fruitiness, really ripe, fresh and dry well balanced
(90) Linear and finely knit, fresh acidity cantaloupe, nectarine and ginger, minerality in the finish, elegant.
(91) creamy notes of rose, orange and mandarin oil, concentrated, punchy, focuses on taste rather than aroma, rounded and rich, immensely concentrated, structured.
2013 Gustave Lorentz Pinot Blanc Reserve ($20) <NR>
fresh, citrusy unoaked
(84) 2011 Snappy acidity, smoke, melon, kumquat and slivered almond
2014 Cave de Cleebourg Pinot Gris Prestige ($15)
full-bodied, slightly smoky, richly-textured with heady honey and stone fruit aromas
(88) Fresh and creamy, snappy acidity floral, peach, ground spice and smoke notes Tangy citrus and salted almond accents
(84) 2013 soft, rounded and smooth, fresh acidity, ripe pear and quince
2015 Costieres de Pomerols Picpoul de Pinet HB ($10) co-op of 450 growers
[89] lots of salty minerality, bitter citrus and hints of rose petal, juicy, medium-bodied clean and refreshing
(87) 2014 supple texture, apple, citrus and peach almond, fig and savory, spicy finish
<88> fresh and lively, ruby-red grapefruit and zesty acidity
Domaine Collin Cremant de Limoux Brut Cuvee Tradition ($16) <NR>