An Exquisite Riesling and a Curious Duo

Exquisite Riesling

from the steep slopes of Nahe

Mathern

Mathern 2012 Niederhäuser Riesling Trocken, Nahe (Germany), 12.5%, €16.90 Karwig Wines

This Riesling, from the Nahe village of Niederhäuser, speaks for itself. It is simply superb and Very Highly Recommended.

Colour is a very pale honey with hints of green. On the palate, it is tangy and lively, green apples for sure, and with a good dry finish. Nothing at all complex here. Well made. Excellent. Buy it and try it!

Curious Duo

Chateau Saint Louis La Perdrix, Costieres de Nimes blanc 2011, 13%, €13.99 (11.19 for August)

Moulin de Gassac Merlot, Pays D’Herault 2013, 13.5%, €12.49 (9.99 for August).

There is a French sale at Curious Wines this month and you get 20% off when you but two French wines at €25.00 or under. These are two of the cheaper wines, both from the South of France, and two that I enjoyed.

Nimes is where denim comes from (de Nimes) and also where this white originates. The fact that it was made mainly from the Roussane grape caught my attention. I like the Roussane and liked this bottle, fresh and fruity and easy to drink.

Moulin de Gassac, farmed organically, overlooks the Med near Sete in the Languedoc and “offer a collection of wines highlighting the special characteristics of each grape varietal”. This medium bodied Merlot is one of the series, a rather friendly one, easy drinking and great value, especially at the moment.

A Couple of Old World Whites

A Couple of Old World Whites

Burg Ravensburg, Kraichgau Baden, Riesling Trocken 2012, 11.5%, €16.40 Karwig Wines 

Riesling, often mis-pronounced (the Ries rhymes with the dies in diesel), is the best known grape of Germany. Whatever you call it, this superb bottle from Karwig’s is a gem and Very Highly Recommended.

Kraichgau (in the Baden region) is a small district south-east of Heidelberg and the Ravensburg family, winemakers since 1251, is rated as one of the top producers. Quality is the motto here. The grapes on 28 hectares are “hand-picked and the wines are full of character” and the terroir is allowed shine through.

This Riesling is a very good illustration. It is a pale gold colour and bright with micro-bubbles galore clinging to the glass. It is strongly scented, peaches and citrus prominent in the attractive mix. On the palate, it is fruity for sure, a little tingly with lovely fresh flavours and then quite a dry finish.  

Paul Mas, Terrasse du Moulinas 2012 Blanc Elegance, Pays D’Oc IGP, 12.5%, €10.61 Karwig Wines

For quite some time now, the Languedoc has been leading France in innovation and coming up with some exciting wines. White wine accounts for about one fifth of the region’s production and sophisticated blends are on the rise. This one, by Paul Mas, one of the best local producers, is quite successful and Highly Recommended. His aim is to make “elegant wines full of Languedoc character”.

This cuvée is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Chenin, Mauzac, Chasan, Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc.  Love my Vermentino but with five other grapes in the bottle? No worries. This is a delight on the palate, fresh and fruity (notes of white and citrus fruits) and well balanced. Ideal as an aperitif or with fish and white meats.

Last Minute Wine Suggestions

Last Minute Wine Suggestions

 Top one goes with "a variety of meats" - ideal for Christmas!

Tim Adams, Bluey’s Block Single Vineyard Grenache, Clare Valley 2009, 14.5%, €16.99 Curious Wines 

Colour is a very light red and the aromatics are pretty if restrained. The magic is on the palate. Fruity for sure but very very refined and so well balanced. It has of course, the typical spice of the variety and, what you might not expect, an ABV of 14.5%. Must say it was love at first bite (well, first sip) with this mouth filling beauty, with its subtle tannins (supple, the label says) and its long fruity driven finish. Goes with a variety of meats and is Very Highly Recommended.

Viñedos Iberian, Yaso, Tinta de Toro 2010, 13.5%, stockists 

Familia Osborne (of Sherry fame) owns Viñedos Iberian and this Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo to most of us!) is a classy bottle. Yaso comes from a selection of old vineyards in the Zamora region of the Toro DO. They’ve been growing vines here for over 2000 years and this is named after the Greek goddess of healing.

Not sure I needed any healing when I opened this red the other day but I sure felt good as the initial sips came in and better as the silky liquid reached all areas.  It has an intense concentration of red fruits – you see it in the bright cherry colour and catch it in the aromas – and it is prominent again on the long finish. Highly Recommended.

Kerpen Riesling 2010 (Blauschiefer, Bernkastel, Mosel), €17.52, Karwig Wines

This estate bottled Riesling is a my favourite of mine, confirmed as recently as last Sunday. It is bright with straw green colours and modestly aromatic. Ripe fruits reach all areas before a long dry finish. Luscious apple-ly fruits yet really well balanced and with a great texture. Good with fish with light sauces or on its own as an aperitif. Highly recommended, not for the first time!.

The vineyards are on the slopes of the River Mosel, a tributary of the Rhine.

Check out the full 2013 list of recommendations here 

I Like my Kerpen Rieslings

I Like my Kerpen Rieslings

For the past few years, I have been enjoying the Rieslings produced by the Kerpen Winery  on the banks of the Mosel. Bought another couple recently in Joe Karwig’s in Carrigaline and once again the pleasure was all mine.

Kerpen Classic Riesling 2006 (Mosel), €12.92 Karwig Wines 

Bright gold in the glass. Just love the great burst of flavour that runs right through before finishing long and dry. Elegant and with good weight, really well balanced. Good with fish, salads or on its own. Highly recommended.

Gutsabfullung is a word you’ll see on many German wine bottles. It means estate bottled.

Kerpen Riesling 2010 (Blauschiefer, Bernkastel, Mosel), €13.55, Karwig Wines 

This estate bottled Riesling is perhaps my favourite of the two. It is bright with straw green colours and modestly aromatic. Ripe fruits reach all areas before a long dry finish. Luscious apple-ly fruits yet really well balanced and with a great texture. Good with fish with light sauces or as a thirst quencher. Highly recommended.

Bereich Bernkastel is one of six wine districts in the wine region of Mosel. The vineyards are on the slopes of the River Mosel, a tributary of the Rhine.

Hugel 2011: My kind of Riesling

Hugel 2011: My kind of Riesling

Hugel Riesling 2011, Alsace (France), 12.5%, €19.99 at Bradley’s Off Licence

Nothing is left to chance by the Hugel family, whose winegrowing tradition in the very centre of Alsace goes back to 1639. The Michelin Wine Regions of France gives the demanding details: “Meticulous harvesting and wine-making methods include the absence of fertilisers, hand-picked grapes, ruthless selection of stock and voluntary restricted yields.”

Sounds pretty severe but one of the result is this Riesling gem.

This is a bright wine, with a mainly straw colour with hints of green. The nose is fresh and fruity and on the palate it is beautiful and fresh and absolutely dry. A lovely, lively example of the variety with a citrus tinged finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Ballymaloe's Riesling Revolution: The Video.

Watch the video produced from the Riesling Revolution evening at Ballymaloe in Cork.
Please feel free to send it far and wide, let people know what a great, and unique, night we had. Click here to see the video. 

Ballymaloe: May date for Riesling Masters

Click on image above to enlarge

Ballyvaughan resident John McDonnell (Wine Australia) with Tim Adams (left)