Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Summer Brothers


 
This warm time of year sees the promotion ‘Summer of Riesling’ in a worldwide underground movement promoting the most noble of white varieties – so the blurb goes.  But I’m a fan of it all, as is SWMBO.  As a consequence, we open our fair share of bottles in support.  Fitting in an impromptu get-together with the A-Prentice and the P-Price, we opened a couple of brothers in arms.

The 2011 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett is a most consistent shower.  It’s absolutely dependable, no matter what the vintage.  In hot years it is refined and delicate.  In cooler years it’s refined and delicate.  Spotlessly clean, or so it would seem.  Only in relief does one see the subtle variations due to vintage or whatever.  After a big day in the summer sun, this tasted deliciously refreshing, but posed with sweetness and richness.  A touch of slate and minerals in the background.  How can Riesling get better?

Then the P-Prince opened his 1991 Martinborough Vineyard Late Harvest Riesling.  A relation to the Mosel wine, but made in Martinborough, nearly half-way around the world.  Deep golden colour, but not oxidised r cloudy.  Gorgeous in its decadence, with honey and flowers and toast, all cut by zesty acidity.  No coarseness and not drying out.  A testament to a warm vintage, good winemaker, preserving sugar and a backbone of nobility – Riesling nobility, of course.  Who would think this summer brother would be so good, especially after nearly a quarter of a century?

Going back to the Schaefer, after the Martinborough wine, it was tight and dry – well, drier – and noticeably touched by sulphur.  But it was still very pleasing.

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