All About Balance

What a lovely start to the dinner put on by the Ness-Essary Couple.  We knew we were in for a great night from the guest list.  We were pleased to be invited too.  Many wine bottles and many food courses lay ahead of us.  But to get the evening going, three Rieslings which showed different aspects of the variety, and also of their origin, and how the makers decided to make them.  Fascinating stuff for wine geeks, but also those who are ‘just’ into the taste of it.

First up was a 2012 Clemens Busch ‘Rothenpfad’ Punderich Marienburg GG Riesling.  We’re loving these dry Rieslings from Clemens Busch, probably more than the fruit sweet wines as thay show variety still, but the soils of the site.  Red slate, with ungrafted vines up to 85 y.o.  Rich, soft, luscious, but dry.  Weighty, but fresh.  And florals along with spice, warmth and earth.  Just so intriguing to sip on, yet so satisfying.  Everything was in balance.  It probably was the wine of the night for most of us. 

Then followed the 2013 Ansgar Clusserath Trittenheim Apotheke Riesling Trocken.  On grey-blue slat, given skin contact and wild yeast.  At 12.0% alc., it showed its cooler northerly origins.  Very Mosel with electrifying acidity.  Immaculate varietal character, and great minerality.  But the acidity stole the show.  Maybe some time in bottle would settle it down, and bring it into balance,  Easy to not like after the first wine, but there’s truly plenty there to like in reality.

 

The third of the trio, a 2013 Brundlmayer Zobinger Heiligenstein 1OTW Riesling ‘Lyra’.  An Austrian relation to the two previous German wines, but no lesser for it.  From the great Heiligenstein vineyard, but this bottling from the Lyra trellised fruit, which exposes canopy and aeration.  Lovely clarity and softness of varietal fruit.  Very refined textures, and poised acidity.  Beautifully balance.  Maybe a tad more fruit power.  But sheer class here.  Still the Clemens Busch was the star, but this just behind.