Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Works - Doesn't Work


Some wines just work.  The producer is right.  The style is right.  And when all is done, it tastes just right.  Others don’t give you the same feeling.  The producer may be a god one.  The style of wine is something you normally like.  But somehow, it just doesn’t fit together well, and the taste doesn’t hit the spot, or just feels wrong.

Donnhoff has always been one of our favourite German producers.  This Nahe name is well known for its accessible Kabinetts, its eich Spatlesen, and if you’re lucky sensational Auslese and above.  These wines have never let SWMBO or myself down in any way.  Recently, we’ve tried some of their Trocken wines, and they too are superb. It seems Donnhoff can do no wrong.

Robert Weil in the Rheingau is just as highly regarded.  Their Trocken wines are now seen as top flight, and SWMBO and I have enjoyed many of these.  They have a subtle power and balance.  As with most producers in the main regions, they’ve made the Pradikat classified wines, and still do.
Our day with The Young One and Jo-Lo was to be enhanced with wines from these two producers.  The 2016 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett was indeed superb.  Beautifully fine yet with a positive heart and line.  Deliciously succulent citrus fruits with florals and a touch of minerals, with perfect acid balance for the sweetness.  Exquisite drinking at this level, that just works.  But then the 2016 Robert Weil Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese shocked us.  Sure it was richer as it should be at the Spatlese level, but the fruit smelt and tasted savoury.  Not oxidised or sour, but certainly off-putting.  There were florals and honey, but the savouriness pervaded.  This was not enjoyable, and it did not work, so we moved to a red.  SWMBO and the I-Spy Man reported the wine to have been much better the next night.  In fact it must have been good, as they finished the bottle, so I didn’t see it again….  

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