For 15 years now, some incredibly generous friends and I have had this monthly dinner and tasting group. Well it morphed into dinner too, but it was always a themed tasting of some of the most renown names from well known wine regions tasted among 9 friends, that just love the food and wine experience. Here's a non-linear retrospective series of what we tasted, in crib-note form, that I'm calling...Views from the Cellar.
Mighty Alsace Riesling...early 2017
Prepours:
Guessed: German Riesling, like the 2002 Kerpen Bernkasteler Riesling...but Pysch!
#1 Riesling grapes made in a garage carbouy, from his parent's friend's vineyard. Always humbling, to see how little you think you know!
Guessed: Alsace, maybe Marcel Deiss Altenbourg?
#2 2005 Dom. Weinbach Pinot Gris Altenbourg 'Cuvee Laurence"
Guessed: Loire, likely Chenin Blanc
#3 2002 Pinon Vouvray 'Cuvee Novembre'
Guessed: Maybe Alsace, Not gewurz
#4 Dom. Weinbach Guewurztraminer 'Cuvee Laurence'...low and behold, it's Gewurz! Dang it...
Themed Flight...Alsace Riesling, aged if possible (with smoked Pork Loin)
A...and in 4th place: 2006 Albert Mann Schlossberg
Touch of diesel that persisted, Bosc and asian pear, key lime pith, green apple skin, great sneaky acidity
B...and in 6th place (least favorite): 2005 Dom. Weinbach 'Cuvee Ste Catherine'
Fantastic nose initially, but loaded with wintergreen and tarragon in palate, smokey botyrised honeycomb, S-ton of minerals, but thick, less acid than expected in finish.
C...and in 1st place: 2005 Dom. Weinbach Cuvee Ste Catherine Schlossberg
Bright fruit caramel, honey and thyme, thyme blossoms, persistant Sweet-tart acidity, candied tangerine peel, incredible long finish
D...and in 2nd place: 2013 Kintzler Schoenenbourg GC
Tropical! Papaya and guava, heavier on the palate (almost), but with an brighter weight in the finish, almost asian pear. Drier than the palate suggests, and quite Zingy for its acid.
E...and in 5th place: 2001 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile
Loads of Butterscotch! Lemon pith and essence of bacon? Gets more diesel-y with air, almost a soapy element, but underneath strong orange/tangerine acid in the finish.
F...and in 3rd place: 2005 Dom. Weinbach 'Cuvee Ste Catherine'
Why sometimes getting two of the same bottles in the same tasting is so interesting. Lemon/lime skin, ripping immediate acid, under-ripe apricots and white flowers, almost oily texture in palate that balances out the intense acidity!
Post-Pours: with Latticed-Topped Apple Tarts
#1...2013 A.J.Adam Hofberg Riesling (GG)...Saar
#2...2010 Dr. Loosen Urzinger Wurzgraten Riesling Auslese
#3...1999 Dom. Zind-Humbrechdt Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Vendage Tardive
#4...2000 Marcel Deiss Altenbourg
