WTN: Rheinhessen Rotschiefer

Saturday was Zwiebelkuchen Day here in my little hamlet--which explained all the youths gathered round peeling onions Friday night. After waiting 30 minutes in line with my neighbors and negotiating a 20 percent discount because of a few visual defects in my fresh-out-of-the-wood-fired-oven Zwiebelkuchen, I rushed home threw a bottle of riesling in ice water as I did a quick reheat of the Kuchen, and, what a match . . .

2005 St. Antony Rheinhessen Riesling QbA Rotschiefer (Rheinhessen, Germany) 12.5% – appears bright pale gold, tiny bubbles fixed in midst of wine, smell mineral, bit of pineapple, wonderful nose to enjoy repeatedly, mouthfeel bit thicker, feels like spätlese to me, taste pleasant mineral good acidity, hints of sweetness, paired excellently with Zwiebelkuchen (an onion-based delicious concoction somewhere in the quiche/pizza family), nice and simple, the wine felt a bit too weighty at times, however, and felt like it could have used a bit more spritz, paired excellently with the Zwiebelkuchen but I really wish the alcohol content had been lower—it would have made it a much better lunch wine, not enough to get me excited here for a 10 euro bottle

Ich halte Sankt Antony für einen ausreichend guten Winzer, aber nicht außergewöhnlich. Sie bevorzugen trockene Weine. Wenn man Spätlese Qualität und Reife von einem zehn euro QbA Wein bekommen kann, hat man nichts zu meckern. Ja?

Prost!

Oh, no grounds for complaints here on my part, Bill. The one that might apply in these sorts of cases (one expects to drink a lighter QbA and the palate is slammed with a full Spätlese) doesn't really apply here, as one needs to really read the fine print on the label to see the QbA notation. (Aside here on how different St Antony's labels are from most German producers--they've gone ultra-modern, interesting, and this is the first wine I have ever had with a glass stopper.)

I will reserve my judgment on St Antony until I get around to the Großes Gewächs or two that I got from them which I remember being quite promising. But I was wondering if you have any guidance you could share on producers who specialize in trocken wines that you think are worth seeking out. I think I noted in another thread that you are a big fan of Georg Breuer--my experience with their wines did not impress, but I am not sure I had anything beyond their village and general Rheingau wines. Is there a big divide between that stuff and their vineyard-designated stuff? Or is it my palate that clashes? Just wondering if I should try seeking them out again . . .

I don't usually go German for Bone-dry Riesling. Austria and Alsace seem better suited to the style, but there are a few people in Deutschland who really sing. I've never really had a trocken wein from the Mosel that made complete sense to me. The Pfalz, Rheingau, Nahe and Rheinhessen do it better. I like Basserman-Jordan, Armin Diel, Koehler-Ruprecht, Domdechant Werner and of course Breuer (who's 'Erstes Gewächs style' wines -Breuer was a staunch VDP opponent for various reasons, some selfish depending on who you ask, but led modern day vineyard reclassification in the 'Gau with CHARTA -a different topic, but certainly one worth discussing on this board.) who owns some of the choicest parcels in and around Rüdesheim, including a monopole interest in the Nonnenberg. There are also a few dry riesling gems down in Bayern. Check out Rudolf Fürst, Horst Sauer and Hans Wirsching in Franken. Franconian Riesling is a wine to be reckoned with.

Thank you, Bill, I am unfamiliar with the wines from Franken, so it sounds like a visit will be in order--thanks for putting those producers on my radar.