WTN: 2007 Geil Scheurebe Kabinett

2007 Geil Scheurebe Kabinett Rheinhessen 10.0%
Lovely aromas of peach, pineapple and wet slate. Zippy acidity, light but satisfying body, balanced, fun and delicious. Back up the truck.

[David M. Bueker]

You'll make Salil jealous.

May he salivate.

Back up the truck.

Great advice - unfortunately I didn't buy more than two bottles of this when Chambers had this in stock, and haven't been able to find it since. Shame as it was incredibly delicious and a great value.

Back up the truck.

Great advice - unfortunately I didn't buy more than two bottles of this when Chambers had this in stock, and haven't been able to find it since. Shame as it was incredibly delicious and a great value.

The 2008 is available and has half a degree less alcohol. I don't have a sense of the vintage differences between 07 and 08 in the Rheinhessen. Do you think it's likely to be as tasty in 08? Sounds like it might have a touch less ripeness and a touch more acidity, both of which would be fine... David?

[David M. Bueker]

'08 is going to tend towards grapefruit rather than riper fruit tones. I tend to dislike less ripe Scheurebe, but that's me.

I'm a little more wary on the 08, but I will give it a try soon. I don't mind a touch less ripeness with most grapes, but I like my Scheurebes on the riper side.

I've found that when they're less ripe, they lean towards a more grassy/Sauvignon-like flavour profile that doesn't excite me too much - and a bunch of other notes I've heard about various 08 Scheurebes (from Wittmann and Keller, in the Rheinhessen as well) have suggested the flavours were more in the grassy/herbal spectrum rather than real fruit, which I do like in Scheu.

[Scheurebe is the one grape - in the right hands - where I absolutely love high ripeness and the wild, tropical flavours that come with it - the 96 Darting Scheurebe TBA and the Muller-Catoir Scheurebes from 01 and 98 are some of the most fun and thrilling wines I've ever had.]

Very interesting and useful responses, thanks. People often criticize Viognier (and I criticize Torrontes) for lacking acidity, so it's interesting how greater ripeness, depending on the grape, can actually be a requirement.